Increasing LGBTQ Cultural Competence
Funders for LGBTQ Issues offers funders customized training and coaching support to increase their cultural competence and inclusiveness around LGBTQ issues. The content of our trainings is tailored to the unique needs and priorities of each foundation, but generally includes the following elements:
- An overview of current demographic trends and needs in LGBTQ communities, with a focus on data related to your foundation’s geographic scope and issue areas of interest.
- An overview of trends and gaps in LGBTQ funding, with a focus on current levels of funding for your target states or issue areas.
- A guided interactive discussion of gaps, challenges, and opportunities for deepening your institution’s impact in LGBTQ communities through internal policies, grantmaking, and thought leadership.
Recognizing that building cultural competence and inclusiveness requires more than a single training, we also offer tools, coaching, and assistance with follow-up steps after each training.
Whether your institution is already actively engaged in LGBTQ issues or is completely new to the topic, our training and support services provide an opportunity for your entire staff, board, and trustees to deepen their understanding of issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. Our goals are to help foundations increase the inclusiveness of their internal practices and to identify strategies for enhancing the impact of your grantmaking in LGBTQ communities.
Personalized learning objectives
While each training curriculum is curated to meet the specific learning needs of the organization, our trainings are built around the following learning objectives:
- Deepen a shared understanding of LGBTQ and gender diverse communities, inclusive of the lived experiences of trans people of color;
- Better understand the role and influence philanthropy can have in moving the needle for LGBTQ communities;
- Learn practical ways to increase general LGB inclusion with a specific focus on trans-inclusion in all aspects of the organization’s work, including but not limited to and introduction to transgender-related terminology and concepts; and
- Implement practical ways to increase LGBTQ inclusion in all aspects of the organization’s work.
We see inclusiveness as an ongoing process of institutional learning and growth and welcome the opportunity to partner with you in that process. Please contact April Bethea, Director of Philanthropic Outreach for more information or with any questions about our training program.