HARTFORD, CT — The Greater Hartford Gives Foundation has awarded $230,000 in grants to organizations serving the region's LGBTQIA+ community, including funding for youth programs, health services, advocacy, arts initiatives, and community spaces.
Six organizations (five in Hartford, one in West Hartford) received a combined $200,000 through the foundation's Equality Fund, while an additional $30,000 Open Door grant will support the 2027 SOGIEcon LGBTQIA+ youth conference.
They are:
- Q Plus received $50,000 to expand services for Hartford-area youth groups, create support groups and educational workshops, and help pay the salary of a new support services director. The organization began as a grassroots, youth-led effort in 2019 and became a nonprofit in 2022.
"We at Q Plus are incredibly honored and grateful to be chosen for this grant," Executive Director and founder Mel Cordner said. "We're so excited to begin applying these funds to our work in the Hartford area right away!"
Cordner said the grant will support social events, support groups and advocacy workshops, as well as the new support services director position, which was created in response to requests from young people.
- Equality Connecticut received $50,000 to help hire a deputy director and expand its policy and organizing work.
- The Health Collective received $50,000 to continue health services, outreach and prevention education, particularly for people who are uninsured, underinsured, living with HIV or facing barriers to culturally responsive care.
- The Hartford Gay Men's Chorus received $15,000 for a social outreach initiative.
— The People's Saturday School received $25,000 for its Just Kin queer cultural organizing project and organizational support.
- West Hartford Pride received $10,000 for its Pride Hub, which will expand programming involving advocacy, resources and partnerships aimed at developing community spaces for LGBTQ+ residents.
Separately, The Health Collective, serving as fiscal sponsor for SOGIEcon, received a $30,000 Open Door grant for the 2027 conference.
Formerly Hartford-based True Colors, SOGIEcon — Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression — brings together LGBTQIA+ youth, families, educators, social workers, clinicians, clergy, allies and other community members.
The conference is expected to offer nearly 200 workshops, performances and activities.
The foundation said its grantmaking was informed in part by an LGBTQIA+ Resident Wellbeing study commissioned in partnership with DataHaven.
The study identified Connecticut as a national leader in LGBTQIA+ protections and resources while also pointing to needs including additional support for queer youth, greater access to affirming health care and continued advocacy addressing disparities in health and wellbeing.
"The Foundation is pleased to provide support for nonprofit organizations that are committed to addressing the needs of Greater Hartford's LGBTQIA+ community," Senior Community Impact Officer Kate Piotrowski said.
The foundation expects to award additional Open Door grants supporting programs for LGBTQIA+ residents in the coming weeks.
The grants come as Greater Hartford Gives expands another LGBTQIA+-focused initiative.
In June, the foundation launched its PRIDE Giving Circle, a philanthropic group intended to support LGBTQIA+ organizations and community-driven grantmaking.
Greater Hartford Gives committed $250,000 to seed the fund.
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