Top 10 Funders of LGBTQ Children & Youth
Top 10 Funders of LGBTQ Children & Youth
By: Lyle Matthew Kan on September 27, 2018
September is back to school month for countless children and young people across the country. But school isn’t always a pleasant experience – or even safe space – for LGBTQ children and youth. Moreover, even outside of school, LGBTQ children and youth face a myriad of challenges and a multitude of disparities compared to their straight peers. They are more than two times as likely to experience homelessness as their straight peers– and once homeless, they are much more likely to be physically harmed. Additionally, LGBTQ minors can legally be forced to attend conversion therapy in 36 states – meaning 68 percent of LGBTQ people live in states without protections for LGBTQ youth against this harmful practice.
To address the unique needs of LGBTQ children and youth, a number of funders have stepped forward and ensured that LGBTQ children and youth are consistently the most funded population in LGBTQ philanthropy. Between 2015 and 2016, 214 foundations awarded 1,529 grants to support LGBTQ children and youth. While this breadth of funders is atypical for most populations and issues, the funding remains top heavy – just as it is across the board in LGBTQ funding. The top ten funders between 2015 and 2016 accounted for 59 percent of the funding for LGBTQ children and youth. These funders include:
Top Funders of LGBTQ Children & Youth, 2015-2016
| 1. | Anonymous Donors | $7,235,000 |
| 2. | Arcus Foundation | $4,164,295 |
| 3. | The California Endowment | $2,649,210 |
| 4. | H. van Ameringen Foundation | $2,086,000 |
| 5. | Ford Foundation | $2,015,000 |
| 6. | Pride Foundation | $1,770,381 |
| 7. | Elton John AIDS Foundation | $1,295,000 |
| 8. | Community Foundation for Northeast Florida | $1,122,900 |
| 9. | New York Women’s Foundation | $1,065,600 |
| 10. | M.A.C. AIDS Fund | $1,006,000 |
These top ten funders were the only funders to award $1 million or more over the two-year period of 2015 to 2016. In fact, even though LGBTQ children and youth are the most funded population tracked in our research, in 2016 they only received $20.1 million in foundation funding. Moreover, funding to support LGBTQ children and youth has been on a steady decline since it reached its peak of $25.2 million in 2013.
Grantmaking Supporting LGBTQ Children & Youth (2012-2016)
Luckily, there are a number of amazing organizations working to support LGBTQ children and youth. Foundations have an ongoing opportunity to support them and for anyone interested in learning more, we invite you to contact our Director of Philanthropic Outreach, Rebecca Wisotsky at [email protected].
Image note: Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash