Gay Community Endowment Fund Grant

The Gay Community Endowment Fund Grant, managed by the Akron Community Foundation, aims to enhance the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals in Greater Akron. Since its inception, the fund has distributed over $750,000 to support vital initiatives such as youth safety programs, mental health services, and scholarships for LGBTQ+ students. This grant is dedicated to advancing equality and improving the overall well-being of the community.

Since its establishment, the Gay Community Endowment Fund has invested more than $750,000 into local causes that change the lives of LGBTQ+ people in our community. Recent grants have created safer environments for LGBTQ+ youth, combated phobias of the LGBTQ+ community, and supported mental health and suicide prevention programs for LGBTQ+ people.
In addition, area students can apply for a scholarship from the GCEF Scholarship Fund, which supports LGBTQ+ and allied students who live or attend school in Summit, Medina, Portage, Stark and Wayne counties.
Apply to the Fund
The mission of the Gay Community Endowment Fund is to advance a lived equality for all LGBTQ+ people in Greater Akron. Its grants support programs that improve the health and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community and Greater Akron as a whole. Areas of focus include programs that create safer environments for LGBTQ+ youth, combat phobias of the LGBTQ+ community, and support mental health and suicide prevention programs for LGBTQ+ people, among other issues.

Eligibility

Approved 501(c)(3) organization serving Summit county.

Ineligibility

We do not make grants for:EndowmentsScholarshipsDirect financial support to individualsReligious organizations for religious purposesPrivate non-operating foundationsIn accordance with our grant-making priorities, we generally do not fund:Newly established nonprofit organizations that duplicate existing servicesCurriculum for schoolsDisease-specific programsEconomic development initiatives already being addressed by the Fund for Our Economic FuturePrograms at parochial schools that benefit only their studentsMulti-year grants