Background on Organization

Funders for LGBTQ Issues (Funders) is the network of U.S. foundations and other institutional funders committed to equity and improved well-being for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities. Collectively, our members provide more than $100 million of the $200 million in annual foundation funding for LGBTQ issues. Please explore our website for more information on our work.

Our Values 

• Joy: We center joy in our work and spotlight the joy of our community.
• Racial, Gender and Economic Justice: We work for liberation at the intersection of race, gender and class.
• Care: We center self care and healing for ourselves and advocate these practices for the field of philanthropy and our community
• Interdependence: We acknowledge, cultivate and strengthen the interconnectedness across movements and issues that affect our communities
• Abundance: We work for freedom, for the conditions for ourselves and our communities to thrive
• Accountability: We hold ourselves and others accountable to the communities most impacted by injustice.

Project Scope

Funders for LGBTQ Issues’ staff is composed of ten team members, working across the United States. A remote team, the organization has identified the need for comprehensive out-sourced human resource and operational support to ensure staff have the resources necessary to fulfill the mission and vision of Funders for LGBTQ Issues. We are seeking proposals from qualified consultants and/or firms to help us in realizing our strategic direction of building an inclusive and joyful culture that meets the needs of the moment. 

This includes:

Human Resource Functions

• Assist staff to successfully access employer-provided benefits; troubleshoot barriers to access staff may encounter, and liaise with benefits providers and brokers on behalf of staff as needed.
• Build out and conduct an annual employee engagement survey, analyze results, and report-back recommendations to organizational leadership.
• Review staff benefits, organization manuals, and policies  to ensure they are in compliance with all state and federal regulations, and align with our commitment to abundance and mutual care.
• Revise progressive discipline policy that aligns with Funder values 
• Advise on full employee lifecycle.
• Review Funders’ current insurance policies and protections, make recommendations to ensure the organization limits its liability. 

Workplace Culture  

• Offer resources to staff members seeking advice and counsel on workplace issues; report on high level trends to senior leadership, and make recommendations on areas of staff learning and development.
• Offer subject matter expertise and counsel to senior leadership on complex workplace issues.
• Advise on strategy to educate staff on policies and updates as needed.
• Administer annual staff reviews, review findings and provide assessment and recommendations for trainings, and other support as needed.

Operations

• Build a comprehensive operations manual, and advise on processes for regular updates of manuals as policies and procedures evolve.
• Develop a process to annually review all current operational tools used by departments, and evaluate effectiveness.
• Support team on various discrete operations tasks as needed.

Required Expertise

• Deep, demonstrable knowledge of equity-centered human resource management and operations. 
• Strong familiarity with philanthropy and funding networks.
• Prior experience in a leadership role within HR and Operations at similarly-sized, POC-majority and progressive social justice organizations with trans staff members, and staff members with disabilities.
• Understanding of the current landscape of the LGBTQ movement and broader field of social justice.
• Intersectional approach to racial, economic, gender, disability, and class justice, including integration of those values into HR & Operations work. 

Submitting an Estimate

Please submit a brief estimate outlining the proposed scope of work, a description of your consulting team and their qualifications and any relevant certifications, and an estimate of all fees and costs. This will be a year-long contract, with the possibility of extension. Funders for LGBTQ Issues has budgeted a maximum of $35,000 for consultant fees, and hope to stay within this range. We also want to provide adequate and equitable compensation, so we will consider proposals that exceed this range.  Please include references to 3 organizations you have worked with. Proposals may be emailed to Michelle Marciano. Please submit your estimate by November 15th, 2025. We expect to make a decision on a consultant by late January, with a contract.

Consultants rooted in trans communities, LGBTQ communities of color, and immigrant communities are especially encouraged to submit proposals.