LGBT+ Fund: Grants, Mission, Programmes, and Impact (United Kingdom)

The LGBT+ Fund is a UK-based funding initiative powered by Consortium. It supports LGBT+ groups, community organisations, and allies by redistributing funding, strengthening organisational capacity, building networks, and promoting advocacy for equality and inclusion. The fund aims to ensure that LGBT+ communities—particularly under-resourced and marginalised groups—have access to the resources needed to develop sustainable services, build stronger organisations, and influence the systems affecting their lives.

Since 2019, the LGBT+ Fund and its partners have distributed more than £3 million to LGBT+ organisations across the UK. Its approach combines grant-making with wider support for the LGBT+ voluntary and community sector, helping grassroots groups strengthen their work and improve outcomes for the communities they serve.

History and Background

The development of the LGBT+ Fund emerged from work undertaken by Consortium to address the funding challenges faced by LGBT+ voluntary and community organisations. Consortium established an expert task force in 2017 to explore how funding for the sector could be increased and improved. A feasibility study, supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and The National Lottery Community Fund, helped establish the evidence base for developing a more coordinated and sustainable funding mechanism.

From 2019 onwards, Consortium worked with grant-making partners and donors to distribute funding to organisations supporting LGBT+ communities. These partnerships have included The National Lottery Community Fund, National Emergencies Trust, Henry Smith Foundation, GiveOut, and Global Butterflies. Funding programmes have responded to different community needs, including the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, under-representation within the LGBT+ sector, youth support, and the needs of trans and non-binary communities.

The fund continues to develop its approach to grant-making, with a long-term ambition to establish a sustainable LGBT+ endowment fund that can provide more consistent support to organisations and communities across the UK.

Mission and Purpose

The LGBT+ Fund aims to strengthen LGBT+ communities by improving access to funding, resources, networks, and opportunities to influence decisions that affect them. It recognises that many LGBT+ organisations face persistent barriers to funding despite providing essential services and community support.

Its main objectives include:

• Increasing access to funding: Redistributing grants to LGBT+ organisations and groups that need financial support to sustain or expand their work.

• Supporting under-resourced communities: Prioritising groups and projects addressing inequality, discrimination, exclusion, and barriers to participation.

• Building organisational capacity: Helping LGBT+ groups strengthen fundraising, governance, skills, and long-term sustainability.

• Promoting equality and inclusion: Supporting initiatives that advance LGBT+ rights, representation, and participation.

• Strengthening collaboration: Encouraging networking, partnerships, and knowledge-sharing across the LGBT+ voluntary sector.

• Supporting community-led decisions: Using participatory grant-making processes in which community panel members help assess applications and determine funding priorities.

• Developing long-term financial sustainability: Working towards a more durable funding mechanism for LGBT+ organisations across the UK.

Governance and Structure

The LGBT+ Fund operates within Consortium, the national umbrella body supporting LGBT+ voluntary and community organisations in the UK. Consortium is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, providing infrastructure and support for organisations working with LGBT+ communities.

The fund uses a community-centred grant-making model that combines eligibility checks and due diligence with decision-making by community panels. Panel members bring diverse LGBT+ lived experiences and assess applications according to eligibility, community needs, and the priorities of each funding programme. This approach aims to make funding decisions more representative, transparent, and responsive to communities.

Organisations do not generally need to be members of Consortium to apply. However, they must meet the eligibility requirements of the individual funding opportunity. The fund does not award grants to individuals or to organisations based outside the UK.

Funding and Grants

The LGBT+ Fund redistributes grants through funding programmes supported by charitable foundations, public funders, corporate partners, and individual donors. Since 2019, it has distributed more than £3 million to LGBT+ organisations across the UK. Grant amounts, geographical coverage, eligible activities, and deadlines depend on the individual programme.

The following funding opportunities are listed as open in October 2026.

Other funding programmes: The fund has previously operated programmes such as the LGBT+ Futures: Equity Fund, Intersections Fund, Faith Fund, and Trans Campaigning Fund. These initiatives have addressed unequal access to resources and supported underfunded communities, including LGBT+ people of faith, people from global majority backgrounds, trans and non-binary people, disabled LGBT+ people, and older LGBT+ people. Previous programmes should not be assumed to be open for applications now.

Organisations should review the specific fund guidance, eligibility checker, and application form before preparing a proposal. Applications may be submitted in different formats for certain programmes, and the giving team can provide application support.

Major Programs and Initiatives

LGBT+ Futures: Equity Fund

The Equity Fund was designed to support user-led LGBT+ organisations serving under-resourced and under-represented communities. Supported through funding partnerships, it helped direct resources towards groups whose needs were not adequately addressed by mainstream grant-making.

Intersections Fund

The Intersections Fund supported LGBT+ organisations led by and for communities experiencing intersecting forms of marginalisation. Its priority groups included LGBT+ people of faith, LGBT+ people from Black, Asian and other minoritised ethnic backgrounds, LGBT+ women, older LGBT+ people, and disabled LGBT+ people.

Youth Joy Fund

The Youth Joy Fund puts LGBT+ young people at the centre of funding decisions and project development. It supports youth work, community engagement, events, trips, and other enriching experiences intended to strengthen self-acceptance, community connection, and wellbeing.

Get Active Fund

The Get Active Fund addresses underinvestment in LGBT+ sports and physical activity groups. It supports grassroots initiatives that make physical activity more accessible and welcoming, particularly for LGBT+ people who face additional barriers to participation. Eligible activities can include hiking, football, dance, gardening, skateboarding, and other forms of movement and recreation.

Trans Campaigning and Advocacy

The fund has supported campaigning and influencing initiatives focused on trans and non-binary communities. These programmes aim to resource organisations working to influence public narratives, policies, and decisions affecting LGBT+ people’s lives.

Impact and Examples of Work Funded

The LGBT+ Fund’s principal contribution is directing funding towards organisations that provide community services, build networks, advocate for equality, and support LGBT+ people experiencing exclusion or disadvantage.

Its reported achievements and areas of impact include:

• More than £3 million distributed: Funding has been channelled to diverse LGBT+ organisations across the UK since 2019.

• Support for under-resourced communities: Previous grant programmes have focused on groups that can face additional barriers to mainstream funding, including LGBT+ people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds, people of faith, disabled people, and trans and non-binary communities.

• Youth wellbeing and belonging: The Youth Joy Fund supports opportunities for LGBT+ young people to develop social connections, experience positive community participation, and improve wellbeing.

• Inclusive sports and physical activity: The Get Active Fund invests in community-based initiatives that encourage participation, movement, and wellbeing among LGBT+ people.

• Stronger community-led decision-making: Participatory grant-making gives community panel members a central role in deciding which eligible projects receive support.

The fund also aims to strengthen the wider LGBT+ voluntary sector by encouraging collaboration, improving access to resources, and helping organisations develop sustainable operations.

Conclusion

The LGBT+ Fund, powered by Consortium, is an important UK funding initiative supporting LGBT+ non-profit organisations, grassroots groups, and community-led projects. Through grant redistribution, participatory decision-making, capacity building, and advocacy, it seeks to reduce funding inequalities and strengthen services for LGBT+ communities.

As of October 2026, its Get Active Fund offers grants of up to £50,000 over two years for eligible sports and physical activity projects, while the Youth Joy Fund offers grants of £5,000–£25,000 for organisations supporting LGBT+ young people in England. Applicants should verify the relevant guidance and submit proposals before the respective deadlines.