Rapid Support Fund for Ukraine

Since February 2022 and until the launch of the Rapid Support Fund in June 2023, we have supported 10 Ukrainian LGBTI organisations with emergency grants in the total amount exceeding 200,000 euro in the framework of our regional emergency support programme. This amount more than doubles when accounting for the funding offered to LGBTI organisations in neighboring countries that have worked to host Ukrainian LGBTI people on the move.

We know that many LGBTI organisations in Ukraine are gradually making space for their core missions, returning to or re-opening their community centers and offices and trying to balance direct assistance to communities impacted by the war with their human rights work and organisational needs. This often requires organisations to adjust on the go and to face difficult choices about redirecting resources from other important work to helping themselves as an organisation.

Rapid Support Fund offers to LGBTI organisations in Ukraine the resources to fall back on when they need to address an immediate organisational need or respond to an unforeseen development for the organisation.

What support is offered?

Rapid Support Fund for Ukraine offers urgent grants to Ukrainian LGBTI organisations and groups:

• In the amount of up to 10 000 euro,
• For a period of up to 6 months.

What is supported?

The Rapid Support Fund can cover a range of activities and costs related to new and urgent organisational needs that cannot be covered through organisations’ existing resources, for example:

• Unforeseen purchases needed for returning to or recreating community centers,
• Immediate safety and security tools and equipment needed to continue organisations’ work in the current reality and to maintain secure communications and operation,
• Urgent relocations of the team or its individual members,
• Urgent meeting and other activity costs required to respond to a time-sensitive development.

This list is not-exhaustive.

The Rapid Support Fund is meant to be a flexible source of urgent funding that is reserved for situations where:

• The organisation is facing an immediate need that impacts its work and team or has to act in response to an unforeseen development;
• There are no other resources in the organisation to address this need or take this action;
• There is a sense of urgency and the need for the organisation to take action is time-sensitive.

How to apply?

• Requests for support are received and grants are issued on a rolling basis.
• You can get in touch with us at iulia@ilga-europe.org to discuss your request,
• Or you can apply directly by filling in the application forms provided on this page. Please send them to iulia@ilga-europe.org,

We aim at responding to requests within 48 hours. In some cases, requests might need to be fine-tuned before the grant is issued. We will support organisations in doing this.