PURPOSE: Dedicates funding to frontline LGBTQ+ organizing groups and efforts that are Black LGBTQ+ led in Central Florida to build on the movement for Black lives — particularly those led by and for Black Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, and Gender Nonbinary community and Sex Workers. Supports grassroots organizing to build visibility and power, promote safety, and amplify the demands of those impacted by anti-Black racism and gender discrimination.
To advance its mission, Contigo Fund will fund organizations to do several types of activities. Organizations may apply for support for one or more of the following:
Healing and Empowerment: Projects that provide opportunities for healing for Queer communities historically marginalized by society from equal opportunity and power. Including peer-led support groups, community organizing, and other programs that focus not only on providing culturally and linguistically competent services but on empowering community members to advocate for long-term systemic and transformative change.
Advancing Racial Equity and Justice: Projects that address societal, structural and systemic racism and other inequities in health outcomes. Anti-racist strategies that address systemic barriers for Queer people of color. Alternatively, efforts that address root causes and focuses on a particular intervention, such as training for policy change within a specific issue area. Other examples include addressing: online disinformation and hate; white supremacist violence and rhetoric; and voter subversion and suppression that undermine democracy and entrench systemic inequities.
Leadership Development: Projects that promote leadership development, including popular and political education and grassroots and advocacy training and skills building, among Queer communities historically marginalized by society from equal opportunity and power.
Work led by trans/gender-expansive/intersex individuals and women, undocumented leaders, sex workers, and youth: Projects that center and are led by women of color, transgender, queer, gender expansive, intersex and/or undocumented leaders, sex workers, and youth.
Bridge-Building: Projects that create opportunities for meaningful connection, mutual learning, and coalition among Central Florida’s diverse communities, especially between Queer Black and Latinx, Muslim, Immigrant, and other communities of color.
Racial, Economic, and Gender Justice-focused: Projects that raise an intersectional awareness to address homophobia, transphobia, patriarchy, gender inequity or inequality, gender-based violence, Islamophobia, xenophobia, racism, economic inequity, and other forms of bigotry and disparities.
Safety and Security: Establishing safety and security measures in response to the rise of anti-Queer hate and mass violence – particularly against transgender, nonbinary, drag communities and people of color – and advocacy and organizing focused on systemic change – including addressing gun violence and advancing gun control measures.
Grants and Decision Process
Contigo 2025-2026 All Black Lives Grant Cycle:
Grants for this annual cycle can be made up to a maximum of $20,000 and limited to one application per organization (joint applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis), and Applicants can apply for a 12-month grant up to the maximum and must demonstrate how a proposal would be accomplished in that period for the amount requested.
