Connecting People Who Care with Causes That Matter
Our Fund Foundation is a community partner that creates a better future for all by pursuing the community’s greatest opportunities and addressing its most critical challenges. By inclusively uniting people, institutions and resources from throughout South Florida, Our Fund produces significant, widely shared and lasting results.
Through its grant programs, philanthropy initiatives, and agency and community networking and education efforts, Our Fund stands as a powerful force for good in South Florida and is committed to community leadership as a key strategy for delivering community impact.
A COMMUNITY RESPONDS
In the wake of the tragic event that occurred at Pulse nightclub in Orlando targeting LGBTQ people of color, Our Fund Foundation has stepped forward to lead a coalition of national foundations to fund and create an initiative to improve the lives of LGBTQ Central Floridians. CONTIGO ('With You') FUND is an effort to strengthen and network existing agencies and to identify and support grassroots efforts that advance Latinx and LGBTQ causes and the intersection of these two communities.
Program Director Marco Antonio Quiroga is based in Orlando and is overseeing the grant process to distribute funds to strengthen LGBTQ and Latinx Central Florida. A request for proposal is being developed along with a timeline for applications and distribution of funds.
Organizations, community groups and community leaders interested in finding out more are invited to contact Marco at MQuiroga@Our-Fund.org
Supporting our valued agencies
Our Fund Foundation's Grant Program seeks to fund proposed ideas, projects and programs from non-profit organizations advancing LGBT causes and issues in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties. Grant monies raised through cause-related and unrestricted endowments are directed to Our Fund granting and are awarded twice annually. Proposals are limited to $10,000 for each discretionary grant.
Applications are reviewed by Our Fund Foundation's Community Grant Review Committee, which is comprised of community volunteers and one Our Fund board member. Grants are approved by Our Fund Foundation's Board of Directors.
In addition to Our Fund Foundation’s discretionary grants, Our Fund administers the John C. Graves Fund at Our Fund and the Tuesday’s Angels Fund at Our Fund. Applications received through Our Fund’s bi-annual grant solicitation process are reviewed by the independent grant committees of the Graves Fund and the Tuesday’s Angels Fund. Applicants whose programs intersect with the funding priorities of either of these two Funds receive consideration from that Fund in addition to receiving consideration from Our Fund – thus increasing the likelihood and amount of potential funding.
Due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, our regular granting schedule has been affected. As we coordinate future dates, we will update here with current information.
Providing much-needed targeted support
Our Fund has determined seven fields of interests that are especially important to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. Whether you decide to establish your own fund, contribute to a field of interest fund, or give directly to a specific organization, Our Fund is here to make the connection so that you have the best philanthropic choice.
Youth Fund
Our Fund’s Youth Fund uplifts LGBTQ youth and strives to provide safe and productive home and school environments. Funds are distributed to South Florida agencies that address the staggering statistics of violence and bullying affecting LGBTQ youth that result in poorer educational and health outcomes versus cisgender heterosexual counterparts, including lower GPAs, less likely planning for higher eduation and more likely experience of self-esteem problems.
Elder's Fund
Women's Fund
Transgender Fund
HIV/AIDS Fund
Arts & Culture Fund
Our Fund recognizes the importance of arts and culture to inspire, empower and transform individuals and communities. Grants from this fund promote South Florida artistic expression that amplifies LGBT voices and works in the service of preserving, telling and celebrating LGBT stories and to promoting LGBT equality and social justice.
Social Justice Fund
Our Fund’s Social Justice Fund envisions a world in which all LGBT people live with dignity, safety, and opportunity. Preference for grants from the Fund is given to agencies, programs and services that increase LGBT inclusion and acceptance and expand LGBT-affirming protections.
In addition, Our Fund supports four free-standing initiatives in partnership with local and national partners:
Supporting projects in HIV prevention
The South Florida HIV/AIDS Fund at Our Fund Foundation was established to stimulate private philanthropy and initiate grantmaking in HIV prevention within South Florida, addressing priorities and enhancing services within current HIV prevention to ensure communities at the highest risk of the epidemic are reached.
