Grants

In 2006, Astraea initiated a multi-year grantmaking program in the U.S.. Grants are made to organizations that demonstrate significant movement, leadership and creative community organization strategies f or social change within and beyond LGBTI communities. Each of the following is a 3-year grant totaling $150,000 ($50,000 per year). Additionally, each of the following organizations participate in strategic Astraea convenings where they share experiences, strategies and build skills to forward their organizational and movement efforts.

FIERCE! Organizing TLGBTSQQ Youth of Color (New York, NY) is a community organizing project for Transgender, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Queer and Questioning (TLGBTSQQ) youth of color in New York City. FIERCE! uses a mix of leadership development, artistic and cultural activism, political education and campaign development to organize around critical issues including: employment, education, violence and access to public space. $50,000 (First year of a 3-year grant, totaling $150,000)

Southerners on New Ground (Durham, NC) builds progressive movement across the South by integrating work against racism, sexism and economic injustice into LGBT organizing and integrating anti-homophobia work into other freedom struggles in the South. SONG's programs concentrate on leadership development and creating critical spaces for progressive LGBT leaders to build effective organizing strategies in the South. $50,000 (First year of a 3-year grant, totaling $150,000)

TGI Justice Project (Oakland, CA) works to challenge and end human rights abuses committed against transgender, gender variant/genderqueer and intersex (TGI) people in California prisons and beyond. The Project recognizes that poverty resulting from pervasive discrimination and marginalization of TGI people is a major underlying cause of TGI people serving time in prison. The Project addresses human rights abuses against TGI prisoners through a combination of direct services and community organizing. Grant in year one supports hiring of a full-time community organizer. $50,000 (First year of a 3-year grant, totaling $150,000)

In addition to the grants indicated above, Astraea was able to make a fourth Movement-Building Grant in the summer of 2006:

Esperanza Peace & Justice Center (San Antonio, TX) is a multi-issue, grassroots social justice and cultural organization with an effective history of organizing San Antonio's progressive communities in the midst of significant rightwing attacks. Grant supports development of the Esperanza Network's coalition of organizations in San Antonio and South Texas, as well as their Puentes de Poder Community School to build a core of trained organizers and activists in Southern Texas. $150,000 over three years