Equity Action grants target legal, health issues

$70,315 in projects educate physicians, support marriage equality, promote legal equity

The legal and healthcare needs of Rhode Island’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) communities rank high on a new list of Equity Action Fund grants totaling $70,315 to 10 organizations.

Equity Action is an initiative of The Rhode Island Foundation.

Many of the funded organizations – AIDS Care Ocean State, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), Providence Gay Men’s Chorus, and Rhode Island Pride – largely serve the LGBTQ communities, while other grantees – Rhode Island Hospital, Ocean State Action Fund, and the Rhode Island Health Center Association – have designed specific programs and outreach efforts to address unique LGBTQ needs.

GLAD to continue its Family Law Program
Ocean State Action Fund to hire coordinator for Marriage Equality Rhode Island
Rhode Island Health Center Association to improve care for LGBTQ patients
AIDS Care Ocean State to conduct transgender health needs assessment
Rhode Island Pride to strengthen organization by hiring its first paid staff person
Small grants help special projects, LGBTQ organizations
Future opportunities for Equity Action funding

GLAD to continue its Family Law Program
With a $15,000 grant from Equity Action, GLAD will continue its work to ensure that the families of LGBTQ individuals are protected by the laws and policies of the state and cities/towns. The organization notes, “GLAD has always had a significant presence ‘behind the scene,’ working with lawmakers, local and state agencies throughout New England,” a spokesperson notes, “advocating on such issues as access to health care coverage and the protection of ‘marital’ property of elderly LGBTQ couples.”

GLAD’s project will involve advocacy with state and local activists and “LGBTQ-friendly” legislators; public education of the LGBTQ community, the legal community, and the general public; and legal strategies to negotiate and litigate for the recognition of LBGTQ families and individuals.
www.glad.org

Ocean State Action Fund to hire coordinator for Marriage Equality Rhode Island
Ocean State Action Fund has received $10,000 to support Marriage Equality Rhode Island. MERI is a grassroots, volunteer-driven effort that seeks legal recognition of same-sex couples through civil marriage in Rhode Island. As stated in its application, “We believe that a civil society guarantees to all of its citizens certain civil rights; civil marriage is one of these fundamental rights.”

The Equity Action grant will provide funding for staff.
www.oceanstateaction.org

Rhode Island Health Center Association to improve care for LGBTQ patients
The Rhode Island Health Center Association, which coordinates activities and services at 12 community health centers, received $9,000 to provide additional training to staff in clinical issues specific to the LGBTQ population, with an emphasis on the clinical needs of transgender patients, and to increase client confidence and satisfaction in their services.
www.rihca.org

AIDS Care Ocean State to conduct transgender health needs assessment
A $7,500 grant will support AIDS Care Ocean State’s (ACOS) project to conduct a transgender health needs assessment. ACOS intends to survey the general health care needs of the transgender population, including syringe-using behaviors and access to needle exchange facilities.

"This is a first step to improving the quality of life not only for the target population but also for family, friends, and the entire Rhode Island community,” the organization notes.
www.aidscareos.org

Rhode Island Pride to strengthen organization by hiring its first paid staff person
Rhode Island Pride will use its $15,000 award to hire a part-time office manager, the 29-year-old organization’s first paid staff member. In its request for support, the organization explains, “RI Pride’s volunteers are stretched to their limits. [A staff person] will allow core leaders, present and future, to dedicate themselves to programs and outreach work.”

Rhode Island Pride heightens awareness of the issues, concerns, and contributions of sexual minorities through the production of seminars, rallies, performances, theme events, and art and literary programs.
www.prideri.com

Small grants help special projects, LGBTQ organizations
Grants of $2,500 or less were awarded to the following:

• Brown University, $2,500, for the medical school’s Queer Med student group to support its workshop series, “Respectful Medicine’; www.brown.edu
• Brown University, $2,500, for the Brown-sponsored LGBTQ film festival, “Queer Window”; www.brown.edu
• Cranston Public Schools, $1,561, for the National Day of Silence sponsored by the Gay/Straight Alliance at Cranston High School West. www.cps.kiz.ri.us
• Flickers Art Collaborative, $2,500, for the LGBT Screenplay Competition; www.rifilmfest.org
• Providence Gay Men’s Chorus, $2,500, to enhance public awareness of the organization; www.singpgme.org
• Rhode Island Community for Justice, $2,500 to determine the role of the Civil Rights Roundtable in securing legal rights for LGBTQ communities; and www.ricj.org
• Rhode Island Hospital, $2,254, to develop and print a pamphlet on lesbian and gay health issues for internal medicine physicians and generalists. www.lifespan.org/partners/RIH

Future opportunities for Equity Action funding
Equity Action has two funding cycles per year for project and capacity-building grants. The next application deadline is October 15 for these programs which provide grants of $2,500 to $15,000. In addition, applications are accepted on a rolling basis for grants for projects up to $2,500. Interested organizations can obtain further information by visiting Equity Action in the “Specials” section of www.rifoundation.org.