Consortium is aware that The National Lottery Community Fund (TNLCF) has awarded £9,000 of funding to the LGB Alliance to scope a helpline for LGB youth, under their Awards For All programme. We are extremely disappointed and concerned that a decision to award this grant has been made, and in particular the impact it could have for the safety of queer youth in need of support. We have immediately raised this with our contacts at TNLCF and have been discussing our wider concerns. We are now liaising with LGBT+ sector organisations on the implications of this decision and will be supporting organisations to use TNLCF’s process for complaints. We will also be putting forward a sector wide response to highlight how LGBT+ organisations are as one on this.
Consortium remains passionate and focused on inclusive funding for our LGBT+ sectors. We will continue to work with funders to understand the diverse and intersectional needs of our communities so LGBT+ organisations, and those specialist and targeted organisations within the sector, remain resourced to provide vital services for LGBT+ people based on evidence, need and equitable principles.