2019 Year in Review

On behalf of the board and staff of Funders for LGBTQ Issues, thank you for being a part of our network in 2019!  While the year proved challenging for many in the LGBTQ community, we did make progress thanks to members and supporters like you.

Below are some of this year’s highlights:

Our New Strategic Plan

We launched a new strategic plan that outlines our commitment to advance change in philanthropy at three levels: the sector-wide level, the institutional level, and the individual level.

The Launch of the GUTC Pledge

In March, we launched the Grantmakers United for Trans Communities (GUTC) pledge. The GUTC pledge asks signatories to commit to be more trans-inclusive in both their grantmaking and internal practices. To date, over 40 diverse funders have signed.

Our Largest Conference Ever

This year’s Funding Forward in Tucson was our largest ever with over 200 participants. To learn more about LGBTQ philanthropy in the Southwest, check out this infographic produced for Funding Forward.

Our 16th Annual Tracking Report

We released the 2017 Tracking Report: LGBTQ Grantmaking by U.S. Foundations, which explored the scope and character of foundation funding for LGBTQ issues in the 2017 calendar year.

Our First Ever Public Comments

In July, we issued the first public comments of our 37-year history in opposition to proposed changes to Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that undermine the health and well-being of LGBTQ communities, immigrants, and anyone seeking reproductive healthcare.

New Report on Diversity in Philanthropy

With CHANGE Philanthropy and Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP), we released a follow-up The Philanthropic Closet: LGBTQ People in Philanthropy entitled The 2018 Diversity Among Philanthropy Professionals Report: A Tale of Two Sectors.

GUTC Leadership Development Program Second Cohort

We were pleased to introduce the 2019-2020 Grantmakers United for Trans Communities (GUTC) Leaders Fellows!

The Fourth Round of our Out in the South Fund Grants

We awarded our fourth round of Out in the South Fund grants, the program provides social justice training, fundraising support and $400,000 to strengthen the capacity of Southern LGBTQ funds.

New Funding Opportunities Resource Page

The new resource will serve as a dedicated hub for active RFPs and other funding opportunities.

The Philanthropy OUTlook: LGBTQ Education Issues

This Education infographic, produced in partnership with the Schott Foundation for Public Education, highlights the challenges facing LGBTQ students and analyzes trends, gaps, and opportunities in funding for LGBTQ education issues.

Outreach & Training Services

Besides growing our membership by a record breaking 16 members, we also led trainings across the country and spent time building out the services we offer. Look for even more training opportunities in 2020.

Protecting LGBTQ Workers From Discrimination Public Comments

Funders for LGBTQ Issues Issued Public Comments on Proposed Changes to Section 204(c) of Executive Order 11246

Our New Strategic Plan

We launched a new strategic plan that outlines our commitment to advance change in philanthropy at three levels: the sector-wide level, the institutional level, and the individual level.

The Launch of the GUTC Pledge

In March, we launched the Grantmakers United for Trans Communities (GUTC) pledge. The GUTC pledge asks signatories to commit to be more trans-inclusive in both their grantmaking and internal practices. To date, over 40 diverse funders have signed.

Our Largest Conference Ever

This year’s Funding Forward in Tucson was our largest ever with over 200 participants. To learn more about LGBTQ philanthropy in the Southwest, check out this infographic produced for Funding Forward.

Our 16th Annual Tracking Report

We released the 2017 Tracking Report: LGBTQ Grantmaking by U.S. Foundations, which explored the scope and character of foundation funding for LGBTQ issues in the 2017 calendar year.

Our First Ever Public Comments

In July, we issued the first public comments of our 37-year history in opposition to proposed changes to Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that undermine the health and well-being of LGBTQ communities, immigrants, and anyone seeking reproductive healthcare.

New Report on Diversity in Philanthropy

With CHANGE Philanthropy and Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP), we released a follow-up The Philanthropic Closet: LGBTQ People in Philanthropy entitled The 2018 Diversity Among Philanthropy Professionals Report: A Tale of Two Sectors.

GUTC Leadership Development Program Second Cohort

We were pleased to introduce the 2019-2020 Grantmakers United for Trans Communities (GUTC) Leaders Fellows!

The Fourth Round of our Out in the South Fund Grants

We awarded our fourth round of Out in the South Fund grants, the program provides social justice training, fundraising support and $400,000 to strengthen the capacity of Southern LGBTQ funds.

New Funding Opportunities Resource Page

The new resource will serve as a dedicated hub for active RFPs and other funding opportunities.

The Philanthropy OUTlook: LGBTQ Education Issues

This Education infographic, produced in partnership with the Schott Foundation for Public Education, highlights the challenges facing LGBTQ students and analyzes trends, gaps, and opportunities in funding for LGBTQ education issues.

Outreach & Training Services

Besides growing our membership by a record breaking 16 members, we also led trainings across the country and spent time building out the services we offer. Look for even more training opportunities in 2020.

Protecting LGBTQ Workers From Discrimination Public Comments

Funders for LGBTQ Issues Issued Public Comments on Proposed Changes to Section 204(c) of Executive Order 11246