By: Andrew Wallace on November 6, 2016
In honor of Black History Month, we thought we’d take a closer look at the $5.9 million awarded specifically for African American LGBTQ communities between 2011-2012. During that time, the top 10 funders were:
Nearly half of this funding – $2.5 million – went towards addressing HIV/AIDS. This reflects the philanthropic response to the reality that among gay and bisexual men who have sex with men, African American men currently account for the largest number and percentage of both new HIV infections and AIDS diagnoses.
Of the $5.9 million, nearly $1.9 million was awarded to organizations in the D.C. area and $1.4 million was awarded to California-based organizations. No other state or region received more than $1 million expressly for African American LGBTQ communities between 2011-2012.
According to the Williams Institute, there are approximately 1 million “out” LGBT African American adults. As such, the annual LGBTQ grant dollars per African American LGBT adult work out to $2.90. This is less than half the national annual average of $5.78 in LGBTQ grant dollars per LGBT adult for 2011-2012.
Seeking to address the unique needs of LGBTQ African Americans and other communities of color, several funders have recently come together to establish the LGBTQ Racial Justice Fund. This new fund will support efforts to drive structural, policy and cultural change that ensure core public institutions are welcoming and capable of serving diverse LGBTQ populations. The fund is being implemented by the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, the Ford Foundation, the Arcus Foundation and an anonymous donor.
At Funding Forward, our annual gathering of grantmakers committed to LGBTQ issues, the partners of the LGBTQ Racial Justice Fund will host a breakfast meeting for those interested in learning more about the fund. Click here for more information about Funding Forward. Click here to register for Funding Forward.
We join in mourning the loss of Urvashi Vaid. Her legacy will live on in the many relationships she nurtured, the organizations she led and supported, and the vision for justice she embodied. We honor her life and work as an activist, funder, writer, and mentor. Rest in power.
"Urvashi Vaid was a leader, a warrior, and a force to be reckoned with," said @TheTaskForce executive director Kierra Johnson. https://www.advocate.com/news/2022/5/14/legendary-activist-urvashi-vaid-dies-63?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=news
As lawmakers attack trans youth across the country, how do we understand this as part of decades-long right-wing political strategies? And how do we better support movements to fight back?
Join us at Funding Forward for this conversation: https://lgbtfunders.org/funding-forward-2022/
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