Topics of interest suggested, but are not limited to: 

• LGBTQ+ communities at the intersections of Black, Immigrant, and Two-Spirit communities, in Minnesota and throughout the Midwest
• Addressing the underfunding and increasing resources for trans and nonbinary people, with a specific focus on transfemme, transmasc, agender, bisexual, lesbian, and intersex identities and communities 
• Providing political education and information on advocacy efforts regarding immigrants’ rights and migrant justice
• Celebrating and centering the work and impact of Grantmakers United for Trans Communities, as we approach its 10-Year Anniversary
• Responding to current political attacks, including Title VII and Title IX challenges, the rolling back of healthcare access and civil rights for transgender people, attacks on bodily autonomy, and religious exemptions, particularly in the South
• Disability justice, gender justice, feminism, reproductive justice, and the leadership of femmes/women of color in LGBTQ and intersecting movements
• Ongoing or emerging philanthropic organizing efforts concerning democracy and the rise of authoritarianism, voting rights, the census, schools and education, aging in queer and trans communities, climate change and natural disasters, and economic issues affecting LGBTQ people, including employment and economic opportunity, as well as housing and homelessness.
• Protecting the Queer family and rights to adoption & custody legislation
• Addressing the criminalization of LGBTQ people of color
• HIV and AIDS in LGBTQ communities
• Wellness, healing justice, mental health, safety, and security (including the impacts of gun violence), for LGBTQ people, including continued responses to public health crises
• Intersectional advocacy and movement building
• Donor organizing efforts aimed at supporting high-net-wealth individuals to fill in funding gaps for LGBTQ communities and movements that institutional philanthropy is unable to at the scale and speed required at this moment
• Arts, culture, and narrative building, including strengthening messaging and communications within philanthropic institutions
• Creative approaches and models for building power through capacity-building, including fiscal sponsorship, DAFs, resource mobilization, and other avenues to move support directly to the community 
• Professional development, career support, resume building, and ongoing efforts to shift accessibility practices within philanthropy and HR practices 

Please Note: In light of the cruel and draconian legislative attacks we have seen in the last few years and continue to see with increased regularity and severity, we are prioritizing conference sessions focused on the experience, expertise, and needs of trans and immigrant communities. While we will consider all submitted session proposals in this unrelenting crisis, we strongly encourage our network to adopt an intersectional approach for their broader session proposals.

Responsibilities include:

• Covering expenses and making arrangements for speakers’ registration, travel, and lodging. Funders for LGBTQ Issues will provide one complimentary registration for a non-funder speaker per session, upon approval. The Session Lead will organize coverage of the registration cost for any additional approved speakers
• Covering and coordinating all session-related expenses (e.g., printed materials)
• Invite and prep speakers (including at least one conference call with your panel and Funders for LGBTQ Issues staff)
• Inform speakers of Funding Forward’s non-solicitation policies and, if applicable, share alternative strategies for building relationships with funders in the conference space
• Ensure the accessibility needs of your speakers have been communicated to our planning team

Funders for LGBTQ Issues staff are available to discuss proposal ideas. We encourage you to book a 30-minute meeting with our staff to discuss your session proposal before you submit it. Please email [email protected] to request a meeting. Once a proposal is accepted, staff and planning committee members will work with you to approve speakers and ensure the session fits well with the entire program.