The Rapid Response Fund

Update June 2023: Responses to applications may take longer than usual at this time.

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What is the Rapid Response Fund?

The Rapid Response Fund helps organisations and individuals to tackle HIV-related human rights challenges, including stigma, discrimination and threats of violence.  

We focus on marginalised groups affected by HIV: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBT+) people; sex workers; people living with HIV; and people who use drugs. 

The fund helps in three ways: 

1. Providing emergency financial grants to organisations. 
2. Supporting organisations to strengthen their capacity for emergency human rights response work.
3. Documenting and sharing best practice, to help influence decisions by governments and donors. 

What has the rapid response fund achieved?

Established in 2016, the Rapid Response Fund has so far granted $4.3 million USD through more than 500 grants directly to community-led organisations working across 45 countries. This emergency support has helped tens of thousands of people who are marginalised and affected by HIV. See stories from the Rapid Response Fund here.

After a period of review and consultation, the Rapid Response Fund relaunched in October 2021 with a new model, including more support for partner organisations to operate their own emergency response funds as a way to build on the lessons of the Rapid Response Fund and REAct.

WHAT support is available?

Emergency response grants of up to $15,000 USD are available to organisations across 24 countries, led by or working closely with LGBT+ people, sex workers, people living with HIV and people who use drugs. 

Grants are for responses to new threats to HIV-related human rights work, or to seize unanticipated opportunities for change. See our full eligibility criteria and apply here.