By Jason Ball OAM, Executive Director, GiveOut
Resilience is in the LGBTQI community’s DNA. We are a movement built on the resolve of people who have continually risen above oppression in the fight for a more just future.
The ability to find courage and community in times of darkness has always been our strength. Now, more than ever, we must draw on that strength – our movement is facing a crisis of survival.
Sudden Cuts, Lasting Damage: The Impact of the Aid Freeze
In January, the US government abruptly froze nearly all foreign aid, with LGBTQI organisations among the hardest hit. The consequences were immediate and devastating – cancelled grants, stop-work orders, and even demands that some groups return funds they had already received.
It’s connected to a broader push to wind back Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programmes and launch an all-out assault on the queer community, particularly trans and gender diverse people.
As our grant partners wrestle with a tectonic shift in the funding landscape, I step into the role of Executive Director at GiveOut with a sense of urgency and conviction. GiveOut is an international LGBTQI community foundation, bringing together our community and allies to fund LGBTQI activism globally.
We surveyed our grant partners and found two-thirds have been impacted by the freeze, with estimated losses exceeding $2 million. Many already operate on shoestring budgets, and without immediate action will be forced to suspend operations, cut staff or close entirely.
In their Defunding Freedom report, Outright International revealed the cuts have forced the suspension of 120 grants across 42 countries, jeopardising advocacy, legal aid and emergency shelter for some of the most marginalised LGBTQI communities. As one of our partners put it, “It’s an existential crisis. We do not have the funds to continue operating after July this year.”
Meeting the Moment: A Global Backlash Demands Global Solidarity
These are challenging times for our movement. But I have always believed in the power of hope as a vehicle for change. As Harvey Milk said, “Hope will never be silent.” We are seeing that play out across the UK, as individuals, businesses, trusts and foundations mobilise to meet this moment.
GiveOut has launched the LGBTQI Urgent Response Fund, bringing together our community and allies to support our grant partners affected by the aid freeze. The fund is helping organisations navigate this period of upheaval by providing vital resources when they’re needed most.
Already, emergency grants have allowed organisations across Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and the Caribbean – including in some of the toughest places in the world to live as a queer person – to retain staff, legal aid services and crisis helplines, and provide critical community support. But the need is vast and ongoing.
According to the Global Philanthropy Project (GPP), 27 per cent of donor government funding to LGBTQI movements in the Global South and East is now at risk, and more than half of all embassy grants.
The timing of this financial precarity could not be worse. As the US vacates the field on human rights leadership, anti-LGBTQI forces have been emboldened. From Kenya to Iraq, we are seeing a resurgence of violence and regressive legislation, often justified by the US retreat.
Just this month, Hungary passed a draconian law banning Pride events. What’s happening in Budapest is a stark reminder: no country is immune, and the fight for queer liberation transcends borders. In this moment, international solidarity is essential. We must be resolute in resisting efforts to erase our communities and take our movement backwards.
LGBTQI organisations are frontline human rights defenders, adept at operating in economically uncertain environments. But the speed and depth of these cuts is unprecedented and needs a matched response.
Power to the Frontlines: Funding the Future of Our Movement
As a community foundation, GiveOut is uniquely placed to give power back to the people most affected. We pool donations from individuals and businesses and channel them directly to activist-led organisations worldwide, who know their communities intimately and can allocate funds to areas of greatest need.
Our grants are flexible and unrestricted, giving grassroots groups the breathing room they need to stabilise operations, respond to emerging threats, and chart a path forward. This support isn’t just about survival – it’s about resilience. It allows organisations to hold the line, protect their teams and communities, and seek alternative longer-term funding in a moment when US aid may take years to return – if it returns at all.
Thanks to a generous match commitment, every pound up to £250,000 donated to our LGBTQI Urgent Response Fund will be doubled – offering a lifeline to many grassroots groups.
Over the past two years as GiveOut’s Head of Grant-making, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with extraordinary LGBTQI activists and organisations, witnessing both their resilience and the life-saving impact timely funding can provide. The future of our movement lies in the hands of those on the frontlines doing this vital work.
Now is the time to show up and empower them with the resources to not only survive this crisis but thrive in the long-term. There is strength in community. With collective action, we can safeguard decades of hard-won progress.
There are many ways to help. Make a one-off donation – every amount helps and all donations are being matched, doubling your impact. Fundraise by hosting an event, running a marathon or fitness challenge, or marking a birthday, wedding or milestone with a JustGiving fundraiser. Ask your business if they offer payroll giving or will match your donation, or even make a corporate contribution to stand in solidarity with LGBTQI communities around the world. However you show up, you’ll be helping keep vital organisations alive through this moment of crisis.
Double your Impact. Donate to the LGBTQI Urgent Response Fund