Barriers to foundation funding of gay organizations: evidence from Massachusetts

Gay, lesbian, and bisexual service organizations in the United States receive a small share of the philanthropic grants awarded by foundations and other institutional donors. A survey of Massachusetts gay organizations provides explanations for this phenomenon and suggests that a variety of barriers impedes foundation giving. The findings are consistent with those of two national surveys of lesbian organizations and a survey of gay service needs in California. The most commonly cited barriers include: a difficulty in finding foundations sympathetic to gay service programs; a lack of paid grant writers; the perceived need for 501 (c)(3) nonprofit status in order to qualify for most grants; foundations' predilection for funding established service organizations, and their reluctance to fund political advocacy, a lack of familiarity with gay service needs; and homophobia. Although the AIDS crisis helped educate foundations about the gay community, consider-able barriers remain.