Despite recent progress, everyone must do their share to ensure that the LGBTQ community feels as fully integrated into society as it should. Allies can accomplish a lot by donating to large charities that work hard to make a difference in the lives of underprivileged people on a regular basis.
In this article, we delve deep into why we celebrate Pride Month and why it’s so essential to support LGBT charities in any way we can.
What is Pride Month?
The annual June celebration of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month (LGBT Pride Month) commemorates the 1969 Stonewall riots and promotes equal rights and opportunities for all lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and those who are questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity.
The Stonewall Uprising in New York City marked a turning point in the United States’ gay rights movement. The final Sunday in June was first designated as “Gay Pride Day” in the United States, but the exact date was left up to the individual states. The “day” soon became a month-long series of events in major cities around the country.
Thousands of people from all around the world participate in LGBTQ Pride Month celebrations, which include everything from parades to picnics to parties to workshops to symposia to performances. Memorial services are performed in honor of people who have died as a result of hate crimes or the spread of HIV/AIDS during this time of year.
Celebrating the progress that has been made, as well as the challenges that remain, is at the heart of Pride.
Why it's important to support LGBTQ charities
Here are some sobering statistics that show why LGBTQ populations require our help:
LGBT persons are still four times as likely to encounter violence than their straight counterparts, according to recent statistics. Anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crimes, including police brutality, are on the rise in 2019, according to FBI data.
In 2020, there were a record-breaking number of murders committed against transgender people, the majority of whom were black women. Transgender persons face an elevated risk of sexual violence, and 50% of transgender people report having been sexually assaulted at some point in their lives.
In the workplace, trans persons are frequently subjected to discrimination and harassment: At their places of employment, 90% of transgender people have faced harassment, abuse, or discrimination; in addition, 53% of transgender people have experienced harassment in a public area, such as a bathroom.
LGBTQIA+ people are more likely than heterosexual people to live in poverty. This is associated with greater rates of employment discrimination, housing discrimination, and denial of sufficient health services – all of which are exacerbated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+ are more likely than their heteronormative peers to experience trauma. LGBTQIA+ kids who were disowned by their families because of their sexual orientation or gender identity make up 46% of the homeless LGBTQIA+ population; 43% of them were banished from their homes by their parents, while 32% experienced physical, emotional, or sexual abuse at home.
LGBTQIA+ persons attempt suicide at a disproportionately high rate throughout their lives, making it a leading cause of death for those aged 10 to 24. LGBTQIA+ youth are more than five times as likely as their heterosexual counterparts to commit suicide.
What LGBTQ charities do to help people
Charities work to solve the problems that LGBT+ individuals in the United States and around the world continue to experience, as well as the need to campaign for their safety, inclusion, and societal advancement. From choirs to youth camps, from arts organizations presenting LGBT performers to community centers, many charities are establishing spaces where people can find joy, belonging, and pride.
- LGBT charities throughout the world are working tirelessly to save the lives of LGBT+ individuals around the world by helping people flee oppressive governments and relocate to new nations.
- There are summer camps for LGBT+ kids or kids from LGBT+ families where they can feel accepted and celebrated, and these camps are organized by charitable organizations.
- Charities provide food, activities, support groups, counseling, referral services, and community to prevent loneliness and improve the mental health of LGBT+ persons.
- Legal clinics dedicated to the LGTBQ+ community battle for the fundamental rights that many of us take for granted, such as housing, employment, medical treatment, and other services.
- Organizing queer arts events allows us to connect with and celebrate our LGBTQ friends, neighbors, family, and allies.
- Many additional non-profits focus on eradicating prejudice and discrimination against the LGBTQ community through educating the public and engaging in activism.
How to donate to LGBTQ charities
More than 70% of millennials say they will spend more money on businesses that support social concerns, according to recent studies. Giving back to your community can be a great marketing strategy for your organization, given that millennials have a purchasing power of $2.45 trillion.
Charitable giving can be motivated by a desire to make a difference to a cause dear to the heart of the business owner (s). Giving to charity is an excellent method to motivate employees and foster a healthy work environment, both of which are essential in today’s market.
For businesses
You can donate to charity through your business in a variety of ways. The most direct, uncomplicated, and personal approach to give is to use your own income to make a contribution.
