The board of directors of Texas Pride Impact Funds today (Monday, Feb. 24) announced the organization’s 2020 Grants Program for Texas-based non-profits providing support and services to the state’s LGBTQ community. The same announcement last year drew proposals from 31 organizations around the state, of which 17 were selected to receive an aggregate of $120,000 in grants.

Through these grants, TPIF will help eligible organizations whose work — whether current, new or joint projects — is consistent with the TPIF mission of “Securing the future for LGBTQ Texans by inspiring giving and investment and expand opportunities to enrich our communities.”

TPIF Grants Program Chair Randall Gentry said, “The goal of TPIF’s grant process is to identify organizations that are doing incredible work but lack the staff or financial resources to fulfill their mission. The health — and future — of the LGBTQIA+ community in Texas is in the hands of nonprofit partners who do so much with so little. Very few other foundations will fund LGBTQIA+ nonprofits and programs, therefore it is vital that we support a wide variety of community needs.”

Gentry said TPIF is making a series of targeted grants to organizations and projects that align with funding priorities that include health care, seniors, youth, employment and social support. Intersectional projects and programs that address rural communities, communities of color and transgender persons will be given additional consideration, because as these LGBTQIA+ communities are known to have the greatest gaps in services and support, he said.

For 2020 the organization is launching a letter of interest as the first step all interested organizations must take for this year’s grant application process, Gentry explained. Organizations have until 5 p.m. on March 13 to respond with their letter of interest. Then on April 6, TPIF will invite selected organizations to submit a proposal application based on the organization’s Grants Action Group’s evaluation of the submitted LOIs.

Proposal applications will then be due May 15, and site visits of grant finalists will be conducted this summer, and the Grant Action Group will submit their recommendations to the TPIF board for final selection. Grants will then be awarded between September and October.

This year’s Grant Process and criteria can be viewed here.

A list of last year’s awarded grants can be found here.