What We’ll Fund
To advance its mission, Contigo Fund will fund organizations to build on and advance several types of movements that are Black & LGBTQ-led. Organizations may apply for support for one or more of the following:
Healing and empowerment: Projects that provide opportunities for healing from the escalating and often invisibilized cases of murder and violence against our Black Transgender family at the hands of police brutality, white supremacy, and transphobia and builds up the leadership and advances the movement catalyzed by the historic racial justice uprisings. Including peer-led support groups, community organizing, and other programs that focus not only on providing culturally and linguistically competent services but on empowering community members to advocate for long-term systemic and transformative change.
Advancing Racial Equity and Justice: Projects that address societal, structural and systemic racism and other inequities in health outcomes. Strategies that address systemic barriers for the Black LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities. Alternatively, efforts that address root causes focus on a particular intervention, such as training for policy change within a specific issue area. Examples include addressing online disinformation and hate; white supremacist violence and rhetoric; and voter subversion and suppression that undermine democracy and entrench systemic inequities.
Leadership development: Projects that promote leadership development, including popular and political education and grassroots training and skills building, among Black LGBTQ+ communities historically marginalized by society from equal opportunity and power.
Work led by Black trans/gender-expansive/intersex individuals and women, undocumented leaders, sex workers, and youth: Projects that center and are led by transgender, queer, gender expansive, intersex individuals and women, undocumented leaders, sex workers, and youth from the Black community.
Bridge-building: Projects that create opportunities for meaningful connection, mutual learning, and coalition among Central Florida’s diverse communities, especially between LGBTQ+ Black and Latinx, Muslim, Immigrant, and other communities of color.
Racial, economic, and gender justice-focused: Projects that raise an intersectional awareness to address homophobia, transphobia, patriarchy, gender inequity or inequality, gender-based violence, Islamophobia, xenophobia, racism, economic inequity, and/or other forms of bigotry and disparities.
Grants will not be awarded to:
- Efforts outside of Central Florida
- For charity, direct cash assistance, or individual scholarships
- 501(c)4 direct lobbying activities
- Efforts led by other philanthropic grantmaking institutions or for the purpose of re-granting
- Proposed projects / programs NOT directed/led by Black LGBTQ+ leader(s).
- Health service organizations (including those that operate pharmacies) with revenue generated from the 340B drug program that do not reinvest 100% of that revenue into community programs for and led by impacted communities.
- Sponsorships for conferences, fundraisers, or other annual or one-time events
…exceptions may be made for service / educational events, such as strategic conferences and convenings however must demonstrate how it would advance a strong long-term systemic impact on target communities in a way that lives beyond that event
Who May Apply
The Contigo Fund seeks proposals for LGBTQ and Latinx-focused efforts in Central Florida directly or deeply impacted by the Pulse tragedy. The following guidelines will apply:
Who Is Eligible to Apply
Contigo Fund seeks proposals for efforts based in Central Florida supporting POC and LGBTQ+ communities historically marginalized by society from equal opportunity & power:
- Organization must be based in Central Florida and proposed efforts must uniquely serve Central Florida’s LGBTQ+ communities.
- Groups or proposed projects / programs must be directed/led by Black LGBTQ+ leader(s).
- Should help sustain and grow capacity and forward movement to empower LGBTQ+ people living at the intersection of marginalized identities, particularly Black and Latinx individuals, immigrants, and other communities of color.
- Must be a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization or fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Groups do not need 501(c)(3) tax exempt status to apply. Those lacking 501(c)(3) status can apply as being fiscally sponsored under the auspices of an established 501(c)(3). Fiscally sponsored groups are required to submit a fiscal sponsorship agreement outlining the roles of both the fiscal sponsor and the fiscally sponsored group and signed by representatives of both parties. If your group does not yet have a fiscal sponsor, contact the Foundation Manager for assistance connecting with potential sponsors.
- Fiscally sponsored groups need to have an oversight and accountability structure in place or develop a plan for such a structure before receiving a grant. The oversight and accountability structure for the group can be a Community Steering or Advisory Committee of local community members that reflects the community the group seeks to support, setting the vision of the project and guiding its work similar to a board of directors. Please note the oversight and accountability structure is separate from the fiscal sponsor’s governance structure. The community steering / advisory committee informs the group’s work in alignment with the group’s mission and oversight of the group’s financial health and executive leadership. The oversight and accountability structure in place – or plan to develop one – must include an outline of the roles and responsibilities of both the committee and any staff, including how the committee will provide oversight of staff.
- Very strong preference will be given to organizations with expenses of less than $1 million.
- Regardless of their structure or age, the applicant’s proposal should be able to demonstrate their alignment with the values of Contigo and potential for advancing its vision and theory of change.
- Preference is given to projects and programs that respond to a distinct unmet need in the target communities and employ medium-term to long-term solutions.
Applicants are required to be a part of a learning community and will be asked to participate with other community leaders, including convenings, leadership and organizational development training, and peer learning opportunities. Costs of training will be covered by Contigo and the applicant core staff and board or community steering committee or community advisory board members should be prepared to devote appropriate time and thought to participating actively in these opportunities.
