A groundbreaking collaboration between the Community Foundation of Broward and Our Fund Foundation is providing $400,000 in new support to foster social justice and racial equity for LGBTQ residents.

‍

The first wave of support from this new LGBTQ Social Justice & Equity Funders Collaborative champions BIPOC (Black & Indigenous People of Color) LGBTQ individuals.

‍

“As longtime champions of LGBTQ residents, Our Fund Foundation and the Community Foundation of Broward are natural partners, both supported by generous donors who prioritize inclusion and equity in Broward County and beyond,” said Community Foundation President/CEO Jennifer O’Flannery Anderson, Ph.D.

‍

“We are ecstatic to partner with the Community Foundation of Broward for this new Social Justice grant which seeks to reveal and tackle discrimination and disparities in health care, education, economic independence and other essentials and better the quality of life for LGBTQ residents,” said David Jobin, Our Fund Foundation President and CEO.

‍

The new LGBTQ Social Justice & Equity Funders Collaborative grant recipients include:

• Chainless Change, Inc., Peers Optimistically Working to End Recidivism (POWER): Provide peer support services, critical resource linkages, and leadership opportunities for a minimum of 30 justice-involved queer and/or transgender people of color (QTPOC) over two years to reduce their contact with the criminal legal system, increase their access to community, and improve their overall quality of life.
• Equality Florida Institute, Safe and Healthy Schools: Select one historically Black Innovation Zone (high school and associated middle/elementary schools) and conduct an LGBTQ racial equity needs assessment, specialized trainings, and community forums to benefit approximately 8,000 students.    
• Maven Leadership Collective, Building Belonging in Broward: Provides equity and belonging-related professional development to 12 small-to-midsize nonprofits in Broward County.  Help these nonprofits to increase access to initiatives that transform organizational culture.
• SunServe, Be The Change: Provides educational services in civics and local government to 35 Black and Brown LGBTQ individuals, with an emphasis on transgender women.  Establish a fellowship program to empower a local cohort of BIPOC LGBTQ individuals to learn strategy to successfully run for office.
• TransSocial, Inc., The Lifeboat Project: Provides up to 80 enrollments for their virtual TLBGQ+ proficiency training. Four participants engage in 26 sessions of therapy and 6 hours of virtual meetings.
• Ujima Men’s Collective, Inc., B.R.O.T.H.A.S. Project: Provides up to 100 LGBTQ Black men opportunities to improve their knowledge and efficacy about surrounding social justice and equity in our community.  Expand the number of Black LGBTQ Black men capable of participating in conversations about systemic racism, discrimination, white fragility, and privilege.
• World AIDS Museum and Educational Center, Fighting Stigma and Building Community through the Arts: Increase social justice and equity for hundreds of BIPOC LGBTQ people in Broward County, and reduce stigma for those living with HIV/AIDS.  These artistic productions that allow for rewarding dialogue, from all our community, about HIV/AIDS history and current successes and failures, while educating them on how to become involved.

‍

More about the collaboration

Our Fund Foundation and the Community Foundation of Broward in 2021 launched the LGBTQ Social Justice & Equity Funders Collaborative to fund innovative ways to support the aspirations of Broward’s LGBTQ community.

‍

Pooling the expertise and philanthropic resources of these longtime supporters of Broward’s LGBTQ community will:

• Reveal and address discrimination as a cause of disparities in health care, education, economic independence and other essentials to the quality of life for LGBTQ residents
• Amplify the voice of the LGBTQ community and champion the rights of all LGBTQ residents
• Create a lasting impact for the LGBTQ community that transcends lifespans and breaks through community divisions

‍

Our Fund Foundation: Since its creation in 2011, Our Fund Foundation has grown into the nation’s third-largest LGBTQ foundation, awarding more than $13 million in grants to support LGBTQ initiatives in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. With more than $1.5 million in grants deployed each year in the areas of Social Justice, Health & Wellness and Arts & Culture, Our Fund Foundation improves the quality of life for the local LGBTQ population through responsive, relevant, and impactful philanthropy.

‍

Community Foundation of Broward: For almost 40 years, the Community Foundation of Broward has advocated for Broward’s LGBTQ community. In 1986, the Community Foundation became the first non-government funder in Broward to lead the charge for education and understanding of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The Community Foundation has awarded more than $9 million in grants to support the LGBTQ community on a wide range of issues, including education, outreach, the arts and more.

‍

For additional information, visit cfbroward.org/grant-opportunities/broward-pride or contact the Community Foundation of Broward at info@cfbroward.org or 954-761-9503. To contact Our Fund Foundation, email info@our-fund.org or call 954-565-1090.

‍