Funding Group Awards $120,000 to LGBTQ Texas Nonprofits

An LGBTQ Texas funding group has awarded $120,000 to 17 nonprofits from across the Lone Star State. 

Texas Pride Impact Funds (TPIF), a Houston-based organization that seeks to expand opportunities for queer folks through financial support, announced in a November 12 press release that it again gave grants ranging from $3,500 to $10,000 to LGBTQ-affirming groups with community projects aligned with TPIF’s funding priorities: education, healthcare, social support, seniors, and youth.

“We are proud to be able to again support a great slate of organizations meeting today’s needs for LGBTQ Texans young and old,” said TPIF President Ron Guillard. “We continue to strive to meet today’s needs as we become lasting stewards to address the needs of tomorrow.” 

Although Texas is one of the top five most populous states in the nation and is home to 10 percent of the U.S. LGBTQ population, funding for queer services and support ranks last among those states, according to a report by Funders for LGBTQ Issues.  

“Findings show Texas funding significantly lags behind New York, California, Illinois, and Florida by up to 440 percent,” Guillard said. “It is TPIF’s earnest mission to help local organizations because we see them doing critical work—serving the needs of the large LGBTQ communities in Texas in a scare environment.”  

This year’s grants support a variety of groups from Texas cities both small and large. Intersectional projects and programs that address rural communities, communities of color, and transgender persons were given additional consideration, as these LGBTQ communities are known to have the greatest gaps in services and support, Guillard notes. 

A list of the 2019 TPIF grant recipients is available below: 

AIDS Services of Austin  (Austin) $8,000 for Short-term/crisis intervention counseling services for LGBTQ Persons of Color who are HIV-positive or high-risk HIV-negative individuals in the 10-county region surrounding Austin. 

ASHWell Medical Clinic (Austin) $5,000 capacity building for gender care in a safe, caring, and judgement-free space at low and no cost, depending on income. Gender-affirming care for disadvantaged LBGTQIA persons is both life-changing and self-empowering in the absence of care or culturally non-sensitive care.

Coalition For The Aging LGBT (Dallas) $10,000 Providing the opportunity and building capacity to improve and protect the quality of life of older LGBT adults in North Texas in the areas of health, housing, advocacy, financial security and social services. CFA LGBT works alongside community partners, providing resources and refuge for vulnerable seniors who may have limited options or knowledge of quality care, and a need for social engagement opportunities.

Coastal Bend Wellness Foundation (Corpus Christi) $10,000 operational funding for the first LGBTQ community center in the 12-county Coastal Bend Region. The CB Pride Center will house LGBTQ youth, CB Trans Alliance & LGBTQ adults 55+ support groups; services including computer access, job search assistance and LGBTQ family programming and workshops on financial health and health/wellness.

Eagle Pass SAFE (Eagle Pass)     $3,500 towards a targeted media campaign “(PrEP)aradas” aimed at Latina matriarchs in the Southwest Texas Border Region to address the interrelated issues of homophobia and lack of sexual health knowledge. 

Fiesta Youth (San Antonio) $8,000 for a pilot, five-day summer camp designed to foster the resilience of LGBTQ youth in San Antonio. Anticipated outcomes for attendees include increased resilience, self-compassion and social connectedness and decreased depression and anxiety.

Lesbian Health Initiative (Houston) $5,000 for general operating expenses toward programming that connects LGBTQ+ women, predominately communities of color and transgender populations, to routine healthcare through education, access, and advocacy/barrier reduction. 

The Montrose Center/Hatch Homeless Youth (Houston)     $5,000 for Rapid rehousing and wraparound services with the goal of self-sufficiency defined as the ability to pay rent, utilities and cover most expenses such as food and clothes. The program is supplemented with case management teaching life skills, job training, career counseling, and financial planning education.

Out Youth (Austin) $10,000 for the expansion of School-based Clinical Services (SBS) for the more vulnerable, isolated communities in and outside the Austin area. The evidence-based curriculum provides weekly support group therapy in the school setting for LGBTQ+ youth and allies with various intersectional aspects of identity. 

Promise House (Dallas) $5,000 for the LGBTQ Transitional Living program designed to change the lives of homeless youth by empowering them to become independent adults and to gain resilience and self-acceptance in the nurturing environment they need to move toward a better future.

RAICES (San Antonio) $5,000 for an LGBTQ Immigrant Initiative providing legal representation to LGBTQ+ immigrants. The project will ensure they know their rights, have assistance navigating the asylum process and help address other gaps in representation and advocacy for LGBTQ+ immigrants. 

Resource Center/Youth First (Dallas) $5,000 for programming and activities four days a week to decrease high-risk behaviors, improve self-esteem, and reduce social isolation among North Texas middle and high school LGBTQ youth.

Texas Legal Services Center (Austin) $10,000  Through KIND Medical-Legal Partnership (KIND MLP), Texas Legal Services Center (TLSC) collaborates with health care organizations to address the health-harming legal needs of LGBTQ+ patients and community through direct legal services, training and education, and policy advocacy. TLSC operates statewide and an average of 30% of clients served through KIND MLP come from non-urban areas.

Texas Tech LGBTQIA (Lubbock) $3,500 general operating support for the University’s Office of LGBTQIA Education & Engagement which functions to lead social progress in the region. The office has numerous on and off-campus LGBTQIA initiatives including employment, social support and Youth. 

Thrive Youth Center (San Antonio)     $10,000 for general operational expenses for safe, secure housing for homeless LGBTQ young adults ages 18 to 24 in Bexar County with clients at or below the county’s poverty level. Thrive provides counseling, life skills classes, case management, and other resources to help develop self-sufficiency, secure and maintain employment, and pursue educational goals.

TXRX Labs (Houston)  $7,000 project support targeting members of the LGBTQI community of Houston, specifically trans people in finding employment.  This grant will provide technical skills training in welding for 15 people, job preparation for at least 20 people, and culminate in a job fair held to bring trans friendly employers together with job seekers.

UT Health San Antonio (San Antonio) $10,000 for general operations at The Pride Community Clinic, which serves LGBTQ patients. Housed at the Alamo Area Resource Center, the clinic’s environment eliminates barriers to gender and sexual minority health care, provides free care to those who lack access due to stigma and/or being uninsured and educates future health professionals about the unique needs of these populations.

TPIF launched in 2015 as a community foundation for LGBTQ Texans to connect organizations and community leaders with philanthropic donors across the state. Now in its fourth year of operations, the group continues to build a statewide network for local queer leaders and organizers to share practices, methodologies, and contacts for collaboration.

For more information about TPIF, visit txpif.org.