We’re pleased to share The State of Intersex Funding and The State of Trans Funding, two new briefs from the Global Philanthropy Project (GPP), American Jewish World Service (AJWS), Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice (Astraea) and Global Action for Trans Equality (GATE). 

These briefs are based on a comparative analysis of data from two reports – The State of Trans Organizing (2nd Edition) and The State of Intersex Organizing (2nd Edition), produced by American Jewish World Service, Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice and Global Action for Trans Equality and the 2015-2016 Global Resources Report: Government and Philanthropic Support for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex Communities published by the Global Philanthropy Project and Funders for LGBTQ Issues.

By comparing these reports, new insights on the funding challenges and opportunities facing the global intersex and trans movements have emerged. 

Intersex funding is an incredibly small percentage of total global LGBTI grantmaking, which means that intersex organizations are working with little financial resources and few if any paid staff. 

• Less than 10% of funders of global LGBTI issues supported intersex organizations in 2015–16 and total funding to intersex organizations accounted for only 0.29% of all global funding on LGBTI issues in those two years
• In 2016, more than three-quarters of intersex groups had an annual budget of less than US$10,000 

Trans led organizations receive smaller grants compared to other types of organizations that are funded on LGBTI issues and too few funders reach trans organizations.

• In 2015–16, the average grant size to trans organizations was almost half that of the global average grant size for LGBTI work ($23,000 vs. $44,700).
• The five largest foundations supporting trans organizations outside of the U.S. in 2015–168  accounted for 60% of all funding.
• Although 255 trans organizations received at least one grant in 2015–16, almost double that number of trans organizations (455) completed The State of Trans Organizing survey.  

We hope that these reports will galvanize conversations and, importantly, much-needed action amongst donors and other stakeholders to commit more and better financial resources for trans and intersex movements across the world. We encourage you to delve into the briefs and share with your colleagues and networks.

The State of Intersex Funding

The State of Trans Funding