by GiveOut’s Senior Philanthropy Officer Florian Barrows
When Resourcefulness Meets Resilience
I’ve always believed that trans people make the best fundraisers. As a trans man, I’ve seen our community host arm wrestling contests, auction off foraging workshops or even stage tongue-in-cheek ‘funerals’ to farewell chests before top surgery.
We’re resourceful and creative because we want everyone to get closer to the person they want to be – and we feel passionately about empowering our trans community to not only survive but thrive.
But we’re great fundraisers because we have to be. Trans people are far more likely to face unemployment, insecure housing, and discrimination. Addressing these challenges takes time and resources. And yet, too many incredible trans community groups have been forced to fold when their last drop of cash runs out.
It’s a problem faced by organisations right across the world. The State of Trans Organizing survey by the Global Philanthropy Project found 50% of trans organisations had annual budgets under $20,000, and 14% had no budget at all.
In this precarious financial environment, innovative, accessible and sustainable funding has never been more important.
Rethinking How We Fund Change
What our community needs most urgently is easier, more direct ways for funding to reach grassroots organisations. When support from our allies and the wider community is consolidated and delivered through reliable, unrestricted grants, the impact can be transformative.
I’ve seen the power of this first-hand. I regularly attend a trans men and trans masculine people meet-up in London. Previously, we lacked the funds to hire our own space so we were forced to meet in a public bar.
That all changed when we received a grant from LGBT Consortium, and we were able to rent out a private queer community space. The sense of safety this gave us has been extraordinary. At our last event, I saw trans men dancing together shirtless, completely free to be themselves.
As someone who once struggled to find community, this group has become the cornerstone of my trans identity. It’s the kind of experience I never thought I’d be lucky enough to have.
But safety, inclusion and the dignity to be your authentic self should not be a lottery.
Stories Of Impact
The best way we can ensure all trans people can access the support and community they deserve is to reimagine the way we fund that support. When generous individuals and businesses want to help, they should feel assured that their funds are being used in a way that maximises the impact of their giving.
That’s the model that sets GiveOut apart. Through our Philanthropist Advised Funds – including the Global Butterflies Fund and the Antonia & Andrea Belcher Fund – we connect fund sponsors with trusted local partners advancing trans rights in the UK and around the world, ensuring their money goes where it’s needed most.
And through our LGBTQI Solidarity Fund, backed by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and individual donors, we’ve secured match funding to extend vital support to activists facing heightened risks and shrinking resources.
Behind every grant is a story of hope and determination, showing us the kind of measurable change that’s possible when funding models set our community up for success.
Here are just a few of those stories:
Parent Power: Building a Circle of Support for Trans Youth in Czechia
A mother of a trans daughter living In Czechia – a country still marred by transphobia – found information, community and affirmation through our grant partner Trans*parent’s peer support network. Using that knowledge, she set up a peer support group for other parents of trans children in her local area.
Linked to Trans*parent’s wider peer network across the EU, it now stands as a regional model for family-focused, grassroots inclusion. What began as one mother’s search for answers and belonging has grown into a nationwide network highlighting how family acceptance – a key driver of positive mental health for trans kids – can save lives.
Trans Masculine Experiences: Shining a Light in South America
Across Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru, REDCAHT+ conducted the first regional survey into transmasculine health and wellbeing. The project Mi salud trans masculina importante (My Trans Masculine Health Matters) produced research written in Spanish and Portuguese and presented by groups from the regions covered.
Moving forward the team plans to use this research to ensure that trans men’s experiences, including safe abortion, pregnancy, and sexual and reproductive health rights, will be recognised and understood in national and international policy.
As one participant noted, the report allowed them to set a “transmasculine agenda for Latin America.”
Creating Lifelines for Trans and Gender-Diverse Jamaicans
In Jamaica, TransWave provided a crucial safety net for trans and gender-diverse people during a surge in discrimination and economic hardship. They delivered emergency financial aid, food, and access to life-saving healthcare.
Our grant partner’s work prevented homelessness, sustained access to essential medication, and provided a holistic emergency response to the complex needs of people in crisis.
Their community centre also became a vital hub for connection and healing – hosting meetups, Pride events and mental health support sessions that continue to keep people safe and connected.
Solidarity In Action
The impact grassroots funding can make is immeasurable. As someone who spent years searching for belonging, I know how powerful it is when a door finally opens and you step into a space that instantly feels like home.
When resources flow directly to those with the insight to use them in ways that will make the biggest difference, that’s when we can achieve great things together.
For the past seven years, GiveOut’s community of supporters has funded work that drives meaningful and lasting change – from peer support networks empowering parents in Czechia to groundbreaking research documenting health needs across South America.
By connecting supporters to trans-led organisations and movements across the world, together we offer solidarity and hope when our communities face their greatest challenges.
Your support is invaluable in this work. Whether through a one-off donation, establishing a fund, or joining the LGBTQI Solidarity Fund, it helps ensure that trans-led organisations worldwide have the resources they need to drive change.
Philanthropy, at its heart, is solidarity in action. It’s a way of saying, “I see you – you’re not alone.” With your help, we can make sure that every trans person has the support and sense of safety they deserve.
Because being free to be yourself should not be a privilege or left to chance – it should be a right.