Sparking Change: Power Building for Queer Liberation

As the curtains close on QMF’s 2023 grant cycle, it’s time to celebrate the triumphs of queer organizers, advocates, and artists who continue to light up the path to liberation. Despite the storm of anti-trans and anti-queer hate bills sweeping across the United States, particularly in the South, our community has shown remarkable resilience and solidarity. In the face of adversity, we rise stronger and prouder than ever before!

The surge in applications for funding – a whopping 165 in 2023, surpassing our previous record of 42 – is a testament to the urgent need for support within the LGBTQIA+ community. Thanks to the unwavering support of dedicated funders, QMF proudly awarded 50 grants totaling $308,000 in 2023 alone, bringing our total grants awarded to an impressive $656,000 to date.

These numbers tell a story of both struggle and triumph – a community under relentless political attack, yet finding innovative and transformative ways to push back against the tide. We stand tall, we stand PROUD, and we stand together!

QMF understands the pivotal role of funding in building strong organizations and is committed to ensuring that resources are directed where they’re needed most – into the hands of queer and trans BIPOC-led organizations making a difference on the ground.

In response to the evolving landscape of queer funding, QMF has embarked on an internal journey of growth and adaptation. We’ve revamped our grantmaking calendar, opening grants from August 1 to September 1, 2024, to better align with the needs of our community and to offer improved access to our capacity-building coaches. 

Language is a powerful tool in fostering inclusivity and understanding within the LGBTQIA+ community. That’s why QMF has embraced a shift from describing our one-on-one support for organizational development from “Technical Assistance” to “Power Building.” At its core, power building is about equipping organizations with the resources and support to build critical organizational infrastructure and expand capacity. We need a wide range of community organizations to grow, succeed, and win at the grassroots level, to fulfill the mission of QMF to build power and visibility among QTBIPOC organizations in the US Southeast.

In 2024 grantees can expect to continue seeing & experiencing everything they have come to know and love about QMF, with added improvements. QMF believes in ongoing refinement of our offerings and processes based on grantee feedback and input from our grantmaking panel. We plan to expand our collective offerings to our grantee cohort and do more organizing and base-building within the QMF grantee ecosystem, along with offerings that help better connect grantees across geographies and issue areas. 

In a world where the fight for queer liberation is ongoing,  QMF stands as a beacon of resilience, empowerment, and hope. Together, let’s continue to spark change and build a future where every member of the LGBTQIA+ community is celebrated, supported, and empowered to thrive.   

Learn more about QMF’s work; visit https://queermobilization.fund/ and follow us on FB & IG at queermobilizationfund.