In This Issue Current Issue Archives

July, 2005

From the Editor
Fund-raising may not seem very exciting to GLBT student advocates, who passionately push to overcome discriminatory campus policies and homophobic attitudes. Compared with the ideals of human rights, asking for money may seem mundane at best, mercenary at worst. Cash, though, is a strong ally for GLBT resource centers and programs, one that can determine whether goals are met or tripped up on a shoestring.

GLBT directors as fundraisers: Creativity, diligence and lots of handshakes
Funding opportunities are gradually opening up for GLBT campus programs as more private foundations emerge to offer support. Major donors, particularly gay and lesbian alumni, also are helping to fund initiatives. But GLBT resources still get just a sliver of total donor dollars, which means GLBT center directors must increasingly become both creative and diligent to attract funds.

GLBT Campus Matters - July,2005 - Full Issue
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The Point Foundation: Rapid growth can’t keep up with demand
Rapid growth at the Point Foundation (forty-seven scholarships heading into fall classes from the first eight just four years ago)would seem to be enough to quench some demand from GLBT scholars. But the foundation’s twenty new scholarships this year resulted from more than 2,200 applications, leaving a daunting percentage of qualified and at-risk students without financial aid.

Resources from Funders for Lesbian and Gay Issues
The following is a list of funding resources for gay and lesian issues.

Gay-Straight Alliances: Student clubs provide support, create awareness
Although many gay–straight student clubs are operating at high schools and middle schools, they can provide effective support and resources for college and university students—particularly on those campuses that offer few if any resources for their GLBT students. A prime location may be at a community college, where students can team with local organizations to create awareness or become politically active. And even at larger, more supportive institutions, GLBT and straight students can team up to work with other campus and off-campus organizations for social change.

The Gill Foundation: Tapping into the top funder focused on GLBT rights
The Gill Foundation, the largest U.S. funder focused primarily on GLBT rights, has as its mission securing equal opportunity for all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression. Although universities and colleges can tap into the foundation for support, GLBT programs on campus are not a big part of Gill’s funding efforts.

The David Bohnett Foundation: Funding CyberCenters
With its fourth CyberCenter at a university campus set for launch this fall, the David Bohnett Foundation is providing the latest computer technology to GLBT resource centers for educational, research and training opportunities that otherwise would not be available.

GLBT Funding at Eastern Michigan University: Stone Soup Philosophy in Action
By Kathleen Russell
There are a variety of possibilities to provide funding for GLBT resources in a university setting. The goal is to be as creative and inclusive as possible in order to take advantage of nontraditional methods of attaining treasure as well as talent and time. To combat homophobia and heterosexism at Eastern Michigan University—and attract significant funding from various foundations and other donors—we used the moral of the stone soup legend: by working together, a greater good can be achieved.