Collective Charitable Giving
Special Giving Programs
Amplify the power of philanthropy by giving collaboratively.
Through our collective giving programs, you can pool your donations with others who share your interests, research community needs and decide as a group where to make grants. You also have the opportunity to engage through educational activities, volunteerism and more.
You can also strengthen nonprofits and improve lives throughout our region by supporting FFTC's other special giving programs.
Our Programs
Positively impacting nonprofits that serve the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, CLGF is a collective giving program that awards grants to organizations that support the LGBT community. We also cultivate partnerships with community allies.
Stakeholders donate $1,000 or more per year to provide grants to nonprofits that support the LGBT community. Not ready to become a member? You can still help. CLGF welcomes donations between $25 - $999.
12th Annual The Happening
The 12th Annual Happening! – a luncheon to raise awareness of the Charlotte Lesbian and Gay Fund – on May 23rd was a great success! Thank you to our sponsors, table hosts and over 600 attendees. If you were unable to attend and would like to donate to the Charlotte Lesbian and Gay Fund, please click here.
We would also like to thank our 2019 Equality Presenting Sponsors, Rosedale Medical and Wells Fargo.
Learn About Grant Opportunities
CLGF awards grants annually to Charlotte‐area organizations serving the LGBT community through three grant programs. The grant cycle is currently closed. Thank you to the CLGF Stakeholders who made this funding possible with their generous gifts and thank you to the organizations that applied for funding.
- Programs, Projects and Events Grants are awarded to encourage 501(c)3 nonprofits to serve the LGBT community either directly or in partnership with another organization. LGBT and non-LGBT organizations are eligible for a PPE Grant of up to $5,000.
- Basic Operating Grants are intended to build capacity and strengthen the effectiveness of 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations serving Charlotte’s LGBT community. Grants will be awarded to support general operations of organizations that fulfill CLGF’s mission.
- Grassroots Lane Grants are awarded to build capacity and strengthen the effectiveness of startup organizations with or without 501(c)3 nonprofit status serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, up to $2,000 per organization. Previous recipients of CLGF's Basic Operating and Program, Project and Events grants are not eligible to apply.
CLGF Board of Advisors
Devlin McNeil, Chair
Lynn Davidson, Treasurer
Michael Rodriguez, Secretary
Jeremy Carter, Past Chair
Lizzie Faust
Liz Fitzgerald
Jeremy Hall
Kelly Hall
Rebecca Hoover
Kyle Luebke
Lee Robertson
Shelly Schoenfeld
Tyler Smith
Kathy Tobin
Ron Vereen
With the goal of enhancing the quality of life within our communities, NGAAP is a collective giving program that promotes philanthropy among African Americans in the Charlotte region.
Established in 2008, members pledge $1 a day for three years and envision a healthy, safe and prosperous community for families to live, work and flourish. We award grants to nonprofits that address issues affecting a disproportionate number of African Americans.
Grants are awarded to organizations that serve unmet needs of the African American community. We will award grants up to $10,000 for operations and programs that support the mission of NGAAP.
Criteria
Based and operating in Mecklenburg County
501(c)3 status (use of fiscal sponsors allowed)
Annual organizational budget not exceeding $500,000
50% or more of population served by identified program/organization is African American
CM3A-identified need and priority
30% or more of Board members are Black/African American (representative of County demographics at 32.2% in 2014)
Funding priority given to initiatives that respond to and promote the mission of “Social, Civic and Legal Justice” within the African American community
Preferred Programs
Build understanding and appreciation for the inequality in legal outcomes based on ethnicity and race
Cultivate opportunities to build collaboration and community
Support voter registration and engagement
Promote policies and procedures that reduce disproportionality and disparities in the justice system
Areas Typically Not Funded
Capital campaigns and endowment funds
Networking infrastructure, hardware and software for computers or other similar forms of technology
Publication of books
Projects that promote political activity or religious views
Organizations for re-granting purposes
Debt retirement/deficit funding
Activities occurring prior to grant decision
Projects typically the funding responsibility of federal, state or local government
New proposals that duplicate existing or established programs or services
Strategic planning if it is in “ordinary course of business”
The current grant cycle is now closed.
AACF was established in 1993 to support efforts that promote economic self-reliance, equal opportunity, leadership skills and cultural awareness among the region's African American community.
The grant funds were made possible through the Lethia Henderson Fund Endowment and the Elizabeth S. Randolph African American Fund Endowment. Individual contributions help the fund grow, increasing the potential to spur and support impactful programs.
Since 1994, AACF has awarded more than $400,000 in grants to nonprofits that serve the African American community.
Grant Programs
Our strategic grantmaking to educational, economic, health and cultural initiatives fosters opportunity, leadership and civic participation among the underserved and underrepresented in Mecklenburg and nearby counties. The current grant cycle is now closed.
Focus areas
- Public education support. AACF supports students in public elementary, middle and high schools, as well as programs serving students ages birth to 18 during out-of-school time.
- Health. AACF also supports programs that address the health and nutrition of students ages birth to 18 and provide services for diseases that disproportionately affect African Americans.
- Economic delvelopment. AACF also supports programs that provide business development and support for African American-owned businesses.
Eligibility
- Grants are limited to eligible organizations for projects in or benefitting Charlotte-Mecklenburg, NC.
- Grants are made to qualified 501(c)3, governmental, educational and religious organizations.
Areas Typically Not Funded
- Basic operating support except for professional development training leading to provider certifications or licensure
- Endowment funds
- Direct support of individuals; scholarships to private or parochial schools
- Travel and conferences; publication of books
- Projects that promote political or religious views
- Purchase of equipment except for technology purchases directly related to delivering public education support programs
2019 Board of Advisors
Keysha Walker Taylor, Chair, Civic Leader
Tynisha Campbell, Fifth Third Bank
Ed Franklin, Bank of America
Robert L. Mackey III, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
Kellie McGregor, Atrium Health Foundation
Lucious Taylor, Wells Fargo
