2023 marks the 30th anniversary of Pride celebration in Santa Fe, and for those who are looking for a way to make a difference, the Santa Fe Community Foundation would like to introduce you to the Envision Fund. The first and largest fund dedicated to LGBTQ+ causes in the state, the Envision Fund creates opportunities for allies and LGBTQ+ community members to come together and help nonprofits on the front lines who are dedicated to making New Mexico a more equitable place for all. Supporting the Envision Fund is, in a sense, a tangible way of putting your Pride into action.
What Is The Envision Fund?
Originally launched in 1997 under the name the Lesbian and Gay Community Funding Partnership – through grants provided by the National Lesbian and Gay Community Funding Partnership – the Santa Fe Community Foundation was able to establish the program that exists today. Over the years, the fund’s assets grew, with the help of local community-minded individuals and regional corporate sponsorships. In 2012, the name of the program was changed to the Envision Fund, in order to be more inclusive.
What’s important to remember is that in 1997, there were no other LGBTQ+ philanthropic entities, or other funds, in New Mexico. Right from the start, the program served the entire state and continues to do so as the largest LGBTQ+ funder in New Mexico. The people involved with the Santa Fe Community Foundation recognize that not everybody will be happy with an LGBTQ+ fund, but their primary mission is to serve everybody in New Mexico, regardless of political, religious, or antithetical affiliation.
Each year the Santa Fe Community Foundation’s Envision Fund advisory committee selects different grantees from nonprofits across the state who are serving the most vulnerable of the LGBTQ+ populations, such as trans youth who are experiencing homelessness or domestic violence, and school programs that are working toward anti-bullying initiatives.
Since its inception, this exceptional program has granted more than one million dollars to worthy causes and nonprofits. You can discover how the Santa Fe Community Foundation has helped many of these entities by visiting the Bulletin section of their website, where donor and grantee stories and testimonials illustrate the impact, such aid has had on them. You can also take a look at the 2022 grantees, which were publicly announced in December following the fall grant cycle, on the main page of the website.
Priorities of the Santa Fe Community Foundation
For people who want to support LGBTQ+ rights and causes, the Envision Fund is a great donating opportunity. Recently, the advisory committee decided to add holistic reproductive health and gender-affirming healthcare to their funding priorities, as a response to the political debate surrounding reproductive rights. Though there has always been a focus on health, the committee wanted to make their focus more directly on sexual education, abortion care, and reproductive and sexual health services.
As it stands now, the Envision Fund has established four priority areas for making grants. The first is creating an HIV-free generation, which speaks for itself. The second is combatting discrimination in whatever form, whether it be housing, employment, or access to health services. The third is supporting school-based programs which promote a safe environment for all students and includes anti-bullying initiatives. The fourth, as stated above, is promoting holistic reproductive health and gender-affirming healthcare.
The Envision Fund Needs You!
Your involvement, of course, is voluntary, but every dollar counts. If advocacy is your strong point, the Envision Fund creates opportunities for allies and LGBTQ+ community members to come together.
The Santa Fe Community Foundation will have a presence at the 2023 Pride on the Plaza event, held on June 24. Take this opportunity to introduce yourself and find out more about what you can do to help bring meaningful support to our community. You can also make donations directly on the website. Any way you do it, making a donation is a tangible way of putting your Pride into action.
For more information about the Santa Fe Community Foundation’s Envision Fund, visit the website. Now is a very critical time to be supportive.
This article was posted by Jesse Williams
