International Trans Fund
/OVERVIEW: The International Trans Fund works globally to support trans and LGBTQ+ movement building.
IP TAKE: A GUTC signatory, the International Trans Fund (ITF) is a participatory grantmaking funder is a crucial funder to know in the trans rights movement. It limits its grantmaking to organizations that are led by trans people and that are directly involved with movement building for trans communities around the world. Grantmaking is global in scope, reaching developed and developing nations on every continent, but it prioritizes places where trans people are most marginalized and at-risk for violations of human rights. Funding also focuses on smaller and newer organizations, as ITF limits grantmaking to organizations with annual budgets under $100,000.
In addition to accepting full applications for funding, it offers videos and webinars on the application process and posts guidelines and application materials in five languages. For organizations that may lack the resources to apply in writing, a video application platform is available. Grantees may remain anonymous if safety is an issue in their country or region. ITF looks to build relationships with grantees, offering larger grants to its existing grantees. Applications may be submitted at any time, but the foundation runs a single annual grant cycle, with a due date that generally falls in early- to mid-December. Reach out with questions via email.
PROFILE: The International Trans Fund (ITF) was established in 2017 in New York City by a group of international trans activists and advocates. The Fund, a signatory of the GUTC Pledge, works to “increase the capacity of the trans movement to self-organize and advocate for trans people’s rights, self-determination, and wellbeing.” In addition to supporting trans organizations around the world, this funder also supports initiatives related to the health and mental health of all LGBTQ+ communities.
Grants for LGBTQ+ Causes
All of ITF’s grant support trans rights and the international trans movement across all giving areas. This work heavily intersects with grants for global security, violence prevention and human rights.
Grants for Global Security and Human Rights
ITF works broadly to support “groups working to benefit the trans community and contributing to trans movement building.” While this funder does support organizations providing direct services to trans people, grantees must also contribute to trans movement building in some way. Funding prioritizes groups that serve diverse populations, “communities facing greater levels of marginalization” and those that work “intersectionally” across issues including, but not limited to, human rights, violence prevention, health and economic justice.
ITF offers two funding opportunities, each requiring a separate application with different grant ranges:
SEED Grants support new grantees with grants ranging from $10,000 to $25,000.
THRIVE Grants support previous grantees with sums ranging from $25,000 to $50,000.
One recent grantee, Alive Malawi, defends the rights of all LGBTI Malawians and used funding to strengthen its operations and work collaboratively with local and regional groups toward shared goals for LGBTI rights.
Another recent grant supported Indonesia’s Pandok Pesantren Waria Al-Fatah, which works to increase awareness and acceptance of trans women and “create conditions for trans women to be safe, prosperous, and recognized as equal to other citizens.”
Other recent recipients include Hungary’s Transvanilla Transgender Association, Asociacion Silueta X of Ecuador and the St. Louis Queer+ Support Helpline in the U.S. Many of the fund’s grantees remain anonymous because of safety concerns.
Grants for Global Health and Mental Health
A portion of ITF’s grantmaking supports organizations that serve the health and mental health needs of LGBTQ people, although these grantees are also involved in trans movement building.
In Tanzania, the fund has supported My True Colour, an organization that, among many other programs, runs mental health trainings for trans parents and trans children.
Another recent grant went to My Docha of Kazakhstan, which works to increase access to healthcare, including the prevention and treatment of STDs and information about hormone therapies, safety and more.
Important Grant Details:
The average grant size is about $25,000, and grants are generally range from $10,000 to $50,000. Since its founding, ITF has made about $4 million in grants to organizations in 80 countries. In a recent year, the International Trans Fund made about $1.2 million in grants to 50 organizations in 41 countries.
It is worth mentioning that annual grantmaking has increased steadily since the foundation’s establishment.
In addition to grantmaking, the Fund offers additional support to trans organizations with strategic and organizational support through webinars and advocacy.
This funder supports organizations of all sizes but prefers to support those that work collaboratively toward trans movement building in countries where trans people are most marginalized. For additional information about past grants, see the funder’s grantee partners page.
ITF limits applications to “trans-led organizations with budgets below $100,000 USD based in any region of the world.”
The fund runs a single annual grant cycle, with an application due date that usually falls in December.
Forms and guidelines are available in English, Spanish, Chinese, French and Russian.
Applicants that are unable to submit written applications may apply using a video format.
Questions for the fund may be submitted via email at any time.
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