NWJC secures funding to boost awareness of the impact of women’s centres

The National Women’s Justice Coalition (NWJC) has secured a £50,000 grant from The JABBS Foundation for Women and Girls to deliver a new national Women’s Centres Awareness Programme, running from June 2026 to January 2027.

This funding will strengthen the coalition’s ability to champion the vital role of Women’s Centres by amplifying evidence of their effectiveness and increasing engagement with key decision-makers at both local and national levels.

Strengthening advocacy and influence
The programme will enhance NWJC’s coordination capacity and support its 27 Partner organisations to more effectively influence policy and funding decisions. By bringing together robust evidence, lived experience, and frontline expertise, the initiative aims to demonstrate the value of women’s centres as a proven, gender-responsive alternative to the criminal justice system.

Through this work, the NWJC will help ensure that women’s centres are recognised as essential infrastructure, supporting women in contact with the criminal justice system and improving long-term outcomes for them, their families, and communities.

Building support and partnerships
The Women’s Centres Awareness Programme will focus on:

• Increasing understanding among policymakers of what works for women
• Strengthening partnerships across local and national systems
• Generating greater political and public support for specialist women’s services
• Attracting sustained investment into the Women’s Centre sector

By embedding the Women’s Centre model within policy conversations, the programme aims to drive long-term change and ensure services are properly recognised, funded, and supported.

Dr Tom McNeil, Chief Executive Officer of The JABBS Foundation for Women and Girls, said:

“We are delighted to continue our partnership with the National Women’s Justice Coalition. This funding aims to help scale up awareness of why Women’s Centres deserve greater recognition as essential, evidence-based infrastructure within local and national policy conversations – diverting women from the criminal justice system and delivering better health and wellbeing outcomes.”

Abbi Ayers, Director of Strategic Development at NWJC, said:

“We know that women’s centres work, but too often the challenge is ensuring decision-makers clearly understand why they work and why they matter. This funding provides a valuable opportunity to bring together up-to-date evidence, lived experience and frontline expertise in a coordinated way, equipping our partners with the tools and confidence to influence stakeholders more effectively.”