Greater Hartford Gives Foundation Launches PRIDE Giving Circle

The Foundation’s fourth giving circle is dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ organizations and advancing equity, belonging, and opportunity

The Greater Hartford Gives Foundation has launched the PRIDE Giving Circle, the Foundation’s fourth giving circle and a new philanthropic community dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ organizations and advancing equity, belonging, and opportunity throughout Greater Hartford.

Created with input from community members, the PRIDE Giving Circle aims to bring together individuals who want to learn about issues affecting LGBTQIA+ communities, connect with others who share a commitment to equity, and collectively invest in solutions through community-driven grantmaking.

"At a time when entities across the country are rolling back commitments to inclusivity, Greater Hartford Gives continues to intentionally uplift and invest in systematically marginalized communities,” said Curtis Rodriguez-Porter, who served on the Pride Giving Circle planning committee. “For my husband and me, as members of the Black and Latino Giving Circles, the launch of the Pride Giving Circle is deeply meaningful. It not only affirms our intersectional identities within the LGBTQIA+ community but also celebrates and supports the rich diversity of us as humans that make our community strong. We are grateful to be part of philanthropic initiatives that center equity, belonging, and shared giving."

To support the Circle’s long-term success, Greater Hartford Gives has committed an initial investment of $250,000 to seed the PRIDE Giving Circle Fund which reflects the Foundation’s commitment to expanding opportunities for community-led philanthropy and increasing resources available to organizations serving LGBTQIA+ communities.

“Greater Hartford’s LGBTQIA+ community is a key contributor to the region’s strength, diversity, vibrancy, and economic success,” said Greater Hartford Gives President and CEO Jay Williams. “The Foundation is excited to launch the PRIDE Giving Circle to deepen our relationship with LGBTQIA+ residents and allies, create opportunities for shared learning about key issues and challenges facing the community, and support nonprofit organizations working to offer resources and solutions.”

The PRIDE Giving Circle’s mission is “to support and strengthen LGBTQIA+ organizations through equity-focused giving, community engagement, and shared learning that advances liberation for underserved LGBTQIA+ communities.”

Community members are invited to become founding members of the PRIDE Giving Circle through several membership options, including a pay-what-you-can Supporting Membership, a $365 annual Voting Membership that includes participation in grantmaking decisions, and a $730 PRIDE Champion Membership that sponsors another community member’s participation.

“As a new board member at the Foundation, I am proud of the thought and commitment that has gone into this new collective giving effort,” said Greater Hartford Gives Board member and LGBTQ+ activist Anne Stanback. “As a longtime member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I am thrilled. This kind of philanthropic support will make a real difference in the lives of community members who face hardship and need. And at a time when our community—particularly the transgender community—is under attack, this kind of public validation will have a positive impact that likely cannot be measured.”

The PRIDE Giving Circle joins the Foundation’s three other giving circles: the Catalyst Giving Circle, the Latino Giving Circle, and the Black Giving Circle, which together have made approximately $1.75 million in grants.

For more information about the PRIDE Giving Circle or to become a founding member, visit greaterhartfordgives.org or contact Ramonita Garcia at RGarcia@greaterhartfordgives.org.

Greater Hartford Gives Foundation is a community foundation, a hub for community-driven change. We fuel impact throughout Greater Hartford and beyond by making connections, providing funding, and sharing knowledge. Our goal is to create an inclusive region where everyone prospers. Together, with a powerful network of changemakers, we identify our neighbors’ most pressing needs and invest resources in initiatives that dismantle racial and economic barriers and improve quality of life. In our 100-year history, we have invested more than $1 billion throughout the region. Join us in building a Greater Hartford full of opportunity. Learn more at greaterhartfordgives.org.