EL*C – the EuroCentralAsian Lesbian Community – is proud to award 1,107,066 EUR in 2025 to support 31 projects focused on preventing and combating gender‑based violence against lesbians*, following 802,696 EUR awarded in 2024.
Heartfelt thanks go to every applicant for their commitment and the strength of their proposals; the selection was highly competitive, reflecting the depth of dedication to this human rights cause.
The lesbian movement remains profoundly underfunded within civil society, despite the intersectional challenges lesbian communities face. EL*C’s grant‑making program is a targeted, transformative intervention that channels essential resources to organizations advancing democracy, human rights, and equality across Europe.
This funding helps ensure lesbian communities’ voices are heard, their rights safeguarded, and their contributions recognized in public life and policy.
The selected organizations will drive meaningful change across EU member states and in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro, and Ukraine, strengthening equality, safety, and human rights.
Each grantee brings distinct expertise and perspective to the forefront of the fight against gender‑based violence. Meet the EL*C 2025 grant recipients leading this work:
Aleanca LGBT, Albania
“The project scales up Aleanca’s support for lesbian* GBV survivors in Albania via expanded legal and psychological aid, group therapy, socio‑economic support, health access partnerships, strategic litigation follow‑up, legal analysis, the Lesbian Feminist Academy, and targeted advocacy for systemic change.”
Anemos Dimiourgias, Greece
“The project addresses GBV against LBQ migrants and trans LBQ women in Lesvos through community mapping, awareness, safe spaces and peer workshops, eco‑feminist storytelling, and stakeholder dialogue, strengthening resilience and tailored prevention pathways.”
Asociación Nós Mesmas, Spain
“The project delivers specialized psychological and legal care for lesbian* GBV survivors in Galicia, maps experiences and needs, runs visibility and dissemination actions, and hosts a cultural festival to catalyze community transformation and institutional improvement.”
Bilkis, Ukraine
“The project uses a magazine, “Dear Diary” video essays, and a searchable platform expanding 16 Days of Activism content to raise awareness, counter harmful narratives, and equip lesbian* communities in Ukraine with practical GBV resources.”
Deystvie, Bulgaria
“The project launches research on LBTQ GBV experiences, a national social media campaign, and advocacy with authorities and service providers to improve policies and responses, leveraging Deystvie’s strategic litigation and institutional training expertise.”
Differenza Lesbica Roma, Italy
“The project scales a replicable, survivor‑centered case management model for LBT+ GBV survivors in Italy, embedding inclusive protocols in trained centers, advancing institutional training, a national good‑practice guide, survivor‑led advocacy, and a digital awareness campaign to drive structural change.”
ERA – WLW Caucus, Serbia
“The project convenes five national roundtables to translate evidence into LBQ‑inclusive GBV procedures, embed cooperation with ministries/police/social services, empower WLW CSOs, and drive commitments, media visibility, and follow‑up actions.”
Estonian LGBT Association, Estonia
“The project builds evidence on lesbian* GBV through qualitative research, pilots tailored training for frontline professionals, and runs peer‑support and awareness activities to close gaps between services and lesbian* survivors’ lived realities in Estonia.”
Gender Stream, Ukraine
“The project documents GBV against lesbians* via qualitative research, develops Istanbul Convention‑aligned recommendations, and pilots training for the Human Rights Commissioner’s Office to embed inclusive practices and strengthen institutional capacity and protection.”
Kaz’te LSC – Lesbian Support Center, Serbia
“The project prevents and addresses GBV against lesbians in service sectors via workshops on GBV and labor rights, peer support, legal/psychological aid, sensitization of businesses, cooperation with municipalities, police, judiciary, and health centers, plus practical tools and a handbook.”
Kolektiv MANA, Serbia
“The project co‑creates a GBV‑prevention methodology with girl‑focused NGOs, disseminates via local workshops, runs an empowerment youth camp (18–24), and delivers a multi‑platform awareness campaign with lesbian* influencers.”
L*-Communio, Serbia
“The project empowers rural lesbians* in Vojvodina to recognize and report GBV through social media outreach, trainings, support groups, institutional cooperation, and tailored psychological support, plus exchange with partner CSOs to strengthen systemic responses.”
Labris, Serbia
“The project scales prevention and response to lesbian partner violence via research, a national campaign, advocacy with authorities and providers, and continuous psychological/legal assistance, building a national and regional support and policy‑change network.”
