‘More safer spaces. More support. More celebration.’ A new Rainbow Fund for LGBTQ+ communities in Milton Keynes

Today, we’re proud to launch the Rainbow Fund: a dedicated source of funding for projects and organisations that centre equity, inclusion, visibility, safety and wellbeing for LGBTQ+ people in Milton Keynes.

Prioritising groups led by and for LGBTQ+ communities – particularly those supporting people who face multiple forms of marginalisation – the Rainbow Fund will provide grants to local community groups, voluntary organisations, and charities working to make Milton Keynes a place to not only safely be yourself, but also have agency over your future and expression.

Our vision is a city alive with queer joy and expression: book clubs, theatre projects, spaces to talk and heal. More support for young people finding their voice, for neurodivergent and refugee communities, and for mental and sexual health. A future where every story matters, and everyone is free to thrive.

We’re launching the fund with Our City, Our Story – a campaign that celebrates the history of LGBTQ+ movements in Milton Keynes. From the Campaign for Homosexual Equality group in the 1970s, to the vibrancy of MK Pride celebrations today, each decade has carved a new chapter in the city’s journey. This campaign invites our community to ask: what does the next generation need to write theirs?

To help get the Rainbow Fund off the ground, we’re match-funding the first £25,000 of donations – a reflection of our belief that now is the time to invest in the community in this way.

“This fund is about celebrating and supporting the richness of our LGBTQ+ communities here in Milton Keynes. We've seen the care and creativity that already exists, and we hope this fund helps it grow, so more people can thrive in our city and feel safe to be themselves.” said Ian Revell, CEO of MK Community Foundation.

The Rainbow Fund builds on our long-standing commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ projects, from funding transgender awareness training for care home staff with Q:alliance, to supporting BSL interpreters and Braille materials that help make MK Pride accessible for all.

If you’re a local business, we welcome your interest in supporting the fund and are excited to work closely with your CSR leads to make the fund come to life for your employees and the community.