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The Community Foundation Ranked Among Top 10 Funders For LGBT Causes


The Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan was recently recognized as a leader in LGBT funding, according to an article by LGBTfunders.org.
Only $5 million of the $4 billion annually awarded by community foundations goes to LGBT issues. And community foundations play a vital role in supporting LGBT organizations by increasing local investment in and awareness of LGBT issues.
Between 2011 and 2013, community foundations awarded more than $15 million to support LGBT issues. Of that $15 million, the Community Foundation of Southeastern Michigan was awarded $1,062,446. The Community Foundation was listed third out of 10, after New York Community Trust and the San Francisco Foundation.
The HOPE Fund was created as a grant making and technical assistance program within the Community Foundation of Southeastern Michigan to focus on strengthening organizations and projects that serve the LGBT community of Southeastern Michigan. In 1994, the Fund was given a $43,000 grant from Funders for LGBTQ Issues to help launch the initiative. Since then, generous contributors have invested more than $3 million to support The HOPE Fund endowment, its grant making program and related efforts.
The HOPE Fund is the first partnership in the state between the LGBT community and a mainstream philanthropic foundation. The Fund has a unique structure in the Community Foundation that supports capacity-building for LGBT agencies and collaboration between two or more LGBT organizations and helps to support efforts that increase the effectiveness, voice and visibility of the LGBT community in Michigan.
According to Funders for LGBTQ Issues, funding for LGBT issues by community foundations is expected to reach $200 million in the year 2017.

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