Coalition of Feminists for Social Change (COFEM)

What Coalition of Feminists for Social Change (COFEM) does

COFEM (Coalition of Feminists for Social Change) is a global feminist advocacy collective founded in 2017 to address the shrinking space for feminist analysis in violence against women and girls (VAWG) and gender-based violence (GBV) work within humanitarian and development settings. The organization operates under fiscal sponsorship of Let's Breakthrough, Inc., a 501c3 entity, with a Secretariat of approximately 11 consultants and a six-member Coordinating Committee distributed across seven countries. COFEM maintains a global membership of 300-400+ women activists, practitioners, researchers, and academics across all continents, with regional concentrations in East and South Africa, Asia Pacific, North America, and Europe.

The organization's core product surface is an integrated knowledge ecosystem of freely distributed advocacy and learning resources. The portfolio includes the COFEM Learning Brief Series, Tip Sheets, the multi-language Feminist Pocketbook (Arabic, English, French, Spanish), Regional Features spanning West Africa, SWANA, East and Southern Africa, Asia Pacific, and the Americas, a curated Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) Resource Archive, the SVRI Paper and Video Series, the Handbook on Feminist Grantmaking, the Feminist Research Assessment Tool (co-created with We All Count), the Repoliticizing Intersectionality primer, and an Emotional First Aid Toolkit. Complementing these is a recurring webinar series and Knowledge Summits. Distribution is entirely digital-first via the website, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and email/newsletter channels.

The business model is non-profit and donation-based: membership is free, with revenue flowing through philanthropic donations, donor partnerships, and institutional grants (e.g., Ford Foundation, UN Women ACT Initiative, Colmena Fund), all administered via the fiscal sponsor. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, emphasizing member engagement through Working Groups, learning labs, blog contributions, and collective advocacy campaigns. The customer base spans three primary segments: women practitioners/researchers/activists working on VAWG (primary, free), feminist-aligned donor and philanthropic organizations, and strategic co-development partners such as SVRI, MenEngage Alliance, and the Arab Institute for Women.

Name

Coalition of Feminists for Social Change (COFEM)

Legal name

Coalition of Feminists for Social Change (COFEM)

Website

https://cofemsocialchange.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit feminist advocacy and gender-based violence education

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment (BPAGABAF)

Keywords

• Feminist advocacy resources
• Gender-based violence prevention
• Humanitarian development research
• Nonprofit advocacy coalition
• Women's rights education

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: COFEM membership is free. Joining COFEM means becoming a partner in the shared mission without any membership fees.
2. Donations and Philanthropic Funding: COFEM is funded through donations and partnerships with aligned donors and feminist organizations. The organization publishes donor briefs and brochures outlining funding priorities and achievements.
3. Fiscal Sponsorship: Fiscal sponsorship of COFEM is facilitated and provided by Let's Breakthrough, Inc., a 501c3 organization (EIN 31-1793681), which handles administrative and financial management for the collective.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

COFEM is a global advocacy collective that produces and freely distributes feminist knowledge products (Learning Briefs, Tip Sheets, the Feminist Pocketbook, Regional Features, the TFGBV Resource Archive, the Handbook on Feminist Grantmaking, and the Feminist Research Assessment Tool) and virtual events (Webinar Series / Knowledge Summit) for practitioners, researchers, activists, and donors working to end violence against women and girls in humanitarian and development settings. All resources are offered for free download, with optional free membership enabling participation in Working Groups, learning labs, and collective advocacy campaigns.

