The LGBTQ Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham announced a record $41,550 in grants awarded to ten nonprofits serving Blount, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair and Walker counties. Thanks to generous donors, the fund has awarded more than $100,000 in grants to area nonprofits over the last four years.
The LGBTQ Fund is a charitable endowment at the Community Foundation that supports programs in Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Blount, and Walker counties that:
- Strengthen the infrastructure of organizations led by or serving LGBTQ persons
- Support the provision of services to LGBTQ youth, individuals and families
- Provide educational opportunities that highlight the needs of the LGBTQ community
- Advance collaboration between LGBTQ organizations and other community organizations
- Support nonprofit partners advocating on public policy and social justice issues that intersect with LGBTQ concerns
Organizations receiving funds this year:
Alabama Possible – $3,000 to enhance tools and support for students, families, and professionals so more LGBTQ youth continue their education after high school. The grant will help provide assistance to LGBTQ youth with postsecondary planning, developing referral relationships with LGBTQ-serving organizations, and auditing and revising program materials for LGBTQ inclusivity.
Birmingham Black Pride, fiscal sponsor AIDS Alabama – $6,000 to help sponsor a four-day Pride event in Birmingham centered on LGBTQ African-Americans. An anti-bullying platform will be presented by Hailie Sahar, “Lou Lou” from Pose, providing inspiration for Transpeople across the region.
Birmingham Black Repertory Theatre – $5,300 for their presentation of the southeastern premiere of “Choir Boy,” a Broadway musical featuring a talented and queer student who has been waiting for years to take his place as the leader of a legendary gospel choir. This play explores the themes of Black masculinity, religion and a Black queer youth’s coming of age story. The play will run August 23 to 25, 2019 in Birmingham.
Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama – $5,500 to expand services provided by ¡HICA! and the Magic City Acceptance Center (MCAC) through a collaborative training exchange. ¡HICA! will receive a comprehensive training on LGBTQ issues, enhancing its capacity to understand the needs of the LGBTQ Hispanic/Latino communities and serve their needs. ¡HICA! will help educate the staff at the MCAC in specific Hispanic language and cultural barriers and assist in the development of a Language Access Plan.
Invisible Histories Project – $5,000 to collect, preserve and make accessible the personal narratives of LGBTQ Elders and Leaders who have survived and thrived in the Deep South. Oral histories will be digitally stored and available for research and community access at Birmingham Public Library.
Jefferson State Community College – $2,550 to provide Safe Zone training to one faculty and one staff member at every Alabama Community College campus location, creating a network of knowledgeable, trained, and visible LGBTQ advocates at the 85 Alabama Community College System educational sites.
No More Martyrs – $4,900 to provide programming for mental health professionals and the community, increasing the understanding of the mental health challenges facing the LGBT community. Programming will include a four-hour LGBT specific training at the Minority Mental Health Awareness Summit, a public showcase with Digital Storytelling featuring Black LGBT experience, and infographics highlighting the mental health needs of Black Trans Women.
Transgender Advocate Knowledgeable Empowering (TAKE) – $6,150 for the Trans Crisis Fund to provide safety net purchases like groceries, utilities and food for Trans Women of Color. The grant will also help sponsor a second chance prom, offering members an experience missed by a large portion of the community.
Teach for America Alabama – $3,150 to help equip teachers with resources and strategies to support individuals in schools who identify as LGBTQ+, creating inclusive classrooms, assisting schools, communities and families in supporting students and building a cadre of allies.
Woodlawn United Methodist Church – $2,200 to offer a week-long, free, community event June 2-8, 2019. The event will include a display of 8 panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, memorializing 64 people, including former Birmingham area residents. It will also offer four viewings of the documentary film, ‘The Last One’, a space for a Community Signature Board and other remembrances.
The LGBTQ Fund is a component fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham. For more information about the LGBTQ Fund or to make a gift, visit LGBTQ Fund. The grant cycle for 2020 grants from the LGBTQ Fund will open for applications in the 2nd quarter of 2020. For more information about grants contact Kim Rogers at 205.327.3804 or krogers@cfbham.org.