Over our first five grant cycles, the ITF successfully mobilized and increased access to many resources for strong, trans-led movements and collective action, including awarding US$3.867M to 133 grantee partners in 80 countries. (We are currently accepting applications for the 8th grant cycle. The funds allocated, the number of groups receiving grants, and the range of countries they originate from have all grown substantially). We have advocated within philanthropy to address broader funding gaps impacting trans groups across the globe. Trans movements are now stronger and made up of more defined, sustainable organizations. As a mechanism to support trans-led groups, we have grown into an established, respected, independent organization. The majority of participants who contributed to the Impact Evaluation shared that the ITF is a wonderful thing – they mainly just want more!
Like all organizations, the ITF has growth edges and continues to learn and improve as we strive to respond to the diverse and urgent needs of global trans movements. The work ahead for the ITF is clear: grow and advocate to generate even more sustainable resources for trans movements, so that all trans-led groups who want and need funding and other support can find it from us and other donors.
Join us for a presentation on January 24th at 10 AM ET as we delve into the findings of our Impact Evaluation. Whether you’ve been a part of our story or are curious about our mission, your presence is valued. Let’s explore the progress made and chart the course ahead. Save the date, join us on Zoom, and be a part of the ongoing narrative of empowerment and support for trans-led groups worldwide. To reserve your spot register here.
Message from the ITF Director:
Trans movements across the globe are facing increased challenges and pressures, including the rise of the anti-gender movement, coordinated attacks on our rights and organizations, and the rollback of protections. Funding for trans movements has always been urgently needed, but now more than ever, our survival depends on it and our movements are poised to absorb and utilize funds. Since our formation, the ITF has been a crucial mechanism to move money to the frontlines of trans activism, to fund trans-led organizations doing the work on the ground.
But at the ITF we have also aspired to more – to building an independent, sustainable, and visionary organization that centers trans leadership and decision-making, that provides nuanced wrap-around support, accompaniment and capacity-building to our grantee partners and trans-led groups, and that effectively influences philanthropy to channel more resources to our movements.
At the ITF, we have always engaged in open discussion and reflection at all levels of the organization, resulting in revising our grantmaking, shifting our processes, reassessing our goals, and reimagining our work over the years. This nimbleness and flexibility is embedded in our commitment to accountability, transparency, and participation, but as we look back over the past five years, how are we really doing? In this external impact evaluation, we wanted to examine how our work aligns with our mission and answer the question, are we having the impact that we want and need to have?
This impact evaluation has given us an opportunity to delve deep into how the ITF works, what we are doing well and what we should do better. By engaging a wide variety of stakeholders, this evaluation platforms diverse voices and viewpoints, and we are listening. The resounding message is that the ITF is critical and plays a vital role in supporting and sustaining global trans movements, now more than ever. As one grantee partner vividly states, “If the community are the movers and shakers – ITF is the spine.”
But what is also clear is that there are ways to improve and deepen our work. We are still a young organization, and sometimes we spread ourselves too thin and struggle to balance the competing demands. In the recommendations section, there are concrete suggestions for improvement and the ITF Board and staff are committed to reviewing, learning, and adapting so we can continue to effectively and meaningfully support and resource global trans movements in their critical, life-saving work. I would like to thank everyone who took part in this evaluation through the surveys and interviews. We are grateful for your participation and feedback. I would also like to express my gratitude to Melissa Extein, our external evaluator who designed the evaluation process, interpreted the results, drafted the recommendations, and brings alive the insight you will read in the following pages.
Broden Giambrone
Director
This evaluation was conducted by Melissa Extein, Psy.D. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who participated in this evaluation, including past and present grantee partners, past and present members of our Steering Committee and Board of Directors, Grant Making Panel, staff, donors, and affiliated organizations. Our work would not be possible without the generous support of our funders, who are not only driving critical resources to trans communities but also trusting and investing in trans leadership. Special thanks to Upasana Agarwal (Ayan) for graphic design.