Product overview

COFEM (Coalition of Feminists for Social Change) is a global feminist advocacy collective that produces and distributes knowledge tools, publications, and digital resources focused on ending violence against women and girls (VAWG) and gender-based violence (GBV). Its portfolio consists of a unified suite of advocacy and learning resources built around a core knowledge platform, including the Learning Brief Series, Tip Sheets, Feminist Pocketbook, SVRI Paper & Video Series, Webinar recordings, and Regional Features. COFEM also offers specialized tools such as the Handbook on Feminist Grantmaking and the Feminist Research Assessment Tool. These products are distributed freely as downloadable resources and are complemented by a curated TFGBV Archive and a regularly updated Blog. Together, these resources form an integrated knowledge ecosystem designed to build the capacity of feminist practitioners, researchers, donors, and activists working in humanitarian and development settings globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• COFEM Learning Brief Series A series of published learning briefs drawing on COFEM members' experiences covering topics on violence against women and girls and feminist movement building within humanitarian and development work.
• COFEM Tip Sheets Short, accessible tip sheets addressing feminist topics with actionable guidance for practitioners, researchers, activists, and academics working to end violence against women and girls.
• Feminist Pocketbook A series of short, digestible tip sheets, videos, and a social media toolkit designed to help people in humanitarian and development settings understand and implement feminist approaches to addressing violence against women and girls, available in Arabic, English, French, and Spanish.
• COFEM Webinar Series Virtual webinar series addressing women's equality, inclusion, leadership, intersectional feminism, and violence against women and girls across all member geographies, including recordings of past sessions such as the COFEM Knowledge Summit 2018.
• COFEM Regional Features Long-form articles, research papers, and blogs developed by COFEM members highlighting regional and local issues of gender-based violence across regions including West Africa, the Americas, SWANA, East and Southern Africa, South Asia, and the Caribbean.
• TFGBV Archive A curated collection of resources on technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), including analysis, research, written pieces, videos, podcasts, and graphics, organized by topic, type, format, publisher, and regional focus.
• COFEM SVRI Paper and Video Series A collection of papers and video interviews written by COFEM members articulating concerns about shrinking space for feminist analysis in GBV efforts in development and humanitarian settings, launched at the 5th SVRI Research Forum in September 2017.
• Handbook on Feminist Grantmaking A handbook supporting donors to integrate a feminist lens into grantmaking, particularly for funding work to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls in humanitarian and development settings, including six commitments for donors and operational checklists.
• Feminist Research Assessment Tool An online tool and companion guide supporting individuals and organisations engaging in GBV research to reflect on how aligned a particular piece of research is with feminist methodology, co-created with the We All Count team.
• Repoliticizing Intersectionality A primer returning to the roots of intersectionality, addressing misconceptions, and applying intersectional theory to feminist praxis for organisations working to end VAWG.
• Emotional First Aid Tipsheet A feminist-centred resource for non-mental health professionals including humanitarian workers, community organisers, and feminist practitioners, providing actionable tools for empathetic responses, self-awareness, boundary setting, and collective emotional care.
• COFEM Blog A blog platform publishing articles, statements, and analysis by COFEM members on topics including feminism, GBV, TFGBV, feminist funding, humanitarian issues, and regional features.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300 members across all continents as of 2026
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOFEM has co-hosted multiple webinars with SVRI including on Applying Feminist Principles to GBV Data Collection during COVID-19. SVRI and COFEM members collaborated on the SVRI Paper and Video Series launched at the 5th SVRI Research Forum in 2017.
• Arab Institute for WomenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOFEM co-hosted a webinar with Arab Institute for Women, Global Women's Institute and VOICE focusing on feminist movement building and rewriting rules in the Arab Region.
• Global Women's InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOFEM co-hosted a webinar with Arab Institute for Women, Global Women's Institute and VOICE focusing on feminist movement building and rewriting rules in the Arab Region.
• VOICEmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOFEM co-hosted a webinar with Arab Institute for Women, Global Women's Institute and VOICE focusing on feminist movement building and rewriting rules in the Arab Region.
• MenEngage Alliance (MEA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOFEM participated in a roundtable at the MenEngage Alliance Ubuntu Symposium in collaboration with AÇEV, IPPFWHR, and SIDA discussing ethical considerations for engaging men and boys to end VAWG.
• Better Politics FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOFEM partnered with Better Politics Foundation through the UN Women ACT initiative to convene dialogues between senior women politicians and civil society on technology-facilitated gender-based violence and political participation.
• UN Women ACT InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOFEM participates in the UN Women ACT initiative alongside partners including Solidarity Alliance, Colmena Fund, Better Politics Foundation, Pollicy, Nalafem, and Fundación Multitudes to convene dialogues on women in politics and GBV.
• Solidarity AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the UN Women ACT initiative convening closed dialogues between women politicians and civil society on women in public office and technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
• PollicymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the UN Women ACT initiative convening dialogues on women in political leadership and technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
• NalafemmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the UN Women ACT initiative working on feminist approaches to women's political participation and GBV.
• Fundación MultitudesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the UN Women ACT initiative contributing to dialogues on women in politics and GBV.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID): AWID is a global feminist membership-driven organization supporting women's rights movements, making it a closely comparable direct peer to COFEM in mission, constituency (feminist activists, researchers, donors), and global operating model.
• Raising Voices: Raising Voices is an international NGO working on violence prevention and gender equality, particularly VAWG in the Global South. It is a direct peer given COFEM's identified strategic partnership and shared focus on feminist VAWG prevention and response.
• Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI): SVRI is a global research and advocacy initiative focused on preventing and responding to sexual violence. COFEM co-hosts webinars and has produced the joint SVRI Paper & Video Series with SVRI, making it a closely aligned peer in the GBV research/practice ecosystem.
• CREA: CREA is a feminist international organization based in the Global South working on gender, sexuality, and human rights. It is comparable to COFEM through shared feminist, Global South-centered advocacy and knowledge-product model.
• MADRE: MADRE is an international women's human rights organization partnering with grassroots feminist groups. It is comparable in mission, partner-based operating model, and emphasis on resourcing frontline women's movements.
• MenEngage Alliance: MenEngage Alliance is a global alliance working on engaging men and boys for gender justice and ending VAWG. COFEM has participated in MenEngage convenings and the organizations share overlapping VAWG and feminist practitioner ecosystems.

Peers

• Urgent Action Fund for Women's Human Rights: Urgent Action Fund is a feminist rapid-response funder supporting women's human rights defenders globally. It is a direct peer given overlapping feminist grantmaking philosophy, donor-side work, and Global South emphasis.

Emerging players

• IWRAW Asia Pacific: IWRAW Asia Pacific is a regional feminist organization supporting women's human rights advocacy. It is comparable through a shared focus on feminist capacity-building, knowledge resources, and Global South women's movements, though with a regional rather than global remit.

Broad incumbents

• UN Women: UN Women is the UN entity dedicated to gender equality and women's empowerment. It is a broad incumbent operating at global scale across VAWG, women's political participation, and feminist funding — overlapping significantly with COFEM's mission and partnership ecosystem (e.g., the UN Women ACT initiative).
• Plan International: Plan International is a large global NGO working on children's and girls' rights, including VAWG programming and feminist resources. It is a broad incumbent given its overlapping practitioner-facing VAWG resources, global footprint, and donor relationships, though at much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLqp4s_ESTZYixPZuHs1r7VhizAFjmjKVR
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cofemsocialchange
• Instagraminstagram.com/cofem.sc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Coalition of Feminists for Social Change (COFEM)