The Queer Mobilization Fund steadily grew our program in 2022! We were able to increase our grantmaking by over $30k for a total of $125,470 in small grants to 23 QTBIPOC grantees across 9 states. That makes our total granting to date over $348,000 to nearly 70 organizations!
Please check out our 2022 Annual Report.
QMF has grown considerably since its relaunch in Spring 2020. In response to this growth, we have increased our capacity for requests and deepened exisiting relationships through the introduction of a new $10,000 grant. We now have the Biscuits (up to $5,000) and Gravy (up to $10,000) grants available.
QMF grants come with organizational healing justice stipends and technical assistance for organizational development and capacity building. QMF grantees join a cohort that emphasizes peer networking, collaboration and skill-sharing.
As word spread across the region, our grantee cohort also spread. Our cohort now represents work in 9 Southeastern states, as compared to 5 in our spring 2020 cycle. In 2022 we processed 42 applications with our community grant-making panel and continued to prioritize funding to the most highly-impacted communities; of our 23 grantee groups in 2022, 20 of those groups were BIPOC-led, and 18 were trans-led.
At its core, QMF is designed to be much more than a funder – we are a capacity building program — providing coaching, networking, and collaborative growth opportunities to our grantees. In 2022, 18 of our 23 grantees participated in tailored technical assistance. As we continue to focus more on our technical assistance and cohort-based offerings, we hope to see even more groups taking advantage of these offerings in future cycles.
While 2022 was our strongest year to date, QMF recently received a record-breaking 165 applications! While our budget has increased, we are now seeking $100,000 in additional resources to expand the number of grants we can give. We are thrilled by the growth of our program, but are deeply aware of the political moment that is leading to this increased need. Queer and trans people across the country are being criminalized for their identities, and our communities are fighting back.
If you are able to contribute in the moment of crisis to support frontline organizations and grassroots communities working for queer and trans liberation, please donate here or reach out to the QMF team for more information about how you can help.
We look forward to announcing our 2023 grantees soon!