If you’ve found the doctor you’re looking for, but you don’t know how you’re going to pay for your transition, then you’re in the right place! This page is all about how to fund your transition, including grants that are available to assist trans folks with medical transition, organizations providing free gender-affirming items like binders and packers, helpful things to know about insurance coverage, and websites to use for crowdfunding. All information is current in this section, to the best of our knowledge, as of November 2024. If you have additional resources to add, or would like to report out of date information for this funding section of the guide, please email us at tis@southernequality.org.
We would like to express our gratitude to the Jim Collins Foundation, Rizi Timane Ministries, Point 5 CC Surgery Fund, Trans Love Fund, TUFF, TopSurgery.net, Out 2 Enroll, Kinneil Coltman, Jennifer Abbott, and transguys.com – all of whom are working to support the trans community, and contributed the information presented here.
Point of Pride
Point of Pride offers multiple programs to help cover the costs of gender-affirming healthcare:
- The Annual Trans Surgery Fund is a scholarship-like program that provides direct financial assistance to trans folks who cannot afford their gender-affirming surgery.
- The HRT Access Fund provides 12 months of free medical care for trans folks seeking gender-affirming hormone therapy.
- The Electrolysis Support Fund provides financial assistance towards permanent hair removal services (including electrolysis and laser hair removal) for trans folks who cannot otherwise afford them.
- Thrive Fund provides small grants to trans folks who cannot afford gender-affirming health and wellness needs including wigs, prosthetics, fertility preservation, vocal training, non-permanent forms of hair removal, medical tattooing, and more.
- Free chest binders
- Free femme shapewear
Genderbands
Genderbands’ aim is to help transgender and gender nonconforming people access gender affirming care. They offer:
- Grants to help cover transition-related costs for adults.
- Grants to assist with youth travel to gender-affirming care and social transition, with parental permission
TransMission
TransMission, a program of the LOFT LGBTQ+ Community Center, offers $500 micro-grants to offset transition related expenses for transgender adults. The LOFT also hosts a pro-bono name change project.
Trans United with Family and Friends (TUFF)
Trans United with Family and Friends (TUFF) is dedicated to helping fund gender affirming procedures for the transgender community. Their fund request application asks about personal background, previous medical history, funding request amount and purpose, and essay questions to learn more about the applicant.
Trans Lifeline
Translifeline provides a grant for electrolysis, laser hair removal, or other forms of permanent hair removal.
The Queer Trans Project
The Queer Trans Project is dedicated to addressing dysphoria experienced by trans and gender non-conforming individuals, irrespective of their demographic background. They offer:
- Flight assistance: free flights to gender-affirming healthcare appointments
- Build-A-Queer Kits: a package of gender-affirming items like binders, packers, bras, and makeup tailored to your preferences
Dem Bois Inc.
Dem Bois Inc. provides financial assistance to trans men of color who do not have the financial resources to receive the transition care that they need. They offer grants for gender-affirming surgery to FTM transgender and/or transmasculine people of color who could not otherwise afford surgery.
Jim Collins Foundation
The Jim Collins Foundation offers two grant options. General Fund grants cover 100% of the medical fees associated with gender-affirming surgery. Grants from the Krysallis Anne Hembrough Legacy Fund cover 50% of the medical fees associated with gender-affirming surgery and require each recipient to match each dollar of funds received with a dollar of their own money or other money raised by the recipient. Applicants may only apply once per grant cycle and in their application must choose to be considered for either the General Fund or the Krysallis Anne Hembrough Legacy Fund. These grants are only available for those who demonstrate a financial need.
We Are Family
We are Family is a nonprofit organization serving the LGBTQI+ community in the South. They offer gender affirming gear to South Carolinians 24 and younger.
Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index
The Human Rights Campaign maintains a list of employers which offer at least one trans-inclusive healthcare plan, which is updated annually. This has been very helpful for many folks, as you can click through to find employers that offer trans-inclusive healthcare plans after six months of part-time employment.
Crowdfunding Options
When thinking of ways to fund transition related expenses, you might consider using one of several crowdfunding sites. One thing to keep in mind when considering crowdfunding through these websites is the commission percentage the sites will take from the money raised. You could also host your own fundraiser on a personal site or blog using a service like PayPal, Venmo, or WePay.
