What’s a significant accomplishment from the last few years that Ms. Foundation is particularly proud of?

We have released two reports over the past few years as part of our Pocket Change research series. The first report shined a light on philanthropic underfunding of women and girls of color, revealing that giving to women and girls of color accounts for only 0.5% of $66.9 billion given by foundations annually. Our second report examined the impact and real-life experiences of the chronic underinvestment and disinvestment in the leadership of women and nonbinary people of color. We’re currently working on the third installation of the research series, which will be out next year.

Additionally, 2023 marked Ms. Foundation’s 50th anniversary, and in honor of this milestone, we launched the largest fundraising campaign in organizational history, Creating the Future We Deserve, with a goal of raising $100 million. In August, we were proud to announce the successful completion of the campaign, having achieved and surpassed our goal by raising $106 million in funding!

Why does Ms. Foundation believe increasing resources for LGBTQ+ communities is crucial in this moment?

At Ms. Foundation, we recognize and aim to address the urgent need to increase resources for LGBTQ+ communities. This commitment is not just an extension of our work, it is a necessity, grounded in the understanding that the liberation of all people is interconnected. For too long, the burdens of systemic oppression — particularly in the realms of bodily autonomy, criminalization, economic injustice, and reproductive freedom — have disproportionately fallen on the backs of queer people of color. LGBTQ+ communities, already navigating the compounded impacts of racism, sexism, and homophobia, are relegated to the margins with minimal resources and support, even as they stand on the front lines of social justice movements.

We believe in a just and safe world where power and possibility are not limited by gender, race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or age. Increasing resources for LGBTQ+ communities is not just a strategic priority for Ms. Foundation — it is an imperative.

Would you like to highlight any specific initiative or project your grantees are spearheading in the LGBTQ+ space?

Lavender Phoenix, a grantee partner in our Activist Collaboration & Care Fund portfolio, is working to build queer and transgender Asian and Pacific Islander (API) power in the Bay Area. The organization inspires and trains grassroots leaders, transforms their values from scarcity to abundance, and partners with local organizations to sustain a vibrant movement ecosystem.

Trans and non-binary leaders of Lavender Phoenix’s Healing Justice Committee founded a free peer counseling program to provide mental health support to folks in their community facing deep isolation. This group trained more than 35 peer counselors and provided free mental health support to more than 20 individuals. The group also provides training on addressing interpersonal violence and establishing safety networks so folks have alternative contacts in moments of crisis instead of calling the police. The organization is planning a path to make this a long-term, expanded offering.

If Ms. Foundation had a theme song, what would it be & why?

This is an easy one! We’d have to go with Run the World (Girls) by Beyoncé. Women, girls, and gender-expansive people have led nearly every impactful progressive movement in our history — from the abolition of slavery, the suffragette movement, civil rights movements, criminal justice reform, and climate justice to fighting for farm workers’ rights, fair wages for domestic workers, and the end of racial profiling. When we trust and follow the leadership of women and gender-expansive people, we create a world where justice for all can exist.

What’s a fun fact about Ms. Foundation that you don’t think enough people know?

In 1984, Ms. Foundation gave Funders for LGBTQ Issues (then named Working Group on Funding Lesbian and Gay Issues) their first grant ever to research philanthropic support for lesbian issues. The following year, the Working Group published the findings and released a report to approximately 5,000 funders and nonprofit organizations.

Ms. Foundation has been providing grants and capacity-building support to the LGBTQ+ community for over 40 years.

When you think about Ms. Foundation’s journey towards grantmaking and resourcing LGBTQ+ communities, is there anything you could use support or thought partnership on from your peers in the Funders network? Or are there any recent learnings you’re excited to share with the network?

In our journey towards more equitable grantmaking and resourcing of LGBTQ+ communities, Ms. Foundation has learned that this work is not just about funding — it is about trust, care, relationship-building, and a deep commitment to the long-term sustainability of the movements we support. We know that we cannot do this work alone. Collaboration and thought partnership with our peers in the Funders network are crucial as we navigate the complexities of intersectional grantmaking. 

As we move forward, we are excited to continue learning and evolving in our approach to care-based grantmaking. We are particularly eager to explore new ways of measuring impact that go beyond traditional metrics and reflect the lived realities of the communities we serve. We also seek to deepen our understanding of how to support the leadership of queer people of color in ways that are not extractive but instead honor and amplify their wisdom and expertise. We would welcome the opportunity to have more conversations with peers on any of these topics.