Today, Funders for LGBTQ Issues is publicly releasing The 2015 Tracking Report: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Grantmaking by U.S. Foundations.
This 14th edition of the tracking report finds that LGBTQ grantmaking reached a new record high of $160.7 million! The report notes significant increases in funding for trans communities, grantmaking to address criminalization and criminal justice reform, and support for LGBTQ communities in the U.S. South.
The report finds the overall field of LGBTQ philanthropy widening slightly to include a larger number of funders. However, growth slowed to less than 5 percent — as opposed to the nearly 20 percent growth noted in the 2014 Tracking Report — on account of several core funders decreasing the depth of their support for LGBTQ communities.
Access the report at the link: www.lgbtfunders.org/research/ .
Highlights from the report include:
A 40 percent increase in funding for trans communities; 52 percent increase in support for LGBTQ communities in the U.S. South; and a 105 percent increase in grantmaking to address criminalization and criminal justice reform.
A considerable shift in the distribution of funding between LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ organizations, with more than a third of funding supporting non-LGBTQ organizations for the first time since we began tracking by organization type.
A decrease in support from corporate funders for the first time since 2009.
A decrease from 5 to 3 in the number of top 100 foundations awarding one percent or more of their grantmaking to LGBTQ issues. ( And more than half of the foundations still award no funding to specifically address LGBTQ issues. )