Em Scott, CEO of Rainbow Giving Australia, says more funders are beginning to understand how LGBTQIA+ organisations contribute to progress across diverse social issues.
“More funders are recognising the vital role LGBTQIA+ organisations play, but these groups still face significant underfunding. That’s why initiatives like GiveOUT Day are essential.”
As the national day of giving to rainbow communities wraps up for 2025, we spoke with Em about the power of community-led philanthropy and the growing movement to support LGBTQIA+ justice through giving. Since its launch in 2019, GiveOUT Day has raised $2.6 million, with this year’s “Love Edition” campaign inviting donors to fall for a cause close to their hearts.
Rainbow Giving Australia – formed in 2024 through the merger of GiveOUT and Aurora – is proud to be part of Australian Communities Foundation’s giving community. “This community connects us with like-minded funders who value social justice, equity, and collective impact,” Em says. “It’s through this kind of collaboration that we can ensure inclusion becomes a shared responsibility across philanthropy.”
Tell us about GiveOUT Day 2025. How has it evolved since the inaugural day in 2019?
Before launching GiveOUT Day in 2019, we ran a small giving circle that provided mini-grants to LGBTQIA+ organisations, but it quickly became clear the need far exceeded what the giving circles could meet.
Today, GiveOUT Day is one of our flagship programs, driving vital funding to grassroots organisations and building a culture of generosity for LGBTQIA+ communities. Since 2019, it has supported more than 180 organisations, with donations growing from $85,000 in its first year to over $600,000 in 2025. This year’s “Love Edition” campaign offered a joyful counter-narrative to the common portrayal of rainbow folk in the news cycle.
What trends are we seeing in giving to LGBTQIA+ communities in Australia?
LGBTQIA+ organisations remain chronically underfunded compared to need, making initiatives like GiveOUT Day essential. For many grassroots groups, it is their largest fundraiser of the year, with 40% operating on less than $10,000 annually.
Encouragingly, more funders are recognising the role LGBTQIA+ organisations play in advancing social progress and building safer, more equal communities. However, anti-rights movements are creating new challenges. On GiveOUT Day, we see communities and allies step up and directly back under-resourced communities such as Beyond Bricks and Bars, Transcend Australia and Trans Justice Project.
What have been the standout achievements or milestones for Rainbow Giving Australia in its first year?
Rainbow Giving Australia was formed in 2024 through the merger of GiveOUT and Aurora, creating a unified national platform for LGBTQIA+ philanthropy. In FY25, we distributed over $1.2 million in funding, strengthening hundreds of grassroots organisations, and building the first national evidence base on sector capacity and need. Key milestones include the success of GiveOUT Day 2025, our first Sweat with Pride campaign, and the Amplify Pride and Ignite Pride grant rounds.
What’s your advice for funders who want to consider LGBTQIA+ communities across their giving?
LGBTQIA+ people exist in every community, sector, and cause area, yet are often invisible in data, policy, and funding decisions. Funders can amplify impact by applying an LGBTQIA+ lens to all their giving and considering how sexuality, gender, and body diversity intersect with every social issue.
Here are some practical ways to start:
- Fund LGBTQIA+-led organisations working across your existing focus areas, who bring community expertise and trust.
- Be explicit that you welcome funding applications and enquiries from LGBTQIA+ organisations.
- Learn from and connect with other funders already working in this space, including our GiveOUT Day matched funders and other partners such as Sidney Myer Fund, Snow Foundation, Reichstein Foundation, Tripple, Fay Fuller Foundation, The Wyatt Trust, Slingsby Foundation, and the Brian M. Davis Charitable Foundation, among others.
- Partner with and invest in LGBTQIA+ community funders such as Rainbow Giving Australia and Pride Foundation Australia. We have a deep understanding of the sector and can help direct funding to areas of greatest need. Investing in these foundations also helps build sustainable, community-owned infrastructure for the future.
Learn more about Rainbow Giving Australia
Explore the GiveOUT Day platform
If you’re an ACF Fundholder interested in supporting Rainbow Giving Australia or an organisation participating in GiveOUT Day, you can make a grant request via your Fund Portal or contact us for a conversation.
