OutRight Action International

01/22/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/22/2026 13:28

Outright International Launches US$10 Million “Funding Our Freedom” Campaign

Campaign runs through June 30, 2026, with 50% regranted to frontline groups and 50% sustaining Outright programs that protect movements under attack.

NEW YORK, January 20, 2026 - Outright International today announced the public launch of Funding Our Freedom, a US$10 million emergency campaign through June 30, 2026, responding to a global funding crisis triggered by abrupt government aid terminations and political backlash that has removed more than US$125 million from efforts advancing human rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) people worldwide since early 2025, representing roughly one-quarter of international funding for this work.

Outright lost US$10 million in committed funding and suspended 120 grants to partners in nearly 50 countries, forcing many organizations to close programs, lay off staff, or scale back essential services at the exact moment backlash is accelerating.

"This is not a dip. It is an attempt to starve a movement. While anti-LGBTIQ forces push new laws and hostile narratives designed to erase people's lives from public policy, the organizations defending them are being systematically defunded. We refuse to let that happen."

The scale of the crisis

  • US$125 million eliminated from the global LGBTIQ human rights ecosystem since January 2025
  • Outright lost funding for 120 grants across nearly 50 countries
  • 130+ grassroots organizations in Outright's grantmaking network, negatively impacted
  • Without intervention, an estimated 20-25% of Outright's grantee partners face closure

Programs affected include safety services, legal defense, crisis documentation, community spaces, HIV-related support, democratic participation, and core organizational continuity.

A two-track strategy with a clear 50/50 model

Funding Our Freedom will direct resources equally to two priorities that must move together:

50% Regranting to Frontline Partners: Support for LGBTIQ organizations facing sudden shortfalls and heightened risk, including operational continuity, security needs, legal support, and essential programs.

50% Sustaining Outright's Core Programs: Research, documentation, and advocacy that protects partners and moves systems, including work at the United Nations and other global bodies, so LGBTIQ people remain included in humanitarian response, development policy, and human rights mechanisms even when governments attempt erasure.

"We've learned the hard way that frontline support without cover is fragile, and global advocacy without frontline truth is hollow," Sjödin added. "This campaign keeps both sides strong."

Early momentum and campaign leadership

The campaign has already identified over US$5 million in pledges from more than 140 donors during its quiet phase, reflecting significant donor confidence despite a hostile funding environment.

Jessica Stern, former U.S. Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons and Co-Founder of the Alliance for Diplomacy and Justice, is serving as the campaign's Honorary Chair. "This is a moment of global existential crisis for LGBTQI+ people around the world," Stern said. "Outright's partnership with local communities and its ability to act across global institutions make it uniquely positioned for this moment."

Martin Dunn, Outright board member and campaign co-chair, said: "These resources are critical for LGBTIQ movements and communities globally right now. This is not a time to hold back."

OutRight Action International published this content on January 22, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 22, 2026 at 19:28 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]