A limited company, on the other hand, can maximize the impact of your donation and make every dollar go further. Additionally, if the cause is something that your company is passionate about and your audience has an affinity for, it’s an excellent PR and community-building opportunity.
Give back incentives
When an ecommerce store offers to donate to a charity in exchange for a customer’s purchase, this is known as a “give back campaign.” It’s a good idea to set a minimum purchase amount in order to activate the option of giving back.
Use social media and advertising emails to let people know about your give-back program in addition to the banner at the top of your website.
AOV can be increased by running a give back campaign without requiring a minimum order value, which is popular with Givz consumers. In order to gain new customers and strengthen your relationship with them, you don’t need to set a minimum.
In the case of your cause marketing efforts, you can give clients the option to donate to the charity of their choice by using Givz. Your Givz page can showcase a charity of your choice (which opens after a qualifying order is complete). In the end, it’s up to the client to decide which charity they want to donate to and how much they want to donate.
Donating equipment
Even if you donate equipment to a charity, you can still deduct the whole cost of the donation from your taxable income. All of these items, as long as they weren’t purchased specifically for the purpose of the donation, can be donated, including furniture, company vehicles, tools, machinery, and sports/gym equipment.
When donating equipment, any applicable VAT will still have to be accounted for, although VAT can be removed if the charity intends to sell, rent, or export the donated goods.
Donating land, stock or other assets
You should expect a lot of paperwork if you donate land, property, or stock (if the stock is not your own). In order to properly document your donation to a charity, you’ll need a letter from the charity confirming the donation date, the donation amount, and a written certification that the charity is now the legal owner.
Deducting the market value of your donation from your pre-tax profits is all you need to do to receive corporation tax relief on any land, property, or stock that you donate to a charitable organization.
Donating an employee’s time to a cause
In order to make a donation, you can temporarily transfer an employee (also known as secondment) to work or volunteer for a charitable organization. You can deduct the employee’s salary and business expenditures from your taxable profits in the same way you always have. It’s important to document and keep track of the time spent seconding or voluntarily working for a charity, as opposed to a client or a corporate activity.
Sponsorship
In most cases, this is the only sort of charitable giving for which you should expect a reward. If the charity performs any of the following, you may deduct sponsorship payments from your pre-tax profits by treating them as costs in order to reduce your company’s tax liability:
- Supports your company in public.
- Allows you to incorporate their branding into your marketing materials and website.
- Allows you to sell your goods or services at one of their events or on their property.
- Provides a visible link from their site to yours.
For Individuals
Any amount, in any form, can be donated, no matter what your financial situation or preferences may be. Even a tiny donation can make a big difference, so don’t be afraid to give.
Use your checkbook
The most prevalent form of giving is still writing a check to a charity. It’s easy and straightforward.
Give online
Crowdfunding is a term used to describe online charitable contributions. Donors of all income levels can have a significant impact when their contributions are pooled together. Although it is not the primary form of giving for most donors, online giving is on the rise.
Make a donor-advised fund donation
Donor-advised funds are becoming increasingly popular. DFAs, or donor-advised funds, are a sort of philanthropic giving that has risen rapidly in recent years, topping $1 billion in total assets.
An alternative to establishing a private foundation, donor-advised funds are charitable giving accounts offered by a sponsoring organization. Your money will be managed by the sponsoring institution, and you can then use it to support a charitable cause of your preference.
The Establishment of a Private or Family Foundation
Private family foundations are a popular choice for wealthy donors and their families to organize their philanthropic giving.
Despite the fact that certain private foundations (such as the Rockefeller Foundation) are well-known and have corresponding staff, most of the approximately eighty thousand private foundations are unstaffed and have assets of less than $1 million.
Make a Donation of Your Car, Food, or Clothes
Car donations are a great way to get rid of your old vehicle and do some good at the same time.
Furniture, appliances, food, and clothing are just some of the items that can be donated. Since the recession, food pantries and second-hand stores have been inundated with requests so don’t forget about them.
Volunteering
There is nothing to lose and everything to gain by volunteering. More and more people of all ages and backgrounds are dedicating their time and talents to issues that matter to them.
25 LGBTQ Charities
Raising awareness about any issue requires the help of charitable organizations. We wouldn’t be where we are now if it weren’t for LGBTQ charities.
