Talking Money

The lack of funding of bi-specific work is highlighted in a new piece in the Huffington Post by Amy Andre. While the figures are specific to the USA, the findings seem likely to have strong parallels in the UK.

The news report contrasts figures for work tackling lesbian, gay, bi and trans issues in 2009 and 2010: some grant funding spending for example goes to projects working with all the LGBT strands; others may be focused on gay and bi men. Often funding is directed to projects working with one specific group. Yet – even though there are more bisexual people than lesbians and gay men put together, and research shows bisexuals often facing greater physical and menthal health challenges – Amy reports:

Funders for LGBTQ Issues […] just released their report regarding foundation giving in 2010; the report has information on the grant-giving of over 300 foundations and other organizations. Collectively, these grants totaled nearly $100 million in 2010 alone, for LGBT causes. The foundations gave out $97,189,139, to be exact. And out of that $97,189,139, some went to lesbian causes, some to gay, some to transgender, and some to LGBT in general. But, again, not one penny — of $97,189,139 — went to bisexuals, the largest subset of the LGB population.

That’s the situation across the pond: what’s getting the money here in the UK?