“It certainly wasn’t easy,” says Elliot Vaughn who, five years ago, founded GiveOut, an LGBTQ+ community foundation fighting for global equality. Five years later, it has granted £1.75 million in new funding to more than 40 grassroots organisations across six continents, allowing each one to continue its life changing work. “Let’s be clear, until the day we achieve full equality, LGBTQ+ organisations like GiveOut and the partners we work with around the world will be absolutely essential,” Elliot adds. “LGBTQ+ organisations receive just 4p in every £100 of international development funding and a similarly very low share of charitable donations – yet we expect them to change the law, change attitudes and build communities.”
GiveOut works by providing a platform for supporters to donate efficiently in one place to fund LGBTQ+ human rights activism worldwide. It then identifies pioneering groups to support through a strenuous process of consultation and vetting, ultimately pooling donations to provide financial grants to them. One example of this in practice is Amplifund, GAY TIMES’ philanthropic initiative with GiveOut, which currently supports Pink Armenia, The Queer Muslim Project and The Bisi Alimi Foundation through money raised via the magazine and at events. “In recent years we have actually seen a regression in LGBTQ+ rights around the world, we only need to look at what is happening in Uganda right now to see this, or the anti-trans movement in countries including the UK,” Elliot tells GAY TIMES. “And these anti-LGBTQ+ movements are well-funded. Just in the US, research shows that anti-LGBTQ groups have mobilised over $6B in the past decade of which $1B was spent internationally.”
GiveOut’s tireless work has now been recognised by King Charles III, with Elliot being awarded an MBE in The King’s Birthday Honours list this year. “Launching and growing GiveOut has been such an incredible privilege and pleasure,” Elliot says. “Seeing the support and solidarity from our community and allies has been really rewarding and it is wonderful to know that with GiveOut we are creating a sustainable source of new funding for the global LGBTQ+ movement. That’s really the achievement I’m proudest of, and the MBE is a very meaningful recognition on top of that.”
Here, GAY TIMES speaks to Elliot about the MBE, the first five years of GiveOut and what he wants to see it achieve in the future.
Despite some victories we have seen for LGBTQ+ rights in the last few years, we are yet to achieve full equality. Why are LGBTQ+ organisations such as GiveOut still so essential today?
Let’s be clear, until the day we achieve full equality, LGBTQ+ organisations like GiveOut and the partners we work with around the world will be absolutely essential. LGBTQ+ organisations receive just 4p in every £100 of international development funding and a similarly very low share of charitable donations – yet we expect them to change the law, change attitudes and build communities.
In recent years we have actually seen a regression in LGBTQ+ rights around the world, we only need to look at what is happening in Uganda right now to see this, or the anti-trans movement in countries including the UK. And these anti-LGBTQ+ movements are well-funded. Just in the US, research shows that anti-LGBTQ groups have mobilised over $6B in the past decade of which $1B was spent internationally.
This is why it is so important that we build sustainable new sources of funding for our LGBTQ+ community organisations around the world to give them the best chance of success in securing rights and protections.
In its first five years, GiveOut has supported more than 40 LGBTQ+ grassroots organisations and granted £1.75 million in new funding. Did you ever think it was possible to have this type of impact when you first had the idea for GiveOut?
When we set up GiveOut five years ago I just couldn’t have imagined this. I thought some friends and colleagues might join me, but honestly, to see the impact GiveOut has had over the past five years and to see how our community and allies have come together in solidarity and join this call to action has been inspiring.
There are so many amazing LGBTQ+ activist groups working around the world and I think what we are seeing is that we’re helping people discover these groups and making it easy for them to give and stay connected to their progress and impact. It’s really validating to see that happening and growing over time.
What does it mean to have you and your team’s work recognised with this MBE?
I’m incredibly moved and pleased to receive an honour in the King’s first Birthday Honours list. It is also great to see GiveOut and LGBTQ+ rights recognised by the King during Pride Month. I am so proud of what we have achieved over five years, as you mentioned, we have granted £1.75 million to over 40 LGBTQ+ organisations, made possible by the GiveOut team and our supporters.
Launching and growing GiveOut has been such an incredible privilege and pleasure. Seeing the support and solidarity from our community and allies has been really rewarding and it is wonderful to know that with GiveOut we are creating a sustainable source of new funding for the global LGBTQ+ movement. That’s really the achievement I’m proudest of, and the MBE is a very meaningful recognition on top of that.
What was the process of founding GiveOut like?
Before founding GiveOut, I had been actively supporting LGBTQ+ charities for several years and was also a leader in BCG’s global Pride network. But sometime around 2015, I realised something was missing.
For those who wanted to support our communities in some of the hardest places to be LGBTQ+, there was no way to do it in an effective and efficient way, with good governance. I remember thinking, “There must be a way we can do this”.
Speaking with a range of international LGBTQ+ activists, I realised that there were so many incredible LGBTQ+ organisations to support. So, together with a group of friends and colleagues, we decided to push ahead with setting up GiveOut to grow the pie for the movement – that is to increase the resources available for LGBTQ+ activism around the world.
It certainly wasn’t easy. Plenty of people along the way told us it would be too hard for various reasons. But several others, in particular Wanja Muguongo, a leading Kenyan LGBTQ+ activist, Neville Gabriel of The Other Foundation in Southern Africa, and Amir Ashour, founder of IraQueer, guided and encouraged us. BCG was also hugely supportive and encouraged our work, and they even became our founding sponsor.
A pivotal point was finding Rupert Abbott to launch the organisation as our founding Executive Director. Our shared vision and spirit of partnership has been one of the real joys of the past few years – I really don’t think we’d be where we are today without his leadership alongside that of our board.
Are there any moments that stand out to you when you look back on the first five years of GiveOut?
I am truly inspired by the work of our grant partners and seeing how our supporters stand with them shoulder to shoulder. It’s these moments where you truly see the power of community.
One example is a few years ago when we hosted a dinner for some of our supporters with Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, Executive Director of EQUAL GROUND in Sri Lanka. She spoke powerfully about the work they were doing in advocating for the decriminalisation of same-sex relations in Sri Lanka and working deeply to change hearts and minds.
Through that dinner, we raised important funds towards their incredible work – fast forward a few years and the Sri Lankan government has now committed to decriminalising homosexuality. It is so special to see that our supporters were able to play some part in that win, that is what standing in solidarity is all about.
Where would you like to see GiveOut be by its 10th anniversary?
Building on what we’ve achieved together so far, over the next five years our ambition is to unlock new sources of funding for the LGBTQ+ movement working with our community and allies in new ways. And with that, we’re ambitious for the movement to keep advancing – not only decriminalising LGBTQ+ lives but winning important protections so that all members of our community can lead safe and fulfilled lives, with no one left behind.
To support this our grant-making will focus on some key areas such as decriminalisation efforts, supporting safe spaces for our community, and working to move the tide of public opinion through education and engaging allies, especially in countries facing onslaughts of anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda. And we recognise the importance of supporting trans and non-binary identities in that work, some of the most vulnerable groups across the world including here in the UK.
We will also work to stand in solidarity with our global community in times of disaster, wars and in the context of climate change, helping ensure LGBTQ+ people are not left behind, that they are included in humanitarian responses and that the voices of our community are heard.
With continued support from our community and allies, I am confident we will make important progress and win new freedoms in the coming five years.
You can learn more about GiveOut’s work, as well as how to donate to it, here.
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