LGBT+ Giving Circle members and supporters. Photo by Asa Shutts.

Celebrating 15 Years of Love and Philanthropy

The LGBT+ Giving Circle at Rochester Area Community Foundation has been building a loving philanthropic community in greater Rochester for 15 years. This June, members and supporters gathered at Fairport Brewing Company to honor the Giving Circle’s 15-year legacy, spotlight grantees, and celebrate the largest grant cycle since inception.

“Circles are places that people gather — to find warmth, belonging, and inspiration.”

— Simeon Banister, Rochester Area Community Foundation president & CEO

Paul Allen, chair of the grantmaking committee, described how members distributed a modest but meaningful $8,750 during the Circle’s first grant cycle in 2012. This year, nearly 90 people pooled their resources to award $68,250 in grants — a sevenfold increase from that inaugural year. “That’s phenomenal growth,” said Allen. 

Over its lifetime, the Giving Circle has distributed nearly $500,000 in grants to support the LGBTQ+ community, made possible by contributions ranging in size from $15 to $15,000.  

The 2026 grant cycle brought a significant change: to review applications earlier in the year so that grants could better support Pride-related programming. Knowing that other funding for LGBTQ+ organizations had become less reliable, members felt urgency to raise funds for a robust grant cycle in less than a year. Rather than scale back grantmaking, they rallied to meet the moment. 

Two longtime Giving Circle supporters, Jonathan Rosenfeld and Dr. Jerry Fisher, helped the Circle meet its fundraising goal with a successful $15,000 matching gift challenge. Their match encouraged 11 people to increase their gift this year and 10 people to give for the first time.  

An estate gift from longtime volunteer and friend of the Giving Circle, Howard Grossman bolstered this year’s grantmaking and will continue to add impact long into the future. 

“Thank you for the support and for encouraging us. The past few years have been tough, but new things are springing up all around us.”

— Rochester Rainbow Union, one of the 2026 grantees

To join in making our community more inclusive through collective giving, visit racf.org/LGBT+. 

About the LGBT+ Giving Circle 

The LGBT+ Giving Circle at Rochester Area Community Foundation unites donors to support organizations that serve, are inclusive of, or are allied with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to enhance and strengthen our region. Created in 2011, the circle makes grants from its LGBT+ Fund for Greater Rochester to cultivate a better community.