There are far more LGBT-focused nonprofits now than there were just a few years ago. We now have specialized LGBT charities that help certain intersections within our community, which is a huge plus — from BIPOC LGBTQ organizations to organizations that help LGBTQ people with disabilities.
We’ve put together a list of 25 LGBTQ charities and organizations that you can donate to right now.
1. The Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is a nationwide organization dedicated to ensuring equal rights for LGBTQ people in the United States. The Human Rights Campaign Fund was founded by Steve Endean in 1980 with the goal of providing financial support for political candidates who support LGBTQ rights. Since then, the group has grown to become the largest LGBTQ civil rights organization in the United States, offering support and awareness for and on behalf of the LGBTQ community.
2. The Trevor Project
Depression and suicidal thoughts are far more common in LGBTQ youth than in their straight and cisgender counterparts, especially if they are bullied by their peers or rejected by their families because of their identities. The Trevor Project, which was established in 1998, aims to reduce this discrepancy in health by providing crisis intervention services and connecting people to local resources.
Professional suicide prevention and crisis intervention training are also offered by the Trevor Project to educators, school nurses, and counselors as well as anybody else who can make an impact in a young person’s life.
3. Point Foundation
The Point Foundation, one of the few LGBTQ groups that grant college scholarships to LGBTQ high school seniors, works to make campuses more open and accessible to everyone. Incoming LGBTQ students who can show financial need, academic achievement, and a history of community leadership and service can apply for a college scholarship from The Point Foundation.
4. GLSEN
A group of teachers in Massachusetts created GLSEN in 1990 in an effort to reduce bullying and prejudice against LGBTQ kids in schools from kindergarten through high school. Since then, GLSEN has worked on important pieces of legislation like the Safe Schools Improvement Act, which mandates that all K-12 grade schools implement anti-bullying policies with specific protection for those who are bullied because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This act was a major step forward for GLSEN.
5. Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice
A philanthropic organization that funds LGBTQ efforts around the world, the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, may be a good fit if you’re particularly interested in the arts or global concerns affecting LGBTQ people. The majority of Astraea’s grants are awarded to U.S.-based organizations, while the rest are awarded to overseas projects.
The Intersex Human Rights Fund of the organization supports projects that promote the health and inclusion of intersex people around the world, who are often disregarded even within LGBTQ organizations.
6. The America Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
It has been a century since the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was established as a non-profit organization dedicated to upholding and defending the civil liberties and rights of all citizens in the United States. The ACLU’s principal goal is to prevent and combat government abuse and overreach, from reproductive rights to free speech and marriage equality.
7. GLAAD
Since its founding in 1985 as a response to the aggressive media coverage of the AIDS pandemic, GLAAD has evolved into the foremost voice for accurate media portrayals of the LGBTQIA+ community. GLAAD is there to ensure awareness and accountability for everything from major events to proper portrayals of queer stories in cinema and television.
8. The Ali Forney Center
It is estimated that as many as 40 percent of New York City’s homeless adolescents belong to the LGBTQ community, and the Ali Forney Center seeks to address this issue specifically for them.
The majority of the Ali Forney Center’s teen and young adult clients were evicted from their homes because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Young people who identify as LGBTQ have access to a variety of programs at the center, including short-term shelter, long-term transitional housing, health care, and educational opportunities.
9. Trans Lifeline
Trans Lifeline is a non-profit organization that provides a hotline and microgrants for transgender people. In addition to offering financial assistance and a 24-hour crisis hotline for transgender persons in the United States and Canada, it is the only service of its kind in the country with an all-trans staff. There are paid employees on board in addition to the many volunteers who still contribute their time and expertise, despite the fact that it began as a volunteer-run business in 2014.
10. National Center for Transgender Equality
Founded in 2003, the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. that campaigns for transgender equality in the United States. As part of its mission to advance the civil rights of transgender individuals, the social justice group has launched media campaigns and drafted legislation to raise public awareness.
Other important issues are the freedom from hate crimes, workplace discrimination, and violence for transgender persons as well as their rights to equal education and employment.
11. SAGE
LGBT seniors encounter specific problems when it comes to assisted living facilities, senior care, and obtaining support. SAGE (Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Elders) is one of the few LGBTQ Non – governmental organizations that focuses on the elderly.
An affirming and inclusive environment can be fostered in senior care facilities through the organization’s cultural competency training programs for staff. LGBT elders can find inexpensive homes through the National LGBT Housing Initiative, which SAGE administers.
