Fund will grant $15,000 to an idea that promotes equality

FORT MYERS, Fla. (July 10, 2017) – A fund of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation, the LGBT Community Fund of Southwest Florida is placing its annual call for letters of idea (LOI) to grant $15,000 to an idea that promotes equality for LGBT community members receiving services in elder care and/or senior housing in Southwest Florida.

Agency leaders and interested organizations may begin the application process by reviewing the guidelines and accessing the online application portal under the ‘Nonprofit Partners’ tab on the Community Foundation’s website at www.FloridaCommunity.com. The LOI is not a full traditional request for proposal (RFP) but a one-page snapshot of a program or project idea. Projects or programs may include, but are not limited to, further research on elder care and/or senior housing for the LGBT community, a pilot program with existing organizations, or community education on elder care and/or senior housing for the LGBT community.  Deadline for applications is July 28.

The submitted letters of idea will then be narrowed based on alignment with the LGBT Community Fund priorities, and the top collaborative programs/projects partners will be invited to the Compassionate Shark Tank on Sept. 21. Applicants will be asked to prepare a three-minute presentation for the panel. The panel will then ask any questions that arise on the LOI and presentation.

The steering committee of the LGBT Community Fund has final discretion of the Fund distribution from the above outlined process. Awards will be announced October 2017.

The LGBT Community Fund of Southwest Florida is a multi-donor fund that allows donors to support the LGBT community by making a gift in honor or a memorial gift in memory of someone special, become an LGBT Community Fund participant or create a legacy fund as part of one’s estate plan to benefit the LGBT Fund in perpetuity.

The Southwest Florida Community Foundation cultivates regional change for the common good through collective leadership, social innovation and philanthropy to address the evolving community needs in Southwest Florida. The Foundation partners with individuals, families and corporations who have created more than 400 philanthropic funds. Thanks to them, the Foundation invested $5 million in grants and programs to the community last year.

For more information on the LGBT Community Fund, visit www.LGBTSWFL.com.