REPORT: LGBT Philanthropy Has Increased 400% Between 2003-2012

A new report from Funders for LGBTQ Issues indicates that the funding for organizations that advocate for LGBT equality has increased dramatically in the last decade. From 2003 the total granted by philanthropic sources was about $30 million while in 2012 it had increased to over $120 million.

From the overview:

In 2012, U.S. foundations awarded 4,068 grants totaling $121.4 million to support organizations and programs addressing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (lGBTQ) issues. This is roughly a one percent decrease from 2011, when we identified $123 million in grants for lGBTQ issues. 

Foundations also granted an additional $12.7 million to public foundations and other intermediaries for the purposes of re-granting to lGBTQ communities — more than double the $5.5 million awarded for re-granting in 2011. with re-granting dollars included, lGBTQ grantmaking totaled $134 million, a record high. we generally exclude these dollars from our analysis to avoid double-counting. However, dollars awarded through intermediaries are not necessarily re-granted in the same calendar year. Given the high dollar amount awarded for re-granting in 2012, some of the modest decrease in total lGBTQ grants may be more due to the cyclical nature of re-granting initiatives than to any substantive decline. 

In addition, the Arcus Foundation, one of the top lGBTQ funders, conducted a strategic review in 2012 that led to the launch of a new lGBTQ strategy in early 2013. Although Arcus’s lGBTQ grantmaking has since returned to its previous run rate, transition to the new strategy resulted in an $8-million decrease in that foundation’s lGBT grantmaking in 2012, significantly reducing the overall total in comparison to 2011. Arcus’s 2013 lGBTQ grantmaking is currently on track to achieve its previous level of about $16 million. This further indicates that this year’s slight decrease in total dollars is an aberration. However, it also demonstrates the vulnerable position of lGBTQ funding, which remains highly sensitive to any fluctuations in the handful of top funders that provide the lion’s share of foundation support for LGBTQ communities. 

Generally, the level of lGBTQ funding was stable in 2012, a likely temporary pause in its broader trajectory of growth.

The report goes on to note that just 0.24% of all philanthropic dollars, i.e. twenty-four cents out of 100 dollars, goes to support LGBT issues nationwide.

The top ten private funders for LGBT advocacy are:

Read the entire report, there is very interesting information there.

Coalition Launched To Fight Indiana Marriage Equality Ban

A bipartisan coalition of individuals and organizations called Freedom Indiana was launched this week to defeat a proposed state constitutional amendment (or min-DOMA) to prohibit marriage equality in the Hoosier state. The Republican-controlled legislature has passed the measure once and needs to do so again in order to get the discriminatory amendment on the November 2014 statewide ballot.

From the press release:

Freedom Indiana campaign to oppose marriage amendment

Bipartisan statewide organization to support the integrity of the Indiana Constitution, promote liberty and fairness for all Hoosiers 

INDIANAPOLIS -- A coalition of Indiana businesses and groups today announced the formation of Freedom Indiana, a bipartisan statewide organization that opposes the amendment that would permanently alter the Indiana Constitution to define marriage and could potentially affect hundreds of rights under current Indiana law. 

Marriage already is strictly defined as between a man and woman under Indiana law.

Freedom Indiana will immediately undertake a grassroots campaign focused on the 2014 legislative session, where Indiana lawmakers can choose either to table or vote down the amendment or send it to voters for a statewide referendum next November. Freedom Indiana is committed to protecting the Indiana Constitution by defeating the amendment should it appear on the ballot.

Coalition partners include Eli Lilly and Company, Cummins, Indiana Equality Action, Freedom to Marry, Gill Action, American Unity Fund, American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana and Human Rights Campaign.

“The goals of Freedom Indiana are aligned with Lilly’s long-held position that HJR6 is bad for business and bad for our state,” said Robert Smith, director of corporate responsibility for Eli Lilly and Company. “As a global biopharmaceutical company that must retain and attract the very best talent in the world, embedding this proposed amendment into Indiana’s constitution will produce difficult and unnecessary challenges. We’re happy to partner with Cummins and several other important organizations to address our common goal of keeping Indiana a welcoming state for everyone.”

