LBTQ Giving Council
Who We Are
The LBTQ Giving Council of Chicago Foundation for Women is committed to fundraising in order to provide grants to organizations and programs benefiting lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning women and girls in the Chicago region. Through its Lavender Fund, the LBTQ Giving Council was the first grantmaking entity in Chicago to provide grants exclusively to lesbian communities. We have a special focus on access to healthcare and information, freedom from violence, and economic security for girl- and women-identified people.
2024 – 2025 Chair
Gabby Kreszchuk
Who We Support
We have awarded over $250,000 to organizations serving LBTQ folks in the Chicago region since 2004.
FY24 Grantees: $30,000 total awarded
- Affinity Community Services
- Life Is Work
- One Roof Chicago
- Youth Empowerment Performance Project
FY23 Grantees: $11,000 total awarded
- About Face Theatre
- Affinity Community Services
- One Roof Chicago
- Youth Empowerment Performance Project
How It Works
- Membership is on a fiscal year basis (July 1-June 30).
- Meets monthly (virtual until further notice)
- Events are scheduled and organized by members
- Grantmaking occurs in the winter and spring, with funding being awarded in June
- You choose your level of participation
Member Benefits
- Amplify your giving by leveraging your dollars with those of other members.
- Give voice to the issues affecting the women and girls in your community by deciding which programs to fund with your peers on the Council.
- See the impact of your giving as funded programs share with membership accomplishments made possible by the Council’s grants.
- Develop new personal and professional relationships with like-minded folks.
- Learn from trainings, workshops, and conversations on philanthropy, women in philanthropy, women’s issues and needs, how organizations serve women, and trends and gaps in funding.
Member Responsibilities
- Make an annual contribution of at least $100 with various options to make payments affordable including a $10/month plan.
- Participate in group and individual fundraising, including soliciting donors, sponsors, and in-kind contributions, serving on an events committee, or recruiting members.
- Participate in the Giving Council grantmaking process, a cooperative effort to select the recipients of grants. This may include identifying organizations and programs to fund, reviewing proposals, conducting site visits, and voting on grant recommendations.
- Provide good stewardship and thought partnership to the Council with your active and positive participation. This may include attending meetings or contributing to discussions about fundraising and grantmaking.
- Connect Chicago Foundation for Women with organizations and stakeholders doing work on behalf of women and girl-identified people in the LBTQ communities in the Chicago region.
Contact
For more information, contact Vanessa Lee (Program Officer) at vlee@cfw.org.