Our Fund Foundation releases this Request for Proposal (RFP) to fund enhanced HIV prevention services in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. Our Fund Foundation seeks grant proposals that reflect promising, best, and/or innovative practices in the prevention of HIV transmission and infection. Grant proposals must demonstrate HIV prevention activities that combine outreach, engagement, education, testing, navigation, and follow-up support. Proposed projects must include a case management component that addresses the contributing factors and root causes associated with risky behavior such as social determinants of health and health promotion. Proposals must target young black and/or latinx men between the ages of 18 to 34 years old in Miami-Dade and/or Broward Counties who have sex with men. Proposed programming must be culturally relevant and designed to overcome existing stigma and trust issues.
Uniting LGBT leadership
Our Fund Foundation hosts quarterly meetings of executive leaders serving organizations that advance LGBT causes in South Florida. The program serves to unite South Florida’s non-profit community and introduce organizations and leaders to each other with the hopes of identifying areas of interest and potential collaboration.
To learn more about participation in the CEO Leadership Network: please contact David Jobin at DJobin@Our-Fund.org
Agencies who make a difference
South Florida enjoys a wide and diverse network of non-profits that serve to advance LGBT causes. Our Fund Foundation is proud to partner with these agencies to create a more livable community for all residents of South Florida. Click here to see list of agencies active in the lives of South Floridians.
If you know of an organization that is not listed, please contact Obed Caballero at OCaballero@our-fund.org as Our Fund Foundation is eager to learn about new agencies and engage them in the programs of Our Fund.
Our Fund Foundation annually presents in the fall a community conversation on topics of national and international importance to the LGBTQ community and its allies. Information on upcoming Fall Forum events will be available on this page as details are finalized.
10th Annual National LGBTQ
Leadership Fall Forum
Hosted by:
This year the Fall Forum will be virtual and live-streamed on Equality Florida’s Facebook page and YouTube Channel.
Further Details including panelists and moderator information will be coming soon!!
The second annual South Florida LGBT Philanthropy Awards was held on January 25, 2020 in the Mary N. Porter Riverview Ballroom at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.
Honoring Impactful Philanthropists
The annual event recognizes those individuals who demonstrate a significant philanthropic impact on South Florida's LGBT community. The generosity and actions of these philanthropists help to make South Florida the most livable community in the country for LGBT people.
2020 Honorees
Mark Gilbert
Commitment to a Cause Award
Nominated by OUTShine Film Festival for his boundless energy and determined volunteerism, Mark Gilbert’s dedication to the film festival in terms of time, talent and treasure is unmatched. Involved with the Festival in some capacity for much of its history, it was due to his single-minded dedication to the mission of the Festival that the Board was invigorated with new and involved blood, financial debts were resolved, and stable leadership restored.
Victor Warren
Next Generation of Philanthropy Award
Nominated by SunServe, Victor Warren joined SunServe’s board in 2010 and began serving as Chair in January 2018. Under his guidance of one of South Florida’s largest LGBT-serving agencies, SunServe has experienced 26 consecutive quarters of growth and has expanded programming to serve the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community. Victor is a leader in South Florida’s LGBT community and his visibility and impact serve as a reminder of the promise of young activists, leaders and philanthropists.
Wayne Schrebe
Raising the Bar Award
Designating the Philanthropist of the Year, this year’s Raising the Bar recipient is Wayne Schrebe. Wayne’s thoughtful generosity directed at numerous LGBT agencies in South Florida has made the difference in countless number of lives of LGBT people. A leadership gift from the Wayne A. Schrebe and Roy J. Stegman Fund at Our Fund launched Our Fund’s Protect Our Elders Fund in 2015 and Wayne has provided leadership gifts to both of Our Fund’s capital campaigns in 2014 and 2019.
Paul Fasana
Dick Schwarz Award for Lifetime Achievement
Paul and his late partner Robert Graham were instrumental through their philanthropy in building a large part of the infrastructure of LGBT life in South Florida. Their names are synonymous with Sunshine Cathedral for the capital investments they made, including the Robert S. Graham and Paul Fasana Chapel. Paul’s longtime passion, however, is for Stonewall National Museum & Archives’ vast collection of LGBT artifacts – for which Paul serves as Chief Archivist – a role he has played since 1995 as a volunteer. In addition to his volunteering, Paul has endowed a fund in perpetuity for Stonewall at Our Fund and supports a large number of local LGBT causes and agencies through his generosity.