Foundation awards $100,000 to support LGBTQ+ health and wellness

HealthNonprofit

Jul 8

Photo courtesy of Grand Rapids Community Foundation

The Grand Rapids Community Foundation's Our LGBTQ Fund has marked ten years of community engagement, grantmaking, and support for LGBTQ+ communities in West Michigan. Recently, the fund awarded $100,000 in grants and has contributed over $403,971 since its inception in 2014. The fund aims to foster a safe, inclusive, and healthy environment for LGBTQ+ individuals.

This spring's grant allocations of $100,000 supported various organizations focused on the health and wellness of LGBTQ+ individuals in the region. Insights from community engagement sessions guided these decisions. Notable recipients include:

AYA Youth Collective, which received funding for direct cash payments to address LGBTQ+ homelessness.

Grand Rapids Pride Center will use its grant to train BIPOC mental health clinicians specializing in 2-SLGBTQ+ care.
Grand Rapids Trans Foundation will use the awarded funds to extend legal and financial assistance to transgender and nonbinary residents.
Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health supported hosting an LGBTQ+ youth summit aimed at advocacy and community building.

"While June is a special time to celebrate, we know we need to create a safe and welcoming region all year long. These grant awards help do that, resourcing critical and life-saving work happening in our community," said Jenine Torres, Development Officer, Grand Rapids Community Foundation. "The partners who support Our LGBTQ Fund—by donating or volunteering—show a dedication that is making our region more inclusive."

Data highlights a stark national funding gap, with only 28 cents of every $100 awarded by U.S. foundations directly supporting LGBTQ+ communities and issues, according to Funders for LGBTQ Issues. Locally, more than 600 local donors have contributed nearly $1.5 million to the Grand Rapids Community Foundation's Our LGBTQ Fund, establishing a robust endowment and enabling immediate, impactful grants.

"I give to the Our LGBTQ Fund because I want to help lift up and empower the queer community and make West Michigan a better place for us to not only survive, but thrive," said Jill May, Our LGBTQ Fund supporter.

For more information, visit https://www.grfoundation.org/community-leadership-initiatives/lgbtq-fund.