What is Giving Compass?
We connect donors to learning resources and ways to support community-led solutions. Learn more about us.
Giving Compass' Take:
• Funders for LGBTQ Issues lays out specific strategies for funders to address the health and wellbeing gaps identified in the first part of this series.
• How can you work to implement the strategies identified here? Are you positioned to make an impact in one of these areas? What partnerships could accelerate your impact?
• Learn about grantmaking strategies for LGBTQ health.
Over the course of two snowy days in January, Funders for LGBTQ Issues, Funders Concerned About AIDS, and Grantakers In Health convened a group of approximately 50 grantmakers, advocates, and experts to explore meaningful ways for philanthropy to improve health outcomes in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) communities. This report builds on both the conversations from that two-day summit and the Funders for LGBTQ Issues report, Vital Funding – Investing in LGBTQ Health and Wellbeing. This report identifies several potential strategies for funders concerned about health disparities, HIV/AIDS, and LGBTQ communities to:
- Increase access to insurance coverage for LGBTQ people;
- Build the capacity of the HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ health services sector;
- Increase LGBTQ cultural and clinical competence of health service providers and systems;
- Strengthen HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ health policy and advocacy infrastructure; and
- Support efforts to address mental and behavioral health and other social determinants related to stigma.
We were honored to have the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation support our initial summit and we are grateful to The California Wellness Foundation for making possible our upcoming follow-up convening in San Francisco. Against the backdrop of many advances in LGBTQ rights, LGBTQ people still face basic quality of life challenges. At this pivotal moment for LGBTQ communities, the time is ripe for LGBTQ funders, HIV funders, and health funders to work together to improve the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ communities.
LGBTQ populations face alarming health disparities. Compared to the general population, LGBTQ people are more likely to become HIV positive, contract sexually transmitted infections (STIs), develop certain forms of cancer, suffer from mental health issues (including addiction), be the targets of violence, or attempt suicide. To complicate this, LGBTQ people are less likely to receive proper healthcare. For example, twenty-eight percent of transgender and gender nonconforming people said they postponed medical care when they were sick or injured due to concerns about discrimination. Additionally, many bisexual people don’t come out to their healthcare providers and as such receive incomplete information and care.