- Community Impact
- Contigo Fund
- Grant Program
- Field of Interest Funds
- South Florida HIV/AIDS Fund
- CEO Leadership Network
- Supported Agencies
- National Leadership Forum
- South Florida LGBT Philanthropy Awards
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 six 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.
Helping to inform our community
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.
Information on last year’s Fall Forum:
Meet the Moderator:
Nadine Smith
Nadine Smith is co-founder and executive director of Equality Florida, the state’s LGBTQ advocacy organization. She served as one of four national co-chairs on the 1993 March on Washington and participated in the historic, first-ever meeting between LGBT leaders and a sitting U.S. president (Clinton) in the White House. She currently serves as chair of the Leadership Team for State Voices Florida a coalition of progressive 501c3 organizations. Nadine has been recognized for her national and state leadership by The Task Force, HRC, NCLR, the National Black Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum, The League of Women Voters, and others.
Meet the Panelists:
Michael Adams
Michael Adams is the Chief Executive Officer of SAGE (Advocacy and Services for LGBT Elders), the world’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBT older people. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in New York City, SAGE is a national organization that offers supportive services and consumer resources to LGBT older people and their caregivers. SAGE also advocates for public policy changes that address the needs of LGBT elders, provides education and technical assistance for aging providers and LGBT community organizations through its National Resource Center on LGBT Aging, and cultural competency training through SAGECare. With staff located across the country, SAGE also coordinates SAGENet, a growing network of affiliates in the United States.
Adams, a graduate of Stanford Law School and Harvard College, previously served as Director of Education and Public Affairs and Deputy Legal Director for Lambda Legal. Prior to that, he was Litigation Director of the ACLU’s Lesbian and Gay Rights Project. He has served on advisory councils for AARP, the American Society on Aging, and the New York City Department for the Aging, among others. Adams is the Chair-Elect of the American Society on Aging.
Mara Keisling
Mara Keisling is the founder and executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, the nation’s leading social justice advocacy organization winning life-saving change for transgender people. Mara’s strategy and vision have guided NCTE’s work since 2003. She has led organizational and coalition efforts that have won significant advances in transgender equality, including the inclusion of gender identity in the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act from 2007 onward and countless other federal- and state-level wins. Mara also co-authored Injustice at Every Turn, the groundbreaking 2009 report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, and the report of the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey.
Mara, a proud Pennsylvanian, received her bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University and did graduate work in American Government at Harvard University. Prior to founding NCTE, Mara worked for 25 years in social marketing and opinion research.
Shannon Minter
Shannon Minter is the Legal Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), a leading advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
Minter has been lead counsel in several important cases impacting LGBTQ equality, such as the landmark California marriage equality case; Christian Legal Society v. Martinez, a U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding student group policies prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; and Pareto v. Rubin, in which Equality Florida and six plaintiff couples won the right to marry in Miami-Dade County, whichresulted in the first same sex marriages conducted in Florida on January 5th, 2015.
Special thanks to the following:
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.