NEW REPORT SHOWS MAJOR INCREASE IN FUNDING TO LGBTQ COMMUNITY BEFORE RECESSION HIT

Focus of funding is on children and youth, advocacy, and human rights.

(New York, NY – April 9, 2010) A new report just released by Funders for LGBTQ Issues shows that, in 2008, U.S. foundations awarded $107.2 million to organizations explicitly serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) communities. That figure represents a 39% increase over the previous year. The publication of “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Grantmaking by U.S. Foundations (Calendar Year 2008)” marks the seventh year that Funders for LGBTQ Issues has studied such trends.

“We’re concerned that funding for LGBTQ communities may have dropped since the start of the recession, and we’re continuing to research the funding trends,” says Karen Zelermyer, Executive Director of Funders for LGBTQ Issues, an association of grantmakers committed to increasing philanthropic resources for LGBTQ organizations, programs and projects. “Still, we’re pleased at the number of new funders this report shows have come on board to support LGBTQ people.”

According to the report:

> For the first time in the organization’s research, LGBTQ grantmaking represented more than 0.2 percent of all U.S. foundation dollars awarded in a single year. Historically, such giving has represented only 0.1 percent of total giving by U.S. foundations.

> Ten nonprofit organizations received nearly one-third of all LGBTQ dollars granted in 2008.

> The best-funded issue was civil and human rights, perhaps reflecting the ongoing public interest in same-sex marriage and military service.

> Children and youth were the population sub-group receiving the greatest amount of funding.

> Among the various strategies used by LGBTQ grantees, advocacy received the most support from grantmakers in 2008.

Zelermyer cautioned that, “Encouraged as we are that funding for LGBT communities increased in 2008, it’s still only a tiny percentage of total giving. Especially now that we’re in an election year, the LGBTQ community is likely to come under increasing attack on our safety and civil liberties. We hope this report, along with our continuing research, will lead funders to provide the resources necessary to secure LGBTQ equality.”

The full report and the executive summary are available on the publications page of Funders for LGBTQ Issues.

Please click here to download the LGBTQ Grantmaking Full Report.

Please click here to download the Racial Equity Campaign Update 2008 Report.