Driving Gender-Transformative Climate Solutions with Data: GEDA Small Grants in Action

In 2024, the Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO), together with the Gender and Environment Data Alliance (GEDA), committed to enabling better collection, analysis, and application of gender-environment data through a new small grants mechanism. Less than a year later, that commitment is already driving real impact—both on the ground and on the global stage with its small grants program.

Supporting Local Action Through Small Grants 

In September 2024, WEDO announced the inaugural awardees of the GEDA Small Grants. These grants support grassroots organizations working at the intersection of gender, climate, and data—empowering them to amplify local knowledge, produce new data, and inform policy change. 

One recipient, ICEG Africa, is leading groundbreaking work to elevate women’s voices in Kenya’s coastal climate policies. From launching peer research to conducting participatory workshops, their work demonstrates how localized data efforts can drive systemic change. Read their update. 

                                                      ICEG Wins GEDA Small Grant for Groundbreaking Climate Adaptation Project

See their work in action: 

1.  Amplifying Women’s Voices in Coastal Climate Policies 
2.  Kickoff with ADA Peer Researchers 
    

And the momentum continues. WEDO and GEDA have announced a second round of GEDA Small Grants—this time awarding 11 grants of $10,000 to $15,000 each. This expansion builds on the success of the first round and significantly exceeds their original Commit to Data pledge of providing at least one annual round of five grants. The increased scale reflects the growing demand and continued commitment to supporting frontline groups working to close gender-environment data gaps. 

Spotlight on Data and Gender at Global Forums 

Beyond the grants, GEDA and WEDO have helped center the importance of gender-disaggregated data in climate and disaster risk reduction policies by hosting and speaking at key global events: 

• June 18, 2025 – Bonn, SB62: At a side event titled “COP30 Gender-Responsive Climate Action: Addressing Vulnerabilities Through Gender-Disaggregated Data,”  WEDO policy expert Mwanahamisi Singano underscored how data gaps can exacerbate gendered vulnerabilities in climate-affected communities. 
   
• June 2, 2025 – Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction: WEDO co-hosted a session on “Implementation of Climate and DRR Gender Action Plan at National Level: Synergies and Strategies” to highlight the integration of gender data into national resilience frameworks. 
   
• April 16, 2025 – ECOSOC Youth Forum: GEDA featured a panel titled “Data for Change: Powering Gender-Transformative Climate Solutions,” bringing youth perspectives into the conversation on data, gender, and environmental action. 

     WEDO policy expert Mwanahamisi Singano speaks at COP30 on the importance of closing gender environment data gaps.

What’s Next? 

This commitment is far from finished. As we approach COP30, GEDA and WEDO will continue to uplift local data-driven climate solutions and advocate for sustained investment in gender-environment statistics. Their work helps deliver on the Commit to Data campaign’s mission: turning data commitments into tangible action and impact. 

Stay tuned for more stories from GEDA small grants recipients as they continue to push for more just, inclusive, and data-informed climate solutions.