2023 Resource Tracking Report: LGBTQ Grantmaking by U.S. Foundations
Published: June 8, 2026
Author(s): Alyssa Lawther, Sammy Luffy
Topic(s): Tracking Report
Region: National
The 2024 Resource Tracking Report: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Grantmaking by U.S. Foundations (2026) explores the scope and character of U.S. foundation funding for LGBTQ communities and issues based on grants that were awarded in calendar year 2024. This is the 22nd edition of this annual report that documents the latest trends in LGBTQ* philanthropy, and contextualizes the shifts in the funding landscape in light of key political, economic, cultural, and environmental events occurring during calendar year 2024 when these LGBTQ grants were awarded.
In 2024, 445 U.S.-based foundations awarded $178.2 million through 5,043 grants to 2,408 grantees that serve LGBTQ communities across the country. This represented a decrease of $31.2 million, or 15%, from the $209.4 million in LGBTQ grants that were awarded the previous year. When adjusted for inflation, LGBTQ grant funding fell by 17% from 2023 to 2024. This means that for every $100 awarded by U.S. foundations in 2024, only 16 cents specifically supported LGBTQ communities and issues in the United States. This was a decrease from 20 cents for every $100 that were awarded in 2023.
The decrease in LGBTQ grant funding documented in 2024 continued a downward trend that has been documented since foundations awarded an all-time high of $258.1 million in LGBTQ grants in 2022. The effects of the steady drop in overall LGBTQ funding since then can be seen in almost every area of LGBTQ philanthropy, as presented in this report.
Part of the decrease in LGBTQ funding observed in 2024 was due to missing grantmaking data from three private foundations that had been in the group of top 20 funders in recent years and incomplete IRS Form 990 data. If we were to hold the 2023 totals from the three private foundations and the IRS Form 990 data constant in 2024, the final total of LGBTQ grantmaking would be approximately $212.3 million in 2024. This would reflect a slight nominal increase of only $2.9 million in LGBTQ grant funding from 2023 to 2024, which would have been washed out by inflation. Given these considerations, the primary insight from this report is that even if missing data, according to our estimates, were accounted for in 2024, the overall LGBTQ funding landscape did not increase substantially enough to respond to growing anti-LGBTQ, anti-rights, and anti-democracy movements at the time.
Other key findings from analysis of the 2024 LGBTQ grantmaking data include:
- As has been reported in recent resource tracking reports, private foundations accounted for the largest percentage (34%) of domestic LGBTQ grant dollars that were awarded in 2024, though the dollar amount decreased by 33% from 2023 to 2024. Private foundations based in the U.S. awarded $101 million for LGBTQ communities and causes in 2023 and only $68.2 million in 2024.
- LGBTQ grant funding specifically for transgender, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary (TGNCNBi) communities decreased by 9% from $36.4 million in 2023 to $33.3 million in 2024. This continues the downward trend in funding for these communities following the all-time high of $48.2 million in 2022.
- Funding for LGBTQ communities of color generally in 2024 decreased by 12% from 2023. Funding for Black LGBTQ communities decreased by 8% from 2023 to 2024, which continued the downward trend of funding for Black LGBTQ communities and issues from the all-time high of $35 million in 2022.
- LGBTQ grants to support state-level activities decreased by 22% from $37.4 million in 2023 to $29.1 million in 2024. Funding for this geographic level had increased in 2023, so this significant drop in 2024 is concerning, especially given the high number of anti-trans bills that have been introduced in state legislatures in recent years. Organizations advocating against such bills at the state level must be adequately resourced in order to prevent them from becoming law.
- The Southeast region continued to be awarded the highest amount of funding in 2024, building on the 27% increase that was documented from 2022 to 2023. Foundations awarded a total of $38.9 million in LGBTQ grants focused on this region, which was an 8% increase from the 2023 funding level of $36.1 million.
- Rapid response funding for LGBTQ-serving organizations continued to be a critical resource to LGBTQ movements in 2024. According to the latest data, 42 foundations awarded a total of $8.5 million to 154 grantees through 231 rapid response grants in 2024. Compared to 2023 data, LGBTQ rapid response funding increased by 27% in 2024.
To dig into the key findings from the 2024 Resource Tracking Report, as well as visualize and interact with the data, check out the Resource Tracking Data Explorer.
