July 6, 2007

Equity Action grants strengthen organizations, build capacity to address critical issues

$46,500 supports projects assisting LGBTQ youth, families, and individuals

Recipients of the most recent grants awarded by Equity Action, an initiative of The Rhode Island Foundation, will address such diverse needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQQ) communities of Rhode Island as social justice, medical advocacy and services, marriage equality, leadership, and outreach.

These awards bring total Equity Action grants to more than $325,000 since the program was established at the Foundation in July 2002. One of the organizations, Providence-based Connections Co-op, is receiving its inaugural Equity Action grant, while each of the five other organizations is receiving renewed support."

Organizations receiving Equity Action grants and their funded projects are:

• Connections Co-op advocates for social justice in Providence's diverse communities Olneyville Neighborhood Association, as the fiscal agent for Connections Co-op, was awarded a $10,000 grant. Connections Co-op is a worker-owned women's cooperative focused on bridging the communications and cultural divides within the broader community, including immigrants and those who are queer/gay. The Co-op primarily provides translation and interpretation services and participatory Spanish classes and will use the grant to strengthen its capacity in areas including alliance building and leadership.
  
  
• Lifelines Rhode Island trains advocates and providers working with trans populations Boston-based Keshet was awarded $10,000 as the fiscal agent for Lifelines Rhode Island, a grassroots initiative founded last fall to meet the needs of an often "hidden population" of trans people in Rhode Island. This capacity-building grant will support Lifelines Rhode Island's efforts to educate the community on trans needs, as well as advocate on behalf of and support transgender individuals. Lifelines plans to develop an advocate training course and a medical and mental health certification course for providers.
  
  
• Options Newsmagazine seeks sustainability for Rhode Island's only LGBT Newsmagazine Also receiving a $10,000 Equity Action grant, Options Newsmagazine will continue to develop professional leadership for this previously all volunteer organization that promotes interaction in the LGBTQ community, facilitates the coming-out process, and combats discrimination through the provision of news, opinion, and resources.
  
  
• Youth Pride seeks to increase awareness and visibility of LGBTQQ communities Youth Pride, Rhode Island's only statewide organization for youth and young adults affected by sexual orientation and gender identity, received a $10,000 grant for Becoming Visible. This project includes a new website for the youth-focused organization and a major public information campaign conducted jointly with PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) South/Central Rhode Island.
  
  
• Rhode Island Health Care Association (RIHCA) to provide transgender training A grant of $4,000 was awarded for the third, and final, training series in RIHCA's Health Care Project, with this aspect of the project focusing on increasing the cultural, linguistic, and clinical capacity of Rhode Island's community health centers and other community providers to meet the needs of transgender patients.
  
  
• Marriage Equality Rhode Island (MERI) continues efforts for equal marriage in RI Ocean State Action Fund, as the fiscal agent for marriage Equality Rhode Island, was awarded a $2,500 grant. The grant will allow MERI to continue to build an organized base of support for the equal marriage movement in Rhode Island via field organizing and community education and outreach.
  
  In addition to the above grants, a "small grant" was awarded to AIDS Project Rhode to enable it to conduct research, planning and community outreach with regard to developing a comprehensive health directory of services (print and online) available to the LGBTQ community throughout Rhode Island.

Upcoming Funding Opportunities
Equity Action has two funding cycles per year for project and capacity-building grants. The next application deadline is October 15 for grants that range from $2,500 to $15,000. In addition, applications are accepted on a rolling basis for a small grants program for projects up to $2,500.