Media Contact:
Courtney Thomas Barnes
Vice President for Communications & Public Affairs
Greater New Orleans Foundation
504.236.7096
courtney@gnof.org
Congratulations to the Greater New Orleans Foundation’s 2025 LGBTQ Fund Grant Recipients!
NEW ORLEANS – (June 18, 2025) Today, the Greater New Orleans Foundation announced $100,000 in grants to 19 area nonprofits from our LGBTQ Fund. Since its inaugural year in 2016, the Foundation’s LGBTQ Fund has awarded 137 grants totaling $852,000 to 53 nonprofits across our region. The grants are recommended by the Foundation’s LGBTQ committee and support organizations that increase the quality of life and access to opportunity for LGBTQ individuals and families, particularly the most vulnerable members of the community, including elders, transgender youth and adults, LGBTQ people of color, low-income LGBTQ people, and LGBTQ persons who are disabled.
In 2019, the Greater New Orleans Foundation Board of Directors voted to ensure that our LGBTQ work is sustained on a permanent basis by establishing an endowed fund that will make grants on an annual basis in perpetuity. With a fundraising goal of $2.5 million, the LGBTQ Fund will ensure there is always grant funding for local LGBTQ-led and LGBTQ-serving nonprofits. With the generous contributions of the Fund’s donors, the Foundation has now raised over $2.4 million and is just $58,000 away from fully funding this transformative effort.
“As the first community foundation in the South with an LGBTQ Fund, the Greater New Orleans Foundation is proud to celebrate and support the incredible work these 19 nonprofits are doing to uplift the LGBTQ community in our region. We are thrilled to announce that we have nearly met our $2.5 million goal for the endowed LGBTQ Fund. We are especially proud to stand with these grantees from our LGBTQ Fund during Pride Month and in these uncertain times as we work together to create a more welcoming, safe, and equitable community for all,” said Andy Kopplin, President and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Foundation. ”LGBTQ people and their rights remain under attack despite the sacrifices of those who have fought for these rights for decades. We remain motivated, now more than ever, to make sure the members of the LGBTQ community have the resources, recognition, support, and freedoms they need to live fulfilling lives and contribute their talents to making our community better for everyone.”
“In the early years of the LGBTQ Fund, we typically received around a dozen applications annually. Over the last two years, the number has risen dramatically to 45 last year and 43 letters of intent this year, reflecting a significant increase in both need and the number of deserving candidates. Evaluating so many worthy applications has been a challenging yet rewarding task for our committee,” said Arthur Roger, Chair of the LGBTQ Fund Committee and Former Greater New Orleans Foundation Trustee. “This surge underscores the vital role our Fund plays in supporting the LGBTQ community, and it highlights the growing demand for our grants. As we move closer to our goal, we remain motivated by our mission to provide high quality support and meet the increasing needs of our community, especially in these uncertain times.”
The recent round of grants to local nonprofits will enhance support to the LGBTQ community by funding crisis support, education, community engagement, training, and more.
“The generous support from the Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF) through the Black Queer Legacy Initiative is a transformative step toward empowering the Black LGBTQ+ community in New Orleans,” said Nikki Alexander-Tumblin, Founder, New Orleans Black Pride. “This grant enables us to continue our critical work in providing access to resources, education, and community-building opportunities for marginalized individuals. It strengthens our ability to create spaces that foster healing, growth, and advocacy, ensuring that the voices of our community are heard and celebrated. This partnership underscores our commitment to breaking barriers, uplifting Black queer lives, and advancing social justice for generations to come.”
“This grant from the Greater New Orleans Foundation’s LGBTQ Fund empowers Stonewall Sports New Orleans to grow with purpose and deepen our impact. With over 700+ active members, we will use this support to enhance our infrastructure, strengthen our volunteer leadership, expand community partnerships, and promote inclusive recreation,” said Stonewall Sports – New Orleans Commissioner, Andres Gonzalez, and Community Outreach Director, Christopher Ndiritu. “From improving league operations to reducing financial barriers, this investment helps us create safe, affirming spaces where LGBTQ+ individuals and allies can connect through sport. We’re grateful for the opportunity to advance equity, foster belonging, and build a stronger, more inclusive New Orleans!”
“Receiving this funding is more than financial support—it’s a lifeline. It allows us to expand our reach, provide critical legal immigration support and affirm the dignity of LGBTQ immigrants in detention,” said Lilian J. Alvarez, Executive Director, Home is Here NOLA. “With these resources, we can now travel to detention centers, meet directly with those in need, provide language accessible services, and represent them in their legal immigration proceedings—ensuring they are not alone in navigating a system stacked against them. This support brings us closer to a world where LGBTQ immigrants are treated with dignity, compassion, and justice—because everyone deserves to be seen, valued, and free.”
Contributions to the LGBTQ Fund were made possible by support from dozens of generous local donors and grants from Funders for LGBTQ Issues, a collaborative that awards matching and planning grants to catalyze locally driven funds that address the needs and strengthen the assets of LGBTQ communities in the South.
To help support this effort, click here to donate to the LGBTQ Endowed Fund. To learn more about the Foundation’s LGBTQ Endowed Fund, please contact Vice President for Philanthropy, Meg Miles, at meg@gnof.org. To learn more about grantmaking made possible by this initiative, please contact Director of Grantmaking, Roy Williams, at grants@gnof.org.
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About the Greater New Orleans Foundation:
With roots extending over 100 years, the Greater New Orleans Foundation connects generous people to the causes that spark their passion. As one of the most trusted philanthropic organizations in the region, we work every day to drive positive impact by championing charitable giving, strengthening nonprofits, and leading civic projects in our thirteen-parish region. In addition to grantmaking, we convene people, resources, and ideas to create intelligent strategies and solutions to meet our region’s greatest challenges. We are proud to serve as a vocal civic leader with our partners to ensure an economically and culturally vibrant, sustainable, and just region for all. Learn more at www.gnof.org.