The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community is getting a new advocate today – and it’s an advocate with a checkbook.
The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida debuted at a news conference this afternoon a “giving circle” community fund for organizations that serve LGBT residents in all age groups.
Grants will be awarded to the Jacksonville Sexual Minority Youth Network (JASMYN), the University of North Florida LGBT Resource Center and to ElderSource, the Area Agency on Aging.
Community Foundation President Nina Waters said Tuesday the fund is the result of three years of work that started with philanthropist Jeff Chartrand, the initial underwriter of the project, and one of 29 members who contributed to the fund.
It’s the first fund for LGBT issues in the 50-year history of the foundation. Waters said during the developmental stage, there was “much interest from the group” that donated a combined $100,000 to establish the fund. Group members will evaluate requests and award grants.
“We felt strongly the circle should be made up of LGBT members who will then look for straight allies,” said Waters.
The fund awarded $40,000 to JASMYN to expand its fundraising capacity. Cindy Watson the organization’s executive director, said the grant will allow JASMYN to hire a director of development for the first time in the organization’s 20-year history.
“In Jacksonville, as well as around the country, awareness of LGBT issues, and the willingness for people to seek out services for young LGBT people, is growing,” she said. “When we offer a program, we have kids lined up out the door. We are at a point where there is more demand for our services than we can provide.”
ElderSource received $30,000 to provide LGBT sensitivity training to professionals serving elders and to provide outreach to LGBT elders.
“That’s an area that most people aren’t aware of, but LGBT issues do affect elders,” said Waters.
The UNF LGBT Resource Center received $18,000 for a campus-wide education and visibility campaign to address safety and inclusion issues for transgender and gender-nonconforming students.
A graduate student assistantship will be created to “research the campus climate and the needs of students,” said Kaitlin Legg, assistant director of the center.
UNF and the University of Florida are the only two universities in Florida with resource centers for LGBT students. “The project will affect a lot of people even if they don’t identify as transgender,” Legg said. “It will make UNF a better and more inclusive campus.”
Of the $12,000 remaining in the initial funding cycle, $7,000 was designated to support future development of the fund, outreach and awareness, and $5,000 will fund research on services and programs that support LGBT families.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with our first giving and grant-making cycle. The grant proposals requested and submitted by these organizations reflect their thoughtful dedication to improving the lives of LGBT seniors, youth and families,” Chartrand said in a news release.
There is no minimum gift requirement to participate in the giving circle fund.
Those donating $2,500 or more will be invited to participate in the annual grant-making process, Waters said.
A website, lgbtnefl.org, is available for those seeking more information about the fund.
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