An LGBTI+ advocacy charity has announced that it will make one in four of its staff members redundant as part of a restructure.
The Kaleidoscope Trust, a UK-based organisation which campaigns for LGBTI+ rights around the world, announced last week that it had proceeded with a restructure which had left it “a smaller organisation”.
In its announcement, the charity’s chief executive Alex Farrow cited pressures on the wider LGBTI+ movement and said it was having to navigate funding uncertainty alongside a “complex” political context.
For this reason, the charity said it had taken a step back to “look closely at how we’re structured – across every role and responsibility”.
Farrow confirmed to Civil Society that the charity had proceeded with the reduction of its staff from 19 roles to 14.
‘Painful but proactive decision’
In its announcement, the charity said its restructure was “not simply a response to funding reductions”, but was rather a “moment to reset” in the face of what it described as an “unprecedented wave of attacks” from anti-rights actors.
Farrow told Civil Society: “In the past year, around the world, we’ve seen new anti-LGBTI+ legislation, funding cuts to our movement, and growing restrictions on civil society.
“The environment in which we and our partners are operating has fundamentally changed. The changes we’ve made at KT are about making sure we are stronger and better prepared for what comes next.
“This was a painful but proactive decision to ensure we can continue to support global LGBTI+ organisations and withstand the challenges our communities face.”
Recent aid funding cuts
According to the charity’s most recent accounts for the financial year ending 31 March 2025, it reported a total annual income of £2.5m and an annual expenditure of £2.6m.
For the previous financial year ending 31 March 2024, it reported an annual income of £1.6m and an annual expenditure of £1.7m.
In its 2024-25 accounts, the charity said it had received support from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in the face of USAID funding being terminated in early 2025, threatening a number of the charity’s partner organisations abroad.
Farrow wrote in his introduction to the accounts: “With new support from the UK's FCDO, we distributed over £600,000 in rapid response grants within weeks- providing vital support to organisations facing disruption.
“As a result, 2024-25 saw us award our highest-ever level of grants to global partners. Though this placed immense strain on our small team, I remain deeply proud of how we rose to the moment with care, compassion, and skill.”
