Apply for an Emergency Response Grant

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

What are emergency response grants?

Emergency Response Grants enable organisations to respond to new threats and unanticipated opportunities. They are to protect, adapt, or advance HIV-related human rights work supporting marginalised communities.

Emergency response grants of up to $15,000 USD are available to organisations led by or working closely with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBT+) people; sex workers; people living with HIV; and people who use drugs based in one of 24 countries.  

Eligibility Criteria

In order to submit an application for an emergency response grant, you must fulfil the following criteria: 

• Your proposal is triggered by a new and unforeseen situation. The situation either:
  • Threatens to significantly disrupt your organisation’s existing human rights work or;
  • Your organisation identifies a specific moment or opportunity to advance HIV-related human rights.
• You have a realistic plan for meaningful change within 1-6 months.
• Your organisation is based in an eligible country.
• Your organisation is led by, or working very closely with, one or more marginalised communities affected by HIV: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBT+) people; sex workers; people living with HIV; people who use drugs. 
• Your organisation has an annual income of less than $1 million USD. 
• Your organisation has implemented HIV-related human rights projects focused on marginalised communities in the last 12 months.

The following situations and activities are not eligible for funding through an emergency response grant: 

• Humanitarian relief or direct aid for individuals such as housing, food or medication.
• Income-generation activities.
• HIV testing and treatment services.
• Foreseeable funding gaps.
• Activities that have already happened. 
• Starting strategic litigation. 
• Fees for conference or event attendance.
• Activities relating to women and girls, where there is no intersection with LGBT+ people, sex workers, people living with HIV or people who use drugs.

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Eligible Countries

Organisations must be based in one of the following countries, and planning to implement the Emergency Response Grant in that country: 

Caribbean: Haiti; Jamaica; Dominican Republic; Guyana; St Vincent and the Grenadines; Trinidad and Tobago

East Africa: Ethiopia; Rwanda; South Sudan; Tanzania

South East Asia: Cambodia; Vietnam 

Southern Africa: Angola 

West and Central Africa: Benin; Cameroon; Chad; Côte d’Ivoire; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Mali; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Togo

Still have questions?

Please see our Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

Check eligibility and apply here

Please answer the following questions to find out if you are eligible to apply for an Emergency Response Grant.