This article provides a critical feminist analysis of the intersection of policy, practice, and decisions about funding for women's learning and activism. Beginning with a discussion of the current Canadian context, the authors then examine the international context via three United Nations-level policies affecting funding priorities for women's lives: the CONFINTEA international conferences on adult education, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The authors consider efforts to broaden citizen engagement such as participatory budgeting and explore examples of specific women's organizations that are creating spaces for democratic participation in the international sphere.