Supporting girls and young women affected by violence and exploitation
Kaya Comer-Schwartz, Deputy Mayor for Policing & Crime (MOPAC) in London
The application form is now live. To apply, please complete the online form linked below
What the fund aims to do through its support of London-based organisations
The Girls and Young Women Local Groups Fund in London aims to strengthen both direct support and the evidence base on what works, by offering grants to London-based community groups already working with women and girls impacted by gangs, violence and exploitation.
The grants process will be overseen by Social Finance, in partnership with specialist organisations Abianda, a charity working with girls and young women affected by criminal exploitation and Agenda Alliance, a national alliance advocating for women and girls experiencing multiple unmet needs.
I’m proud to be able to support the Girls and Young Women Local Groups Fund. By delivering group work and creating safe, supportive spaces for girls and young women who have faced harm from gangs, violence and exploitation to share their experiences of what life is like, we can better meet their needs and make our city safer for every woman and girl.
Kaya Comer-Schwartz, Deputy Mayor for Policing & Crime, MOPAC
Alongside funding to deliver group work and enable girls and young women to co-produce recommendations for improving the sector, this unique grant opportunity also offers structured development activities to support grantees and build a network of providers.
The Fund focuses on achieving outcomes across two key priorities:
Through delivery of group work, development support for grantees and co-production activities, the fund will generate the following learning and evidence to inform practice, policy and commissioning:
- Insights on what works in supporting girls and young women
- Language and definitions that are inclusive, accurate, and informed by the voices of girls and young women
- Contemporary understanding of girls and young women’s needs beyond the gang member narrative
What the local London-based groups will do
Local groups funded through this programme will have four main roles:
- To create safe spaces for girls and young women to take part in group sessions, where they can connect with others and offer each other support
- To involve girls and young women in co-design and co-production activities – helping shape services and build a better understanding of what support should look like
- To engage with development support and capacity-building, including learning sessions and networking with other grant-funded groups
- To engage with the Fund’s monitoring and learning activities to help us learn from the group work
Who can apply
This fund is for organisations and groups working in London that already support girls and young women affected by gangs, violence or exploitation. It aims to build on existing strengths while offering space to test and develop new, sustainable approaches to support this group.
We welcome applications from London-based organisations and groups who either have:
We are especially interested in hearing from grassroots and community-led organisations. Please note, this funding is specifically for organisations and groups working in London.
Thinking about applying for a grant from the Fund?
The Fund opened for applications on 2nd January 2026 and will close on 6th February 2026 at 5pm. Applications should be submitted using the online application form linked below.
Our next market engagement webinar is on 21st January, 2026 at 2pm.
Fill in your details using the form at the bottom of the page to register your interest.
You can watch our first webinar below.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with us at gywlocalgroupsfund@socialfinance.org.uk.
Submit an application
Key documents
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