LBTQ Women Association “Stana”, Montenegro
“The project combines qualitative research, service mapping, accredited trainings for social services, ongoing therapeutic support, informational materials, and an awareness campaign to improve visibility and institutional responses to GBV in Montenegro.”
Le Monocle*, France
“The project delivers monthly cultural events, mobile and school workshops on GBV prevention, and a poster campaign across 30+ villages, creating rural tools and networks that increase visibility, safety, and local allyship.”
Lesbians Beyond Borders / Les Lesbiennes Dépassent les Frontières, France
“The project scales holistic support for survivors through legal/administrative aid, psychological and medical care, OFPRA interview preparation, trauma‑informed body work, self‑managed workshops, and an annual community weekend to strengthen autonomy and solidarity.”
Lesbiche Bologna, Italy
“The project expands the Lesbian and Anti‑Violence Hotline via a nationwide communications campaign, field outreach, info desks, and partnerships; it delivers training and materials to help services recognize and support LBT* intimate partner violence survivors.”
Lespectra Association, Bulgaria
“The project builds a collaborative online space for NGOs with a good‑practices library and a public bilingual directory of support services; it delivers GBV response trainings with experts and runs a communications campaign and website to improve access and survivor‑centered referrals.”
Liberas, Italy
“The project provides psychosocial, legal, and employment support for LBT* survivors; it runs prevention/awareness campaigns, workshops, and community‑building; it partners with CAVs, schools, and local institutions to build inclusive, trauma‑informed responses.”
LINQ Ireland, Ireland
“The project launches a national awareness campaign on intimate partner abuse in LBQ communities, creates peer support, trains DV services, runs Cork workshops and national outreach, and produces resources/video and a website for recognition and help‑seeking.”
LORI, Croatia
“The project builds CSO capacity for LBTIQ support, makes women’s counseling centers more inclusive, runs a public GBV campaign, and provides free psychological and legal aid, amplifying survivor voices to drive access and visibility.”
Queer Montenegro, Montenegro
“The project conducts community‑informed GBV research, runs a public campaign, convenes a conference, and advances advocacy for inclusive protocols, while reinforcing legal/psychosocial support and sustained institutional engagement in Montenegro.”
Rainbow Families, Serbia
“The project provides legal counseling, support groups, school/community workshops, and a public campaign to reduce stigma and improve institutional responses to GBV affecting lesbian‑led families.”
Rainbow Ignite, Serbia
“The project delivers survivor‑centered GBV response with counseling, legal aid, capacity building for providers, and awareness campaigns; it maps services and produces guidelines to embed inclusive protocols across institutions.”
Sappho Women, Greece
“The project strengthens safety and awareness at community cultural events through staff training, clear reporting protocols, survivor support info points, and partnerships with local services; it disseminates multilingual materials.”
ŠKUC (Lesbian Quarter), Slovenia
“The project improves lesbian visibility and public safety through mapping safe and unsafe areas, advocacy with municipalities, bystander and venue staff training, visibility actions, and a toolkit to replicate safe‑space practices across neighborhoods.”
Streha Center, Albania
“The project expands shelter access and trauma‑informed services for LBTI youth survivors; it delivers legal/psychological counseling, life‑skills and employment support, and referral partnerships to exit violence and homelessness sustainably.”
Th.eros Transfeminist Lab, Greece
“The project investigates GBV against lesbians* in Greece, centers rural/older and multiply marginalized communities, provides survivor support groups, develops a podcast series and a Greek handbook, and runs awareness and advocacy actions across Athens and Eressos.”
Violette and Co., France
“The project strengthens safety and resilience through self‑defense and empowerment workshops, peer‑led support circles and storytelling nights, and continuous visibility actions, while providing an inclusive venue and collaborations that embed trauma‑informed, intersectional responses.”
WomanUP Foundation, Bulgaria
“The project combines empowerment training, peer circles, legal/psychological support, and a multimedia awareness drive; it partners with service providers to standardize inclusive intake and referral pathways for survivors.”
Women’s Association “Sphere”, Ukraine
“The project strengthens the capacities of lesbian and feminist organizations to influence local GBV policies, through advocacy workshops, a regional conference, interorganizational networking, and campaigns promoting inclusive and effective gender-based violence prevention measures.”
EL*C is proud to support these organizations, and we are confident that their work will advance human rights within and beyond the EU.
Funded by the European Union, this EL*C grant-making program plays an important role in advancing the fight against gender-based violence.
Become a member of EL*C to be the first to know when the call for proposals opens.
