The Rainbow Fund is a Brighton and Hove based grant giving fund for local LGBT and HIV organisations and charities. It was set up by James Ledward and Paul Elgood following the fundraising for the city’s groundbreaking AIDS Memorial, to provide a living legacy for the project.
The Annual Pride Festival is the largest fundraiser for The Rainbow Fund, but fundraising events are held throughout the year by venues and individuals, as well as donations. For Pride and the other Fundraisers and Donors it gives the confidence and reassurance that all their money raised goes directly to the good causes ( The Rainbow Fund has no overheads) and is fairly distributed according to need. For the local LGBT and HIV organisations (especially the smaller ones) it means that they are not left to the vagaries of which venues or donors will support them in fundraising.
The Rainbow Fund is registered as a Community Interest Company, and grant applications are assessed by an Independent Grants Panel. Currently the Chair of The Rainbow Fund is Chris Gull.
This year’s grant round is open from July to early October. Local charities who meet the following criteria are encouraged to apply via the website Rainbow-Fund.org
‘The Rainbow Fund wants to support community groups and voluntary organisations addressing the needs of the LGBT and HIV communities in Brighton and Hove, particularly those demonstrating that either the project, or the group, is led by LGBT people.
Over the last four years, a range of local groups have benefited from the Fund, including MindOut, Lunch Positive, Our Story and GEMS. The Rainbow Fund reports back on a regular basis through Gscene.
With growing pressures on statutory funding, it will increasingly look to fund frontline projects with direct welfare outcomes for our community.
The Fund also has a role in maintaining the AIDS Memorial.
The Rainbow Fund pro-actively fundraises within the community and has benefited from a range of high profile events and activities. Most of the leading local LGBT bars, clubs and groups have actively supported the Fund at some point. It also benefits from its media partners including Gscene .
Chair of the Rainbow Fund, Chris Gull said: We are delighted to be receiving support, once again, from Pride. By ring-fencing £1 per ticket for the park, and £1 per ticket for each wristband for The Pride Village Party, Pride is able to ensure that we continue to support our local LGBT and HIV communities.
