( New York, NY - January 30, 2017 ) Funders for LGBTQ Issues released a new infographic, Philanthropy OUTlook: LGBTQ Criminalization and Criminal Justice Reform ( 2017 ).
The infographic is available for download at www.lgbtfunders.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Philanthropy_OUTlook_LGBTQ_Criminalization_and_Criminal_Justice_Reform.pdf .
The infographic explores the scope and character of funding to address LGBTQ criminalization and criminal justice reform. It finds that the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, and Arcus Foundation are among the top grantmakers addressing LGBTQ criminalization and criminal justice reform.
The infographic raises awareness about how LGBTQ people are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. It notes that biased policing and aggressive sentencing make LGBTQ people more likely to face time in prison, where they often face poor treatment and abuse. It also explores funding for LGBTQ criminalization and criminal justice reform, which, while still small, is growing.
The new infographic illustrates:
Funding for LGBTQ criminalization and criminal justice reform has increased from $1.2 million in 2013 to nearly $5.1 million in 2015.
More than 75 percent of the funding supports advocacy work, the bulk of which goes to community organizing.
The majority of local and statewide funding for LGBTQ criminalization and criminal justice reform went to the Northeast and the South.
The top five funders - Anonymous Donors, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, Arcus Foundation, and Tides - account for nearly two-thirds of LGBTQ criminalization and criminal justice funding.
"In the context of increased criminalization of various marginalized communities, including undocumented immigrants and Muslims, funding at the intersection of LGBTQ rights and criminalization is more crucial than ever before," said Ben Francisco Maulbeck, President of Funders for LGBTQ Issues.
Funders for LGBTQ Issues is a network of foundations, corporations, and other donors seeking to mobilize philanthropic resources that enhance the well-being of LGBTQ communities, promote equity and advance racial, economic and gender justice.
