Author: Gary Hart

The Autumn Grants Round for The Rainbow Fund is now open, and organisations are invited to submit their grant applications.

The Autumn Grants Round is the bigger of the Fund’s two annual grant rounds. Applications are invited from local LGBT and HIV organisations in Brighton and Hove who provide effective front line services to LGBT people in the city.

These groups or organisations should be able to demonstrate that they are Volunteer and LGBT led.

It is expected eligible groups and organisations will fall into two groupings, according to their size.

Locally there are somewhere between 20 and 30 organisations and groups providing services specifically to members of the LGBT communities and/or individuals affected by HIV. Most are small, and volunteer led, they have no paid workers in administrative roles, and most have no premises and offices. They rent or use donated space, and are often run from somebody’s front room.

There are also bigger organisations, which, because of the nature of the services and support they provide, are, and should be, run like small businesses, with a mixture of paid administrators, sometimes paid fund-raisers, and volunteers.

In Brighton & Hove these organisations include THT, The Sussex Beacon, LGBT Switchboard, LGBT HIP, Mind Out and Allsorts.

Chris Gull, Chair of the Rainbow Fund, said: “We actively encourage co-operation amongst the smaller groups who are eligible to be part of the Brighton & Hove LGBT Community Groups Network.

“To that end we feel it is important that any small groups applying for a grant take an active part in the Brighton & Hove LGBT Community Groups Network, and along with the larger LGBT groups and organisations, send representatives to the Brighton and Hove LGBT Community Safety Forum.  

“In future funding rounds we will require evidence that a representative of a group has attended all quarterly meetings of the network, and all quarterly meetings of the Brighton and Hove LGBT Community Safety Forum. (Doesn’t have to be the same rep for each group each time!).

“For this (Autumn Funding Round) it would be unfair to impose this, but if we have to decide between two applications, of otherwise equal merit, we will prioritise the group that has attended more meetings.”

Small groups who regularly attend the Brighton & Hove LGBT Community Groups Network will be able to apply, for grants of £2500 towards their ‘core funding’ costs.

All LGBT/HIV groups and organisations whether small or large can also apply for grants for projects of up to £5,000.

As in the Spring round, the Small Groups Network itself may apply for funding, up to £5000, to cover the cost of running the Network, and shared resources that will benefit several, or all of, the groups.

To make an online application, click here:

Closing date for applications is noon on Friday, September 4. Applications received after that time will not be considered.

For more information about the LGBT Community Groups Network, click here:

For more information about the Brighton & Hove LGBT Community Safety Forum, click here:

For more information about the Rainbow Fund, click here: