TLC Launches $1M Fund to Support Trans Communities

The Transgender Law Center (TLC) and the Emergent Fund have partnered to launch the Action for Transformation Fund, a pilot initiative aimed at rapidly allocating resources to trans-led organizing, healing, and power-building efforts. The initiative focuses on providing swift support to those on the frontlines.

TLC Executive Director Shelby Chestnut (they/he) said the Emergent Fund, known for its quick financial responses, was the ideal partner for managing the fund.

“There are some funders that can handle rapid response,” Chestnut said. “But the Emergent Fund can introduce funds more rapidly, and that’s exactly what the LGBTQ+ community needs right now—whether it’s fighting anti-queer laws or addressing natural disasters.”

The Action for Transformation Fund not only seeks to be innovative but also to address the urgent need for resources within the trans community.

Funders for LGBTQ Issues’ latest Tracking Report reveals that less than $.04 cents for every $100 goes to trans communities, Aldita Amaru Gallardo, inaugural Director of the Action for Transformation Fund said this injection of $1M dollars is significant.

“As a grantmaker and donor organizer, so many of us have been pushing for more funding to go to trans movements for years, knowing so little is earmarked for us. It’s an honor to launch and steward this fund that is by and for us–truly having trans people at the heart of its theory of change," Gallardo said.

TLC’s goal is to quickly move funds to areas where they are most needed, whether it’s to fight discriminatory bills or support grassroots organizing efforts.

“We’ve been doing this work for a long time,” Chestnut said. “Ten years ago, our community came to us for help with organizing—we rose to that challenge, and today, we are positioned to make real change again.”

One unique aspect of the fund is its flexibility. Grantees will decide how best to use the resources for their specific needs and projects.

“We kept it broad for a reason,” Chestnut said. “This is a moment where we need trans organizers in the trans movement, and they should have the autonomy to use the funds as they see fit.”

The fund will be available to fiscally sponsored projects and 501(c)(3) organizations. TLC’s leadership and board of directors decided to start the program with $1 million, doubling their initial plan of $500,000.

“We looked at our budget and decided to start with a million, thanks to our board’s leadership,” Chestnut said. “We have this money until we don’t—but for now, we’re focusing on getting it to the people who need it most.”

The application process has been intentionally kept simple to allow as many applicants as possible to access funds quickly.

“We want this to be a tool for our community to come together and be unified,” Chestnut said. “For too long, our communities have been under-resourced, and we deserve to create a world where we’re not just fighting for a seat at the table but living in the world we deserve.”

With election season approaching, the need for immediate resources is particularly urgent.

“Folks on the ground need access to resources right now,” Chestnut said. “We know what resources are needed, and we’re committed to moving those resources where they’re needed most.”