Feel Good Friday - Stonewall Community Foundation

June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month and what better way to celebrate than to highlight work being done by the Stonewall Community Foundation.

Founded in 1990 and headquartered in New York City, the Stonewall Community Foundation “strengthens the LGBTQ community and Movement by making strategic, values-driven investments in dynamic organizations, projects, and leaders.”

The organization is named after the uprising at the Stonewall Inn in 1969 that gave birth to the gay rights movement in the U.S. The founders were inspired by the growth of LGBTQ nonprofits during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s and wanted to create a foundation “where loss could inspire legacy and the power of individual giving could be amplified”.

As a public foundation, Stonewall raises money and funds over 200 nonprofits every year in over 30 issue areas that advance queer liberation, including racial, social, and economic justice.  Examples of funds that receive grant money include: the LGBTQ+ Youth Fund, which makes grants to programs and organizations supporting LGBTQ+ youth in New York City; the Emergency Response fund which supports organizations serving individuals impacted by natural disasters, and acts of violence; and the Swish Ally Fund which grants funds to organizations doing the work on the frontlines of the LGBTQ+ movement for equality, liberation, and justice.

In the 35 years the foundation has been running, they’ve awarded $27 million in grants to over 700 nonprofits in 132 cities. They also support 650 individuals each year with micro grants and scholarships. You can go to this page to read stories about organizations that have received grants. Whether they’re providing safe harbor for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers, anti-violence education, or a space for queer theater, these groups have been able to make a bigger impact thanks to funding from the Stonewall Community Foundation.

The 2025 Vision Awards, which honor extraordinary individuals who use their voice to make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people, are happening on June 18th in New York City. If you live in the New York metropolitan area, attending will be a fun way to support the Stonewall Community Foundation. For those of us farther away, we can show our support by making a donation and spreading the word on social media. Follow the Stonewall Community Foundation on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.