The International Trans Fund is going to launch their 6th grant cycle on October 22, 2021. This call is open to trans-led groups in all regions of the world with operational budgets of less than $100,000.
The International Trans Fund (ITF) is the only global participatory grantmaker that is exclusively dedicated to supporting trans-led groups as it works to secure rights for trans people and improve their lived realities. Their mission is to mobilize and facilitate sustainable resources for strong, trans-led movements and collective action, and to address and eliminate funding gaps impacting trans groups across the globe.
From the very beginning, the ITF has centered the voices of trans activists and espoused the ethos, “nothing about us, without us.” To live this value, the ITF works as a participatory activist fund, with all funding decisions—from what groups are funded to how much each group receives—made by a Grant Making Panel (GMP) that consists entirely of trans activists from various regions.
They begin by opening the call and sharing all the necessary documents for you to apply. In the following week, ITF will start a series of funding webinars to share information about the ITF and their grants, and to respond to questions from trans communities.
To Check ITF’s Funding Webinars agenda, please visit this link and register for the one that is best for you.
The information they provide is similar in all webinars; they only offer it in different languages and times for your convenience.
Participation in the webinars is entirely optional — you do not need to attend any of them to apply for ITF funding.
The ITF is a participatory grantmaker and the decisions are made by the GMP, a group of 15 trans activists from across the globe that each serve on the ITF for a 2-year term. Each year the ITF has one open call for applications for funding and there are four stages to this process.
STAGE 1: The call for applications is open and the ITF accepts applications to SEED or THRIVE grants in five languages (English, French, Russian, Spanish and Simplified Chinese). All applications are reviewed by the staff to see if they meet the eligibility criteria. If they do, they go to stage 2.
STAGE 2: Every eligible application is reviewed and scored by two Grant Making Panel (GMP) members. We strive to have one GMP member from the region and one from outside the region review each application – this gives a nuanced insight into the work of the group. We have created a scorecard that aligns with the questions in the application, and each GMP member reviews the answers provided by the group and gives a score out of 10. These scorecards are completed for every application and the scores are used to select the applications that go to the third stage.
STAGE 3: All high-scoring applications are reviewed and voted on by all GMP members. The GMP meets to select the groups that will receive funding and the amount they will receive. We structure this discussion according to the five regions that the ITF has defined, to ensure that funding flows to all corners of the globe. However, the GMP also prioritizes organizations that are working intersectionally and with the most marginalized trans communities. All funding decisions are made collectively by the GMP and all voices are equal in the process
STAGE 4: Once the GMP has selected the grantee partners, this list of groups goes to the ITF’s Steering Committee for discussion and ratification. The staff conducts reference checks and a due diligence review, and then grants are issued and funding disbursed.
The ITF staff communicates with applicants at each stage to inform them of their progress. If an applicant received a decline notification in the second or third stages, they can reach out for feedback. If requested, the staff will share the feedback that was provided by the GMP members on the scorecards without disclosing which GMP member it came from.
FAQs about ITF’s grantmaking
