Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado
Encyclopedia
The Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado, a program of the Gill Foundation
, provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Colorado
through four program areas: Healthy Families, Public Broadcasting, Arts & Culture, and Civic Participation. Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado
, the fund has awarded more than $24.8 million in grants since its inception.
Contrary to what might be inferred from its name, the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado does not provide financial support to organizations that exclusively serve the state’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT
) population. Rather, the fund provides support for organizations that serve primarily non-LGBT populations in Colorado to demonstrate that LGBT people share the same values and are committed to working together with all Coloradans to build a better Colorado.
Grant applications for general-operating or project-specific funding from the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado are accepted January through May each year. Specific deadlines vary by program area. Applications for event sponsorships are accepted year round. (see Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado's Grants Calendar).
Day-to-day operations of the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado are overseen by Mary Lou Makepeace
, the Gill Foundation Vice President for the Gay & Lesbian Fund.
History
The Gill Foundation
launched the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado program in 1996. In 2009, the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado won the Outstanding Foundation Award from the Colorado Nonprofit Association.
The Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado Today
The Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado provides financial and programmatic support to more than 190 Colorado nonprofits each year, based in 20 of Colorado's counties (see Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado's Community Impact Report).
The fund sponsors more than 170 Colorado nonprofit events annually and hosts more than 670 nonprofit meetings at the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado's free meeting spaces in Colorado Springs (at the Gay & Lesbian Fund building) and in Denver (at the Gill Foundation building).
Leadership
• Tim Sweeney, President & CEO, Gill Foundation
• Mary Lou Makepeace, Vice President, Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado
• Amber Ptak, Director, Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado
Gill Foundation
The Gill Foundation is one of the largest private funders of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equal rights work in the United States...
, provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
through four program areas: Healthy Families, Public Broadcasting, Arts & Culture, and Civic Participation. Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
, the fund has awarded more than $24.8 million in grants since its inception.
Contrary to what might be inferred from its name, the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado does not provide financial support to organizations that exclusively serve the state’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
) population. Rather, the fund provides support for organizations that serve primarily non-LGBT populations in Colorado to demonstrate that LGBT people share the same values and are committed to working together with all Coloradans to build a better Colorado.
Grant applications for general-operating or project-specific funding from the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado are accepted January through May each year. Specific deadlines vary by program area. Applications for event sponsorships are accepted year round. (see Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado's Grants Calendar).
Day-to-day operations of the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado are overseen by Mary Lou Makepeace
Mary Lou Makepeace
Mary Lou Makepeace has led the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado as executive director since 2003. She also serves as vice president for Colorado programs of the Gill Foundation...
, the Gill Foundation Vice President for the Gay & Lesbian Fund.
History
The Gill Foundation
Gill Foundation
The Gill Foundation is one of the largest private funders of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equal rights work in the United States...
launched the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado program in 1996. In 2009, the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado won the Outstanding Foundation Award from the Colorado Nonprofit Association.
The Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado Today
The Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado provides financial and programmatic support to more than 190 Colorado nonprofits each year, based in 20 of Colorado's counties (see Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado's Community Impact Report).
The fund sponsors more than 170 Colorado nonprofit events annually and hosts more than 670 nonprofit meetings at the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado's free meeting spaces in Colorado Springs (at the Gay & Lesbian Fund building) and in Denver (at the Gill Foundation building).
Leadership
• Tim Sweeney, President & CEO, Gill Foundation
• Mary Lou Makepeace, Vice President, Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado
• Amber Ptak, Director, Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado
Awards
- 2009: National Philanthropy Day in Colorado, Outstanding Foundation
- 2009: Colorado College, Community Diversity Award (Mary Lou Makepeace)
- 2008: Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame Inductee (Mary Lou Makepeace)
- 2007: Latin American Research and Service Agency: Bernie Valdez Corporate Award
- 2007: NEWSED Community Development Corporation and Santa Fe Drive Redevelopment Corporation: Celebrate Culture Civil Rights Award
- 2007: Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce: ATHENA Award (Mary Lou Makepeace)
- 2006: Denver Business Journal: Outstanding Woman in Business, “Nonprofits and Public Entities” sector (Mary Lou Makepeace)
- 2006: Colorado Springs Hispanic Chamber of Commerce: Non-Profit Organization of the Year
LGBT portal
- LGBT rights in the United States
- List of LGBT rights organizations