However, context is important here. The report said foundation funding for LGBTQ issues represented just 0.2% of the approximately $55 billion foundations are estimated to have granted in 2013.
According to the report, advocacy continued to be the most funded strategy in 2013, representing 48% of all funding—perhaps not surprising with same-sex marriage the headline issue of the day.
Most strategies saw funding similar to the year before, with the exception of funding for direct services, which increased by five percentage points to 18%.
The report said several funders' significantly increased investment in LGBTQ issues drove growth in 2013. The top five funders accounted for nearly half of foundation grants.
Following are the top 20 LGBTQ funders in 2013 and the top 10 grant recipients.
The top 20 funders of LGBTQ issues by dollar amount in 2013.
These accounted for 78% of this year's total grant making. Eight were LGBTQ-specific funders.
- Anonymous, various locations, $17.1 million
- Arcus Foundation, New York, $16.8 million
- Ford Foundation, New York, $15.3 million
- Gill Foundation, Denver, $7.1 million
- Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, San Francisco, $6.1 million
- Pride Foundation, Seattle, $5.3 million
- Open Society Foundations, New York, $4.5 million
- Wells Fargo Foundation, San Francisco, $3.7 million
- Tides Foundation, San Francisco, $3.4 million
- American Jewish World Service, New York, $2.6 million
- M.A.C. AIDS Fund, New York, $2.5 million
- H. van Ameringen Foundation, New York, $2.5 million
- Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, New York, $2.1 million
- Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights, Chicago, $2 million
- The California Endowment, Los Angeles, $2 million
- Proteus Fund—Civil Marriage Collaborative, Amherst, Mass., $1.7 million
- Calamus Foundation, New York, $1.7 million
- Elton John AIDS Foundation, New York, $1.7 million
- Henry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Owing Mills, Md., $1.6 million
- Levi Strauss & Co. Foundation, San Francisco, $1.4 million
Top 10 LGBTQ Grantees (excluding re-granting).
Eight of the 10 groups are dedicated almost exclusively to LGBTQ issues.
- Freedom to Marry, New York, $3.6 million
- National LGBTQ Task Force, Washington, D.C., $3.2 million
- Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders, New York, $2.6 million
- Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, New York, $2.5 million
- National Center For Lesbian Rights, New York, $2.2 million
- American Civil Liberties Union, New York, $2.2 million
- Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, Boston, $2.1 million
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, New York, $1.6 million
- African Men for Sexual Health and Rights, Johannesburg, S.A., $1.6 million
- Palm Center, San Francisco, $1.5 million
