The Fortitude Fund 2025

The Fortitude Fund

[https://pridefoundation.org/find-funding/grants/what-we-fund/]

Across the country, LGBTQ+ communities are facing an increasingly hostile political climate that threatens their safety, security, and fundamental rights. From legislative attacks on transgender and nonbinary individuals to funding cuts for essential services, the challenges are growing—and so is the need for urgent, responsive support.

At Pride Foundation, we have always been committed to meeting our communities where they are, responding with agility and care to the shifting realities they face. In that spirit, we are launching the Fortitude Fund, a new initiative designed to provide immediate, flexible resources to LGBTQ+ organizations and individuals confronting these escalating challenges.

Why We Created the Fortitude Fund

This fund is an extension of Pride Foundation’s long-standing commitment to being a low-barrier, responsive funder to our grantees, using our strong relationships, community trust, and ecosystem knowledge to move nimbly through these changing circumstances.

We know that in times of crisis, the ability to act quickly can make all the difference. The Fortitude Fund was created to support the most pressing needs emerging from the current socio-political landscape, particularly those affecting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) communities.

The goal of this fund is to meet the most urgent and exacerbated needs, supporting organizations whose work and communities they serve are most intimately impacted by actions happening at the legislative level.

We are excited and able to move additional grants this year due to the increased funds we’ve raised from our philanthropic partners and donors who recognize the urgency of this moment. We are committed to distributing all available funds within our fiscal year to ensure resources reach those who need them most—when they need them most.

How the Fortitude Fund Works

The Fortitude Fund is a rolling-basis, adaptable fund designed specifically for organizations experiencing increased, exacerbated, or new urgent needs due to the increasingly hostile socio-political landscape on the federal, state, and local levels.

This grant will remain open for one year or until all available funds are moved as it is a rolling application. Because this grant is reliant on additional funds, funding is finite and later dates for review may be tentative based on available dollars.

This Fund Provides:

• Grant awards ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 (organizations are encouraged to apply for the amount they need, whether higher or lower). The average grant award size will likely range from $10,000-$20,000.

• General operating funds, allowing grantees to allocate resources where they are most needed.

• Rolling application process, ensuring funds are distributed until all available funds are moved.

  • Our final deadline for the Fortitude Fund is September 29, 2025 at 6:00pm PDT.

This Fund is Not For:

• Emergency funding requiring immediate turnaround (funds will be distributed approximately one month after review dates).

• Funding for general activities, events, or programs unrelated to the current socio-political climate.

Application Timeline & Process

The Fortitude Fund will remain open until all funds are disbursed. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with the following key dates:

• First Round of Review: March 7, 2025

• Second Round of Review: April 11, 2025

• Third Round of Review: September 29, 2025 at 6:00pm PDT

This is our final cycle of the Fortitude Fund as funds have been moved quickly to community. All applications must be submitted by the deadline in order to be included for review.

Who Can Apply

Organizations must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or have a fiscal sponsor.

• Be based in and conduct work in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington.

Our primary grantmaking priorities are:

• LGBTQ+ organizations serving Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and 2STNBI (Two-Spirit, Transgender, Nonbinary, and Intersex) and whose leadership reflects these communities.  

• LGBTQ+ organizations that are innovatively supporting communities when or where nobody else is, especially smaller, grassroots organizations and those who don’t have access to mainstream funding sources.

  • By “smaller” we mean LGBTQ+ organizations with a budget $1 million or less. Organizations with a budget larger than $1 million will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The Fortitude Fund will prioritize organizations working in the following areas:

• Black and Indigenous Movement Building: This is specifically for Black and/or Indigenous-led organizations that’s work involves ongoing efforts to build community power. This includes but is not limited to any time-sensitive community organizing and direct action, legal or bail fees, leadership training, skills-building, coalition building, and legislative or ballot initiatives campaigns.

• 2STNBI(Two-Spirit, Transgender, Nonbinary, and Intersex ) Support: Assistance for organizations that are 2STNBI-led whose work primarily involves supporting trans and non-binary folks. This includes but is not limited to ID changes, access to gender-affirming care, mental health services, advocacy, and educational trainings.

• Safety and Security: Resources for LGBTQ+ organizations and individuals facing threats, including security planning and legal support. This includes but is not limited to needing to conduct safety planning, purchasing security equipment, changing locations/move to remote work, etc. You do not need to have already faced an incident to apply for this specific priority area.

• Mutual Aid Programs: For organizations that have mutual-aid programs to help support LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities directly.

• Immigration Support: For organizations with programs and/or projects that primarily focus on supporting LGBTQ+ immigrants. This includes but is not limited to legal fees and aid, educational trainings, community outreach, translation and interpretation services, legislative or ballot initiative campaigns, and housing support. 

• Housing Assistance: For organizations with programs and/or projects that primarily focus on addressing housing insecurity for LGBTQ+ folks. This includes supporting queer and trans folks who have been displaced and forced to move for their safety, rental and housing assistance, transitional housing, etc. 

• Health and Wellness: For LGBTQ+ organizations with programs and/or projects that primarily focus on reproductive health, HIV/AIDs support, and/or supporting queer and trans youth. This is inclusive of direct services (medical care and support) and indirect services (community outreach, education, connection, etc.).

• Creative Collaborations: For LGBTQ+ organizations that are working towards coalition building, establishing networks, and/or partners across their region. This also includes organizations that are partnering with other organizations for new programs.