Seattle Pride recently launched the Seattle Pride Impact Fund, a spruced-up version of its long-standing grant and scholarship program that's pumped out over $500,000 in funding for organizations serving the LGBTQIA2S+ community since 2018. Since DEI initiatives, including grants and contracts, are being rolled back on the federal level, the Impact Fund seeks to empower Queer grassroots initiatives.
"Our goal has always been to ensure that Pride's impact extends beyond June, fostering year-round advocacy, resilience, and celebration," Nick Albritton, director of community development and programs, told the SGN. "The relaunch of our grantmaking initiative is not just an expansion but, more importantly, a deeper commitment to more reciprocal partnerships with the people and organizations leading change."
The Impact Fund will have two grant categories:
For the past four years, Seattle Pride has worked to understand the program's potential and to adjust it meet evolving needs. Funding will focus on projects that uplift Queer arts and culture, youth empowerment, BIPOC leadership, and Trans and Gender-Nonconforming people, while emphasizing the importance of intersectional, community-driven work.
"At a time when equity-focused funding and DEI initiatives are under attack, we remain steadfast in our commitment to resourcing the work that drives liberation, visibility, and justice for our communities. This is more than a grant program — it is a foundation for long-term investment in LGBTQIA2S+ organizing and leadership in Seattle and beyond," Albritton said.
Seattle Pride is in search of grassroots groups and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that operate under a fiscal sponsor and that serve the LGBTQIA2S+ community in the state through direct programs, advocacy, and cultural initiatives.
Priority will be given to grassroots groups and social collectives, and organizations with annual budgets under $500,000, acknowledging that smaller, community-driven initiatives create direct and meaningful change.
The application review process will focus on community engagement and impact and prioritizing efforts that center and uplift the most marginalized LGBTQIA2S+ people; feasibility and sustainability, to ensure the project is plausible and has plans for a lasting impact; and creativity and innovation, with a focus on projects that offer emerging approaches to increasing visibility, connection, and joy.
Filling in essential funding gaps
Albritton said this funding is more essential than ever for the survival of this work, due to a nationally coordinated effort to remove federal funding from programs that support marginalized communities, in addition to broader political attacks on LGBTQ+ rights.
"At the same time, state budgets are under immense strain, leaving fewer resources available for local organizations to access," Albritton said. "Even with philanthropic systems claiming to support equity, the reality is stark: LGBTQIA2S+ organizations, especially those led by BIPOC, Trans, and gender-nonconforming people, receive only a fraction of overall foundation funding."
In 2022, US foundations awarded only 4.6 cents for every $100 to Trans, Gender-Nonconforming, and Nonbinary communities and issues, according to the Funders for LGBTQ Issues. The bureaucratic application process includes extensive reporting requirements and can have restrictive funding structures that require match dollars to receive grants. Additionally, there can be limits on how
funds are spent, which prevents organizations from tackling urgent and evolving needs.
Albritton said these unrealistic compliance burdens force organizations to dedicate time to paperwork instead of community service.
"Seattle Pride knows that grassroots organizations are the backbone of our movement. They provide lifesaving services, advocate for inclusive policies, and create safe, affirming spaces in an increasingly hostile environment," Albritton said.
Without sustainable and flexible access to funding, fighting back against discrimination, building resilience, and driving systemic change becomes severely limited.
"As federal and state-level attacks escalate, we refuse to let restrictive funding structures and political hostility dictate our future," Albritton said. "We are committed to ensuring [that] LGBTQIA2S+ organizations in Washington have the resources, autonomy, and support they need not just to survive but to thrive. Investing in our communities today isn't just an act of resistance, it's an investment in a future where LGBTQIA2S+ people are safe, celebrated and unstoppable."
Applications for the Seattle Pride Impact Fund will open in July. Awardees will be announced in October, and distributions will occur in January of 2026.
For more information, visit https://seattlepride.org/impact-fund.
Support the Seattle Gay News: Celebrate 50 Years with Us!
As the third-oldest LGBTQIA+ newspaper in the United States, the Seattle Gay News (SGN) has been a vital independent source of news and entertainment for Seattle and the Pacific Northwest since 1974.
As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we need your support to continue our mission.
Your contribution will ensure that SGN remains a beacon of truth and a virtual gathering place for community dialogue.
Help us keep printing and providing a platform for LGBTQIA+ voices.
How you can donate!
Using this Link
Text "SGN" to 53-555
Or Scan the QR code below!