The Urgency of Queer Philanthropy: Lessons for Funders and Allies

Dear LGBTQIA+ and ally nonprofit leaders & fundraisers,

This Thursday, September 18th at noon online, I’ll be moderating a conversation hosted by AFP Golden Gate: “Lessons from LGBTQIA+ Leaders: Fundraising Amid Sector Shifts.”

We’ll be joined by brilliant leaders from Z Space, SF Pride, The Transgender District, and Pacific Center for Human Growth. Together, we’ll reflect on how LGBTQIA+ organizations are navigating an increasingly complex philanthropic landscape – where DEI is deprioritized, resources are scarce, and the stakes for our communities are only rising.

But here’s the truth: this panel isn’t about educating LGBTQIA+ fundraisers. It’s about shifting the conversation for you – funders, nonprofit leaders, and allies.

Because the urgency of supporting Queer work is real.

Underfunded + Undervalued + Unstoppable

LGBTQIA+ organizations, particularly those led by Trans people, BIPOC leaders, and small grassroots teams, remain dramatically underfunded compared to mainstream institutions. Year after year, studies show that Queer organizations receive only a fraction of philanthropic dollars – and when they do, it’s often short-term, restricted project support that limits their ability to plan, grow, and thrive.

Despite these inequities, these organizations carry some of the heaviest burdens in our sector. They are on the front lines responding to attacks on rights, providing crisis services, creating affirming spaces, and building movements for liberation. They innovate where others hesitate, and they step in when larger institutions fall short.

And yet, we endure. We build. We lead with joy, resilience, and brilliance. Our work isn’t supplemental to the sector, it’s essential. Queer organizations are not a “niche cause”; we are incubators of justice, models of community care, and vital engines of social change.

What Funders and Allies Need to Hear

If you’re reading this as a donor, funder, or ally, the question isn’t whether to support LGBTQIA+ communities: it’s how. The answer isn’t symbolic gestures or seasonal rainbow logos. It’s about:

• Investing deeply in Queer-led organizations with unrestricted, multi-year support.

• Advocating loudly when DEI and LGBTQIA+ initiatives are rolled back in your spaces.

• Building with us, not for us – partnering in ways that respect Queer leadership and community-defined priorities.

My Goal as Moderator

As I guide this panel, my aim is to draw attention to both the urgency and the endurance of our work. I want the audience to leave with concrete ways to do better: to invest, to advocate, and to build alongside LGBTQIA+ organizations and fundraisers in their own communities.

Because Queer leadership doesn’t just strengthen LGBTQIA+ communities – it strengthens philanthropy as a whole.

Join us on Thursday. Come ready to listen, to learn, and most importantly, to act.

Register here: AFP Golden Gate – Lessons from LGBTQIA+ Leaders: Fundraising Amid Sector Shifts

Sincerely,

Queers

Queer For Hire provides fundraising support to Queer nonprofits, LGBTQIA+ cultural competency to straight-led organizations and corporations, and individual coaching for Queer professionals.

Learn about our Fundraising Services <here> – we’ll lead or support your fundraising efforts, whether you need general support or want to focus on raising money from and for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Learn about our Fundraising Trainings <here> – we can coach your board, staff, and fundraising team on how to fundraise and how to engage LGBTQIA+ donors.

Learn about our other services <here> or our resources <here>.