This year, Funding Forward will be a virtual retreat for grantmakers committed to supporting LGBTQ communities and ready to embrace best practices for funding movements. This fully virtual retreat will take place May 24-26. We hope to convene funders for complimentary conversations in-person later in the year when it feels safe to do so.

Register

Our team is looking forward to delivering timely content and hosting critical conversations with funders committed to LGBTQ communities. We hope you will join us!

Schedule

We are adding session information as it is confirmed.
Check back frequently for the latest program updates.

24may12:00 PM1:30 PMBlack Trans Joy: Funding for a Liberatory FutureWelcome & Opening Plenary12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

24may1:30 PM2:30 PMBreakBreak1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

24may2:30 PM4:00 PMReal Talk: Overcoming Obstacles to Funding Trans CommunitiesConcurrent Session2:30 PM - 4:00 PM

24may2:30 PM4:00 PMThe Trans Futures Funding Campaign - Leveling Up for the Long-TermConcurrent Session2:30 PM - 4:00 PM

25may12:00 PM1:30 PMAs the South Goes…So Goes the Nation: Building a Clear Understanding of the Current Backlash Against Trans Kids in Southern CommunitiesPlenary12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

25may1:30 PM2:30 PMBreakBreak1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

25may2:30 PM4:00 PMMore Than Just Money: What Southern Queer Movement Organizations Need to WinConcurrent Session2:30 PM - 4:00 PM

25may2:30 PM4:00 PMThe Southern Power Fund: What Happens When Southern Movement Organizations Move Millions to Very Queer Southern Movement WorkConcurrent Session2:30 PM - 4:00 PM

25may2:30 PM4:00 PMListening, Co-Learning and Co-Designing Grantmaking: Queering Participatory Grantmaking!Concurrent Session2:30 PM - 4:00 PM

25may4:00 PM5:00 PMSpeed Networking Meet-n-Greet4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

26may12:00 PM1:00 PMPlenary Address from Saida Agostini-BosticPlenary12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

26may1:00 PM2:00 PMBreak1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

26may2:00 PM3:30 PMResearch Roundtable: Resource Tracking Project Updates and 2019-2020 FindingsConcurrent Session2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

26may2:00 PM3:30 PMHow Do You Take Care of Your People?Concurrent Session2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

26may2:00 PM3:30 PMGrants and Partnerships in Bi+ Organizing: Why, How, and WhenConcurrent Session2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

Speakers

FAQ

Funding Forward is the annual gathering of grantmakers committed to LGBTQ issues organized by the philanthropic serving organization,Funders for LGBTQ Issues.

Funding Forward 2022 will focus on building the practical tools grantmakers need to provide what movement leaders have been calling for for years – low barrier, flexible, reliable funding. This year’s gathering will be a retreat for grantmakers ready to dive into the “how” of meaningful funding for LGBTQ communities.

Funding Forward provides an exciting opportunity for funders to

  • connect with one another
  • learn from each other
  • coordinate efforts
  • and maximize impact

The May 24-26 conference will be virtual, not in-person. Stay tuned for details about in-person supplementary convenings later in the year.

Yes! This year’s program promises to be filled with dynamic, engaging, and interactive sessions designed to support connections and relationship building between LGBTQ funders.

We are committed to making Funding Forward as accessible as possible for all those interested and eligible to attend. All sessions will be live-captioned, and simultaneous multi-lingual and ASL interpretation will be available upon request. Conference materials will also be provided in large print and Braille upon request. Please let us know your accessibility needs in the registration page.

Funders for LGBTQ Issues is a network of foundations and corporations working to increase funding for LGBTQ communities to advance racial, gender, and economic justice.

We provide three key services for the field, as we:

  • Connect and create spaces for LGBTQ funders to coordinate their efforts, learn from each other, and maximize their impact.
  • Expand the scale and reach of philanthropic resources for LGBTQ communities and social justice movements by building relationships with a wide range of foundations, corporations, and other partners.
  • Provide up-to-the-minute information, research, and resources on LGBTQ grantmaking for the benefit of funders and the broader LGBTQ movement.

Registration is open to representatives from any grantmaking entity or philanthropic infrastructure organization (i.e., board members, staff, grant advisory committee members, etc.). If you have a specific question about your own eligibility please contact Marvin Webb, Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration, at [email protected].

Funding Forward offers rich content on LGBTQ issues as they relate to a range of grantmaking priorities, including children & youth, criminal justice, economic opportunity, education, health, immigrant rights, housing and homelessness, voting rights and civic participation, racial equity, and reproductive and gender justice.  If you need assistance making the case to your institution how the conference programming will help substantively advance your grantmaking priorities, please reach out to our National Director of Philanthropic Outreach Rebecca Wisotsky, at [email protected].

The registration fee for Funding Forward is as follows

Member’s Rate: $250
Nonmember’s Rate: $350

The registration fee covers virtual access to all Funding Forward content, conversations, and networking opportunities.

Funders for LGBTQ Issues is a social justice organization committed to making Funding Forward accessible to all eligible and interested parties regardless of their economic means. While we currently have no formal scholarship program, if you would like to attend but financial circumstances make your attendance difficult please email us and we’ll see what we can do.

Please complete the inquiry form at the end of this page to contact our team about current scholarship opportunities.