EDGE Chicago

The Lesbian Leadership Council at Chicago Foundation for Women announced $10,000 in grants to four Chicago-area nonprofits last week. The funded programs focus on LBTQ women, girls and individuals.

The council’s Lavender Fund granted $2,500 each to four organizations: Affinity Community Services provides community resources, political advocacy and a safe space on the South Side of Chicago for lesbian and bisexual African American women. The Amiguitas Program at Amigas Latinas Association brings together young, queer Latinas for discussions, arts and activism. Chicago Books to Women in Prison is a volunteer collective that distributes free books to women in prisons nationwide. Gender JUST (Gender Justice United for Social Transformation) develops leadership and builds power by organizing multi-racial, multi-ethnic and multi-generational LGBTQ people and allies.

The council pointed to the importance of supporting Gender JUST, a young and effective organization that is a new CFW grantee.

"This is what the Lavender Fund is for: bringing support and awareness to groups that are pushing the LGBTQ community to do more for the marginalized within its own borders, which so often means women and girls," said Jane M. Saks, Lesbian Leadership Council co-chair.

The council raises money for the Lavender Fund through membership dues, fundraising events and donations. The council also promotes and cultivates leadership among underrepresented women and engages the local community through events and collaborative partnerships.

The five Leadership Councils at Chicago Foundation for Women - African American, Asian American, Latina, Lesbian and Young Women’s - raise money for grantmaking funds that support programs serving women and girls in diverse communities. In 2010, the councils broke all previous grantmaking records by collectively awarding $42,000 through 12 grants.

Chicago Foundation for Women raises money to fund and support organizations that help women and girls, aiming to make smarter connections between need, money and solutions. CFW stresses that when women and girls are secure, whole communities are made better, and works to improve the lives of women and girls through grants, advocacy, leadership development and public and grantee education. Since 1985, CFW has given more than 2,800 grants totaling more than $17 million and helped thousands of women and girls become philanthropists. For more information, visit cfw.org.

Above: The Lesbian Leadership Council at Chicago Foundation for Women presents Chicago Books to Women in Prison with a $2,500 grant from the Lavender Fund. Left to right, Arline Welty, executive director at Chicago BWP; Laura Stempel, council member; Melba Rodriguez, council member; Suzanne Kraus, council member; and Pat Ewert, council member.