The Rapid Response Fund

The Rapid Response Fund For LGBT people in crisis in 29 LGBT hostile countries

In many countries lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people experience higher rates of HIV infection and poorer access to HIV services because of stigma, discrimination and the threat of violence. The Rapid Response Fund provides funding when a rapid intervention is necessary to address barriers that prevent LGBT people from accessing HIV services.

The fund is available to civil society organisations that are LGBT led, or that work closely with LGBT people, in 29 countries where these communities are at high risk of experiencing human rights violations. The countries are:

Southern Africa:

Botswana

Lesotho

Namibia

South Africa

Swaziland

Eastern Africa:

Ethiopia

Kenya

Malawi

Mozambique

Rwanda

South Sudan

Tanzania

Uganda

Zambia

Zimbabwe

West Africa:

Angola

Cameroon

Cote d’Ivoire

DRC

Ghana

Mali

Nigeria

Senegal

Sierra Leone

Latin America and the Caribbean:

Dominican Republic

Guyana

Haiti

Jamaica

Trinidad & Tobago

Grants of up to a maximum of US$20,000 are available for interventions that respond to situations or events that threaten the health and safety of LGBT people or their access to HIV services.

Two types of grants are available:

• Emergency Response Grants are available to support activities that respond to immediate and urgent threats to the LGBT community, and where action must happen very quickly to be effective.

Examples of activities that could be considered for an Emergency Response Grant are relocation of premises, post-violence counselling, emergency contraception, post exposure prophylaxis, STI testing, urgently required hospital or medical supplies, psychosocial support, emergency accommodation, organizational emergency safety measures, relocation costs, expatriation, and legal support.

Emergency Response Grants are available on an ongoing basis. We aim to review and process applications within two working days (complex situations or incomplete applications may take longer).

• Challenge Response Grants are for longer term projects aimed at influencing legal, policy or other developments deemed hostile to LGBT communities and that affect the ability to access HIV services for LGBT people.

Examples of activities that could be considered for a Challenge Response Grant are advocacy activities responding to sudden legal, political or policy developments threatening the LGBT community, paying for short term-litigation, conducting sensitisation of law enforcement or health care officers, community and faith-based leaders, and policy makers, supporting and sensitising family members of LGBT people, pre-emptive security measures, mapping of LGBT friendly facilities, and establishment of or support for safe spaces.

Challenge Response Grant applications are assessed every two weeks.