Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) people around the world continue to face discrimination, violence and criminalisation. In many countries, hard-won rights are being rolled back, civic space is closing, and organisations working to protect LGBTQI communities are operating under increasing risk.
This report examines how the UK has responded to that reality through funding. It analyses how much the UK gave collectively during the period 2021–22 to support LGBTQI communities internationally, with a focus on the Global South, and where that funding came from. As in our previous Giving Report, published in 2023, we examine contributions from four sources: trusts and foundations, Government, corporates, and individual philanthropists.
The figures in this report tell a story of funding that is small in scale but significant in impact. UK giving to LGBTQI issues internationally remains a tiny fraction of overall charitable and development spending. Yet, because the global LGBTQI movement is so chronically under-resourced, funding from the UK carries significant weight. In this context, even modest increases or reductions in UK funding can have profound effects on the stability, reach, and survival of organisations on the ground.
The 2021–22 period covered by this analysis was one of relative stability and managed transition. Covid-19 emergency funding was coming to an end, while many funders were reassessing priorities and funding models. At the same time, this period laid important groundwork for subsequent growth in UK Government investment, including the £40 million, five-year commitment to global LGBTQI rights announced in 2023. Seen in this light, 2021–22 represents a moment when the UK funding ecosystem was holding steady and positioning itself for future scale.
Since then, the international funding landscape has changed dramatically. Overseas aid budgets have come under renewed pressure, and major international funding streams — most notably USAID — have been abruptly cut. For LGBTQI organisations and the intermediaries that support them, these shocks are not abstract: they translate into immediate funding gaps, programme closures, and reduced ability to respond to escalating backlash. In this environment, the UK’s role as a reliable funding partner matters more than ever.
These challenges indicate two clear priorities. First, the UK should safeguard existing commitments so that hard-won progress is not lost in the face of contracting resources. Second, the UK should fund smarter by deepening collaboration between trusts and foundations, government, corporates, intermediaries, and individual donors. Co-funding, match funding and blended approaches can help bring in new resources, share risk, and ensure funding reaches the organisations and regions facing the greatest pressure.
The challenges facing international LGBTQI movements today are severe, but they are not inevitable. They are shaped by policy decisions, funding priorities and collective choices. The evidence in this report shows that, even at relatively modest levels, UK funding can play a decisive role. We hope this report provides a clear evidence base to inform those choices, and supports renewed commitment to ensuring that international LGBTQI communities and the organisations that support them are not left to face this moment alone.
Jason Ball, Executive Director, GiveOut
Anne Aslett, Chief Executive Officer, the Elton John AIDS Foundation