12. Sylvia Rivera Law Project
In honor of the late Sylvia Rivera, the Sylvia Rivera Law Project was established. SRLP helps low-income POC transgender, intersex, and gender-nonconforming people in New York City get legal help.
Dean Spade, an attorney, and trans rights activist, created the free law group after being detained by police and subjected to transphobic treatment and questioning in 2002. The Survival & Self Determination Project, which helps low-income TGNCI and TGNCI people of color gain access to services and benefits, has been one of his most important projects since then.
13. The Matthew Shepard Foundation
Founded in honor of Matthew Shepard, the young man who was brutally attacked and murdered in Laramie, Wyoming, by a group of homophobic bullies in 1998, the organization was started by Matthew’s parents, Dennis and Judy. Now, it’s focused on education and advocacy initiatives like the Erase Hate campaign, which enlists local theatres and police enforcement as well as embassies worldwide in its outreach efforts.
14. GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality
One of the largest organizations for healthcare providers who identify as LGBT is GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality (HPAE). Prior to this, it was known as the Gay & Lesbian Medical Association, and it has worked for 30 years to guarantee that both LGBTQ individuals and healthcare professionals receive equal access to healthcare.
15. Audre Lorde Project
Located in New York City, the Audre Lorde Project is a resource center for the city’s LGBTQ population. An essential aspect of the project is 3rd Space, which supports lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and two-spirit persons of color with education, employment as well as immigration assistance. The center is named after Audre Lorde, the legendary author, and activist.
16. It Gets Better Project
The It Gets Better Project is on a mission to empower LGBTQ youth from all parts of the world. It does this through a program of inspiring media content, educational resources, and access to community-based service providers who connect and bring together young people.
17. Los Angeles LGBT Center
The Los Angeles LGBT Center provides health and mental healthcare to LGBT people in LA. It boasts an impressive research team who are working hard to advance treatment and medical attention for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. Through a network of therapists, pharmacy staff, and medical providers, the center aims to help its clients live healthier and happier lives.
18. Outright Action International
For 30 years, Outright Action International has been working on LGBTIQ advocacy and research in various parts of the world. Through research, campaigning, and fundraising, the charity offers in-depth documentation to activists.
19. Transgender Law Center
The Transgender Law Center is the largest trans-led organization in the US that actively advocates for all people. Its practice is rooted in legal expertise, and it’s a charity that’s committed to racial justice and community-driven strategies to support local trans movements and prevent future attacks.
20. Black AIDS Institute
The Black AIDS Institute is tackling the HIV epidemic in Black communities head-on with high–quality services and resources. Their aim is to engage Black institutions and individuals while seeking advocacy efforts and policy from Black leaders and communities throughout the US.
21. Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
PFLAG was one of the first organizations in the US to bring together the parents, families, and friends of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. It was started in 1972 by Jeanne Manford, whose son was attacked while distributing flyers in New York. And, since then, the charity has been on a mission to advocate and provide resources for allies of the LGBT community.
22. StartOut
StartOut specifically helps entrepreneurs who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, providing resources, training, and funding for startups run by people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or non-gender conforming and ensuring they have equal access to succeed in the workplace and the business world.
23. The Attic Youth Center
The Attic Youth Center works closely with young people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or non-gender conforming, providing them with resources and programs they need to develop their independence as adults. The aim is to create a supportive community that helps advocate and promote the acceptance of LGBTQ youth in society.
24. LGBTQ Freedom Fund
The LGBTQ Freedom Fund discovered that people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or non-gender conforming are three times more likely to be jailed than those who aren’t. The fund was set up to pay bail for those who have been arrested and to ensure their safety both in jail and when they have been released on bail.
25. Southern Poverty Law Center Inc
The Southern Poverty Law Center Inc employs a three-pronged approach to tackling issues in the LGBT community. It fights hate crimes by monitoring extremists and hate groups, providing resources and learning material around equality and justice, and seeking justice through advocacy and systematic reforms.
Wrapping up
Despite the fact that these charitable organizations deserve to be highlighted during Pride Month, they also deserve to be supported all year round for the important work they do and the essential services they provide to the LGBTQ community.
We hope that this article has provided you with a better knowledge of the various ways in which individuals and businesses may support the LGBTQ community which is a dire need at the moment. Â
