In honor of Pride month, members of SFF’s LGBTQ2SIA+ employee affinity group curated a list of 10 Bay Area organizations that are most impacted, and yet, least funded characteristics which frequently go hand in hand. We are proud to highlight these organizations for their deep connections in trailblazing movements to advance justice and wellbeing for the diverse LGBTQ+ community across the Bay Area.
Data from Funders for LGBTQ Issues show that for every $100 awarded by U.S. foundations in 2020, only 23 cents specifically supported LGBTQ communities and issues. For every $100 awarded by U.S. foundations, less than 5 cents supported transgender communities in both 2019 and 2020.
In the face of that stark reality, and in this time of escalating assaults against Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming (TGNC) communities, we offer this give guide as a signal of immense opportunity for donors at all levels of giving to answer the call of our movements.
We invite you to celebrate Pride Month by joining us in making joyful gifts to LGBTQ+ groups like these, committing your love and support in the form of financial resources, to uplift those in our community who are leading bold, robust, and intersectional movements that benefit all of us.
Note for Donor Advised Fund Advisors: Donor Center Specifics are listed to help you locate the group in the Donor Center portal to recommend a grant. For more recommendations here in the Bay Area, or for help recommending a grant via your donor advised fund, contact your Philanthropic Advisor or email donorservices[at]sff.org.
Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits
Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits exists to restore and recover the role of Two-Spirit people within the American Indian/First Nations community by creating a forum for the spiritual, cultural and artistic expression of Two-Spirit people. They are committed to holding space for our Indigenous Queer/Two Spirit community in many forms such as Drag transformation workshops, film screenings, and ceremonies.
Donor Center Specifics:
Grantee: Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirit
Fiscal Sponsor: The Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples
Short purpose: For general operating support for Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirit.
Community United Against Violence
CUAV, Community United Against Violence, is a community anchor in the San Francisco Bay Area, committed to ending violence and abuse against LGBTQ+ communities. With a legacy spanning over four decades, CUAV provides crucial support services, advocacy, and community organizing to address the intersecting issues of violence, oppression, and discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ individuals. By centering survivors’ voices and mobilizing for systemic change, CUAV creates safer spaces and fosters resilience. Your contribution fortifies their efforts to build a world where everyone can live free from violence and fear, empowering LGBTQ+ communities to thrive.
Donor Center Specifics:
Grantee: Community United Against Violence
Short purpose: For general operating support.
Lyon-Martin Community Health Services
Lyon Martin Health Services is a leader in compassionate care and advocacy, dedicated to providing affirming, high-quality, trauma informed care to women, transgender, and non-binary individuals. With a rich history rooted in LGBTQ+ activism, Lyon Martin continues to break barriers, offering comprehensive medical, mental health, and social services that prioritize inclusivity and empowerment. Your support ensures that Lyon Martin can continue to champion health equity and serve as a vital lifeline for marginalized communities.
Donor Center Specifics:
Grantee: Lyon Martin Health Services
Short purpose: For general operating support.
Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center
LYRIC, or Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center, is a lifeline and safe-haven for LGBTQ+ youth to thrive. Committed to equity and inclusion, LYRIC offers comprehensive support services, youth leadership development programs, and community-building initiatives. By centering the voices and experiences of LGBTQ+ youth, LYRIC fosters resilience, belonging, and advocates for systemic change. Your donation sustains this vital organization, ensuring that LGBTQ+ youth have access to the resources and opportunities they need to flourish in our region.
Donor Center Specifics:
Grantee: Lavender Youth Recreation & Information Center
Short purpose: For general support of your work in the Bay Area.
Oakland LGBTQ Community Center
The Oakland LGBTQ Center is a vibrant, inclusive space of belonging that provides vital resources, programming, and community-building initiatives for LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies. From support groups to educational workshops and cultural events, the center fosters safety and empowerment for our community. Your generous donation fuels their mission to create a more equitable and affirming world, where BIPOC LGBTQ+ voices are heard, valued, and celebrated.
Donor Center Specifics:
Grantee: Oakland LGBTQ Community Center
Short purpose: For general operating support.
Oasis Legal Services
Oasis Legal Services provides a crucial lifeline for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. Winning asylum means so much: protection from deportation, the right to work legally, the opportunity to advance a career, pursue an education, seek medical care, and in hard times, the right to crucial social safety nets. It also means the freedom to finally embrace one’s true sexual orientation or gender identity, and to find community and acceptance without the fear of persecution.
Donor Center Specifics:
Grantee: Oasis Legal Services
Short purpose: For general operating support.
Rainbow Community Center
Rainbow envisions a society that advocates for and celebrates gender and sexual diversity, racial justice, safety, and liberation for all through healing-centered engagement. The Rainbow Community Center provides free HIV testing and hosts counseling services and community socials for LGTBQ people of all stripes. They also have resources for queer survivors of hate crimes and intimate partner violence. Rainbow Community Center is committed to racial and economic justice through the work of solidarity, positive representation, equity, and advocacy, to achieve freedom of limits.
Donor Center Specifics:
Grantee: Rainbow Community Center of Contra Costa County
Short purpose: For general operating support.
Somos Familia
Somos Familia is an incredible community anchor leading support, advocacy, and power building for LGBTQ+ Latinx individuals and families. Rooted in a commitment to racial equity and economic inclusion, they provide culturally responsive resources, education, and community-building opportunities. Through workshops, support groups, and advocacy efforts, Somos Familia empowers families to embrace their LGBTQ+ loved ones with a sense of belonging and care while advocating for policies that dismantle discrimination and promote justice for all. Your contribution fuels their mission to create a more inclusive society where everyone, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, or economic status, can thrive.
Donor Center Specifics:
Grantee: Somos Familia
Short purpose: For general operating support.
The Transgender District
The Transgender District is a pioneering organization nestled in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area, dedicated to creating a vibrant, safe, and inclusive community for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. As the world’s first legally recognized transgender district, they are at the forefront of advocacy, cultural preservation, and economic empowerment. Through innovative programs, supportive services, and cultural events, the Transgender District celebrates resilience and fosters pride, while championing social justice and equity. Your contribution helps sustain this vital hub of acceptance and empowerment, shaping a brighter future for transgender communities everywhere.
Donor Center Specifics:
Grantee: The Transgender District
Short purpose: For general operating support.
Transgender Gender-Variant & Intersex Justice Project
Transgender Gender-Variant & Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) works to end human rights abuses against transgender, gender variant, and intersex people—especially transgender women in California prisons and formerly incarcerated. TGIJP does some direct service legal work for intersex individuals caught within the prison industrial complex and continues to expand its leadership development, worker rights, movement organizing, and transformative systems change work in order to fully realize its mission. TGIJP has also been working to increase the visibility of intersex issues in their current programming (e.g. publishing information in their newsletter and political education); conducting internal education for staff, core leadership, and members; developing collaborative relationships with intersex organizations; and conducting outreach to identify imprisoned intersex people, share information and support their ability to self-advocate and self-organize.
Donor Center Specifics:
Grantee: Transgender Gender-Variant Intersex Justice Project
Short purpose: For general operating support.
