Fortitude Fund Grants is a grant from Pride Foundation that funds LGBTQ+ organizations in the Pacific Northwest facing increased or new urgent needs in a hostile political climate. The fund provides rapid, responsive support to help LGBTQ+ nonprofits maintain operations, adapt programs, and address emergencies created by anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, administrative actions, and community crises. The fund has made $1.

75 million available to support organizations across the Pride Foundation service region including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Eligible applicants are LGBTQ+ organizations experiencing heightened or new urgent needs. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis when the fund is open; organizations should check the Pride Foundation website for current availability.

Fortitude Fund - Pride Foundation Applications for the Fortitude Fund are now closed. Please check back for updates. [Fund information translated into Spanish.

/ Información del fondo traducida al español.] Across the country, LGBTQ+ communities are facing an increasingly hostile political climate that threatens our safety, well-being, 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, and mobilizing resources to support them. In that spirit, we launched the Fortitude Fund, a new initiative designed to provide timely, flexible resources to LGBTQ+ organizations confronting these escalating challenges .

The Fortitude Fund is not just about providing resources—it is about standing firm in our commitment to LGBTQ+ communities in the face of adversity. We refuse to let hostility and discrimination go unanswered. With the support of our community and partners, we will continue to persevere, ensuring that those most impacted have the resources they need to thrive.

We invite organizations meeting the eligibility criteria to apply. Together, we will face these challenges with strength, solidarity, and fortitude. 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 LGBTQ+ 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 the current socio-political environment being spurred by the current presidential administration, state-level legislative activities, and the broader cultural realities these factors are creating.

We are to be able to move additional grants this year due to the increased funds we’ve raised from our foundation partners and donors who recognize the urgency of this moment.

As we have done with initiatives like this in years past (our Rapid Response Fund during the first Trump administration, and our Community Care Fund during the COVID pandemic), we are committed to distributing resources as we raise them, as quickly as we can, to ensure that they reach those who need them most— when they need them most.

How the Fortitude Fund Works The Fortitude Fund is a rolling, 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 until all available funds are moved.

We have limited funds available and later dates for review may be tentative based on remaining dollars, though we will continue to fundraise additional dollars to move as the year progresses. 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 to $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 was September 29, 2025, at 6pm PDT.

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 6pm PDT This is our final cycle of the Fortitude Fund as funds have been moved quickly to community. The application is now closed.

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, and/or Washington Our primary grantmaking priorities are organizations experiencing increased, exacerbated, or new urgent needs due to the increasingly hostile socio-political landscape on the federal, state, and local levels, and who 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 nonbinary 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.

What information do I need to apply? You can check out a PDF version of our application to check out our questions before applying! Is there a word limit for the narrative questions in the application?

You can check the PDF version of our application to review character limits for each question. The length of your response does not impact your score. How do you review or evaluate applications?

You can learn more about our evaluation process through the PDF version of our rubric . Can you apply more than once a year? If your organization has additional unforeseen needs, you can apply again.

Is this a multi-year grant? No, all grants for this fund are for one-year. I’m already a grantee of Pride Foundation, am I still eligible for this fund?

The written application is inaccessible for our organization, are there other ways we can apply? Yes! You can email kaleigh@pridefoundation.

org to talk about other options to apply. Due to organizational capacity, phone applications will be available on a case-by-case basis. Fortitude Fund Application is now closed.

Final deadline for the Fortitude Fund was September 29, 2025, at 6pm PDT. Provide critical funding to organizations who are building stronger, safer communities for LGBTQ+ youth, adults, and families. Learn more about the incredible impact our grantees are making in communities across all five of our Northwest regions.

Meet Our Current Grantees Get answers to all of your questions and more on our Frequently Asked Questions page. Join our email list for LGBTQ+ news and updates. If you are human, leave this field blank.