As of January 2025, at Calala Women’s Fund, we have launched a new horizontal organisational structure that aligns with our Theory of Change and with the feminist, anti-racist, and decolonial values we uphold.
This change goes beyond technical adjustments — it is a political decision that transforms the way we organise, work, and care for one another. We are committed to a model that places internal democracy, transparency, organisational justice, and collective wellbeing at its centre.
🔥 Why a Horizontal Structure?
For years, we reflected on the need to move away from traditional hierarchical models. We aspire to an organisation where power is distributed equitably, where care is prioritised, where genuine participation is fostered, and where management reflects our values.
The departure of the previous executive leadership in 2023 marked the opportunity to consolidate that transition. It wasn’t a rupture, but rather the natural evolution of a collective journey we had already begun. We undertook this process while recognising the legacy of the colleagues who have held leadership roles over the years and by strengthening what we’ve learnt along the way.
In 2024, we formed a diverse Transition Group that worked on designing this new structure, with the support of an external facilitator and members of our Board, and of the technical team. The result is a living, flexible model under constant review.
How Does Our New Organisational Structure Work?
Our model is based on Houses and Plazas, inspired by practices such as sociocracy, feminist community knowledge, and Central American roots.
Houses group key technical functions, operating with autonomy and interconnection. They function as fluid, collaborative, and accountable work teams.
Plazas are spaces for collective strategy and coordination. They are not single-person leadership roles. This is where tensions are identified, collective decisions are made, and the organisational pulse is nurtured.
This structure seeks to promote interdependence, reduce bureaucracy, clarify roles, and better distribute workloads. We work from a place of co-responsibility, trust, and autonomy.
A Collective Process Under Construction
The transition has not been easy or linear. We have faced resistance, doubts, and challenges. But we have also collaborated with creativity, commitment, and joy. We draw inspiration from nature and living systems: non-hierarchical, dynamic, and constantly transforming.
This structure is not a closed model. It is a way of organising that will continue to adapt — always with the intention of remaining coherent with what we promote: social justice, shared leadership, and collective power.
What Are We Aiming for With This Transformation?
We want our internal experience at Calala to be in alignment with our external actions. We are committed to an organisational model that strengthens our collective capacities to continue supporting feminist and anti-racist movements in Spain and Central America.
We work to:
Consolidate shared leadership
Sustain a living, critical, and joyful structure
Harness our potential to effectively fulfil Calala’s mission
Place care at the centre
Actively reflect on power, racism, and colonial dynamics
How Do We Organise Now?
These are the Houses and Plazas that make up Calala’s new structure:
These are the Houses and Plazas that make up Calala’s new structure:
Movements House
Responsible for project management and relations with public and private institutional donors. Works closely with the women’s, feminist, and LBTIQ+ groups that Calala supports.
Team: Anna Domínguez, Fiona Montagud, Greta Frankenfeld, Johanna Barragán, Margarita Morales, Nana Ziani.
Narratives and Knowledges House
Leads institutional communication, engagement with individual donors, and strategic partnerships with corporate donors, weaving feminist and anti-racist narratives that inspire, connect, and transform.
Team: Alejandra Morales, Manuela Sisti, Suyén Martínez.
Organisational Development and Care House
Coordinates and implements administrative and organisational procedures that ensure robust and efficient resource management. Activates systems for monitoring, evaluation, and learning, and follows up on our Theory of Change. Implements our care policy and supports human resource management for team wellbeing.
Team: Bertha Sánchez, Carolina Egio, Cristal Campillay, Hajar Oukhouya, Lyda Sierra.
Sustainability Plaza
Coordinates strategic and organisational aspects. Makes institutional decisions to ensure continuity of our mission. Composed of two rotating members from each House.
Political Action Plaza
Ensures that the values and mission of Calala are reflected in all actions we promote as an organisation. Composed of three rotating members from different Houses.
We continue transforming, caring for one another, and building together new ways of organising ourselves — to shape the lives we want.