"Cummins has a long history of commitment to diversity and treating all people with dignity and respect," stated Marya Rose, Chief Administrative Officer for Cummins.  "We feel strongly that this amendment, which is unnecessary given Indiana law today, will enshrine inequality into the Indiana Constitution and negatively impact the thousands of Cummins employees who live and work in Indiana as well as harm our efforts to retain and attract the best talent here. Diversity is a core company value at Cummins and we are pleased to join the other partners of Freedom Indiana to ensure that we treat all people in Indiana with dignity and respect."

A study earlier this year by students at the IU Maurer School of Law found a significant number of rights and obligations related to marriage that could be permanently denied under the proposed amendment.

"We will make sure lawmakers and voters know that we shouldn't be tinkering with the Indiana Constitution to deny freedoms to certain individuals," said Indiana Equality Action president Chris Paulsen. "We're Hoosiers, and our core values include liberty and fairness. This amendment runs counter to both and may also create a litany of unintended legal consequences."

Freedom Indiana is run by an independent board of directors headed by Indiana Equality Action executive director Rick Sutton. The coalition includes Indiana businesses, community, civil rights and faith leaders, advocates for fairness, former and current lawmakers and Hoosiers who believe we must take a strong stand for freedom if we want our state and its residents to prosper.

The Indiana Freedom campaign is managed by veteran political operative Megan Robertson, who has worked for the Indiana Republican Party, Marion County Republican Party and on two GOP presidential campaigns. She managed Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard's successful 2011 campaign.

“Indiana has always been a welcoming community known for our ‘Hoosier Hospitality’,” Robertson said.  “This amendment directly contradicts the reputation that has helped us recruit jobs and economic investment for our state.  The Freedom Indiana campaign brings together those who have an interest in preserving our freedoms and moving our state forward regardless of political affiliation.”

The campaign currently is headquartered in Indianapolis with plans to establish regional headquarters in the coming months. 

Freedom Indiana is a bipartisan statewide organization that champions liberty for all Hoosiers. The organization is opposed to an amendment that would permanently alter the Indiana Constitution to define marriage and could potentially affect hundreds of rights related to marriage under current Indiana law. Freedom Indiana launched in August 2013.

If the good guys can stop an anti-gay marriage amendment in Indiana that would probably mean the demise of the anti-gay marriage movement and would signal that all future action in this area would most likely be positive, which would be somewhat of a surprise and perhaps increase momentum towards the day when marriage equality is a nationwide reality.

New Jersey United For Marriage Launches

A group of organizations in New Jersey have joined together to form a coalition called New Jersey United for Marriage which is dedicated to winning the freedom to marry in New Jersey by January 2014. They are reading from a playbook that has been run in many states, like Hawaii, New York, Washington, Maine, Rhode Island and Minnesota.

“Today’s announcement is a game-changer.  Over the past decade, Garden State Equality has moved public opinion from minority to majority support for marriage,” said Troy Stevenson, Executive Director of Garden State Equality.  “With over 60 percent of New Jerseyans supporting marriage equality, we are in the last leg of a marathon race and are inviting everyone to run the last mile with us.” 

[...] 

Speaking at the rally will be leaders of New Jersey United, several families who are directly impacted by the state’s  civil union law, clergy members and local small business owners.  Modeled after successful efforts in New York, Rhode Island, Maryland, and Maine, the campaign will broaden the existing coalition of supporters to engage new groups, including Main Street businesses, large corporate employers, industry organizations and Republicans. 

[...] 

The Marriage Equality and Religious Exemptions Act passed in the State Senate and Assembly in February 2012, but was vetoed shortly thereafter. NJ United for Marriage seeks an override of the veto by early January 2014.

The coalition launched on July 24 with partners Garden State Equality, American Civil Liberties Union of NJ, American Unity Fund, Freedom to Marry, Gill Action Fund, Human Rights Campaign, and Lambda Legal.

New Jersey goes to the polls in November 2013 to decide the fate of Governor Chris Christie and elect state legislators. Following that election