CHICAGO — June 15, 2023 —The TAWANI Foundation announces grants totaling $1,652,940 to support LGBTQIA+ educational and research institutes across the country in observance of Pride Month. An additional $725,000 in matching funds are available under these grants.
Pride Month is dedicated to the celebration and commemoration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender pride. The TAWANI Foundation recognizes this observance and the importance of ongoing research by committing to various institutes, including:
Equality Illinois Institute — $165,000 to partially support staff salaries and benefits for three years, plus sponsorship of the organization's annual galas. The grant will also advance equal treatment and social justice through education, advocacy, and protection of the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community, particularly seeking to increase emphasis in media for issues relating to women, people of color, and trans/queer individuals.
Equality Ohio Education Fund — $100,000 to support educational resources and messaging intended to combat anti-transgender misinformation. This group is the lead for a five-state cohort (OH, KY, GA, FL, TX) that shares messaging strategies, intelligence, and communication resources.
Williams Institute at UCLA Law School - $275,000 to support the institute's work in transgender research, judicial training, and to fund general operating costs. The Foundation will provide a match for specific cash donations received by the organization, up to $225,000.
Howard Brown Health Center — $500,000 to support a capital campaign to relocate, build and expand clinical facilities. The facility is expected to open this year. The foundation will also match any private cash donations restricted to this purpose, up to $500,000.
University of Minnesota Foundation — $387,940 to support phase III of the Tretter Transgender Oral History Project, which will expand the project's reach nationwide and allow for sophisticated online resources, workshops and tools for oral history volunteers. The project also documents the stories of transgender adults through recorded interviews and makes them available to the public.
Cornell University — $225,000 to support in support of the What We Know Project at the Center for the Study of Inequality. The TAWANI Foundation's grant will fund research and communication to bring greater awareness and understanding to the diversity of LGBTQ lives worldwide.
"The TAWANI Foundation is proud to support education and research initiatives that aim to build a brighter future for all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity," said Col. (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (retired), founder of the TAWANI Foundation. "These grants will help institutions advance their missions by providing critical resources and services that foster growth, innovation, and inclusion for the LGBTQIA+ community."
To learn more about TAWANI Foundation grants, visit www.tawanifoundation.org/our-grants/ .
About TAWANI Foundation
Founded in 2002 by notable philanthropist and entrepreneur Colonel (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired), TAWANI Enterprises' philanthropic organization, the TAWANI Foundation is a 501(c)(3) that provides support in the areas of arts and culture, historical preservation, health and wellness, LGBT and human rights, education and environmental initiatives. TAWANI Foundation's vision is to make a sustained and measurable difference for organizations that focus on enriching knowledge, improving health and wellness, and promoting scientific understanding — all with a common goal of making a positive, long-term impact on individuals, communities, and the culture itself. To learn more, visit www.tawanifoundation.org .
