LGBT Community Endowment

Who We Are 

The LGBT Community Endowment is at the heart of the LGBT Fund of The Erie Community Foundation. The LGBT Fund is overseen by a volunteer advisory board and works to fund and partner in community-led initiatives that advance the local LGBTQ+ population. Through mission-aligned grant-making, scholarships, and community education, the Fund works to realize our vision of a a united, vibrant, and thriving community for the LGBTQ+ population of the greater Erie region.

Our work: 

• Promote equity and inclusiveness and make the region a more welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ individuals


• Address disparities in health and wellness, safety, education, and opportunity that members of the LGBTQ+ community face


• Provide grants and scholarships to financial and mission-aligned organizations and individuals 

Our past grantees: 

Our most recent grantee, Compton's Table, was awarded $7,500 towards their True North program. The program is designed to empower queer youth and young adults for independence by providing free sessions to learn about various topics. These topics include budgeting, finding and maintaining housing, self-care, career development, self-advocacy, networking, social skills, and many more. 

Some of our other past grantees include the Greater Erie Alliance for Equality, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the Crime Victim Center. To learn more about these programs, please visit our website by clicking here.

These grants were made possible through the LGBT Community Endowment, and all gifts made on Erie Gives Day will help us to continue investing in nonprofits like these.

How You Can Support LGBTF

The LGBT Fund's grantmaking efforts would not be possible without the support of individual and corporate donors. The best way to support the fund is by contributing to our community endowment through the Erie Gives gift portal on this page. We have provided suggested donation levels above, but welcome all gifts. Thank you for making our impact possible!

if you are interested in becoming a part of the LGBT Fund by joining one of our various committees or becoming a board member, please reach out to Olivia Burgess at oburgess@eriecommunityfoundation.org.