Call for Applicants: Funding for LGBTQIA+ Projects and Programs

By Bill Gonda, Chair, LGBT Fund

Every year, the LGBT Fund of the Erie Community Foundation awards grants to organizations for projects, programs and initiatives that support LGBTQIA+ individuals in the Erie region.

If you're part of an organization that has an idea for a project or program, you are encouraged to visit the LGBT Fund Grants page of the Erie Community Foundation website at https://eriecommunityfoundation.org/community-impact/lgbt-fund/lgbt-fund-grants/ for more information and details on how to apply.

Eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, or organizations partnering with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, may request up to $10,000 in funding. Projects may address a wide range of community needs, including family support, health and wellness, housing and workplace equality, mental health and substance use, safe schools, youth homelessness, and other needs affecting the LGBTQIA+ community.

The Fund is open to any proposal that is intended to strengthen, support, and uplift the LGBTQIA+ community in our region. It should be noted that, in order to apply, an organization does not have to be exclusively LGBTQIA+ in terms of those it serves. The project to be funded simply needs to directly serve and support the LGBTQIA+ community.

Applications will be reviewed and considered based on community need, project model, timeline, organizational capacity to execute on the proposed effort, and the potential to create meaningful, positive impact on the LGBTQIA+ community in the Erie region.

The deadline to submit applications for consideration for a 2026 grant is Friday, October 30.

About the Author

Bill Gonda Bill Gonda is a retired communications professional who currently serves as the Chair of the LGBT Fund of The Erie Community Foundation. He lives with his husband and their dachshund, Frankie, in Erie.