The GLBT Community Projects Fund, a special grant making initiative of Dade Community Foundation,  announces the completion of its third cycle of grant awards, totaling $136,100.  The GLBT Community Project Fund is staffed and managed by the Foundation with the leadership of a community Advisory Committee. The Fund's purpose is to advance education and public awareness with respect to GLBT issues and to support the local GLBT community. The program is the result of a unique alliance between the Foundation and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, headquartered in Washington, DC, which in 2005 assumed leadership for continuing two of Greater Miami's signature events for the GLBT community - the Winter Party Festival, held each year in early  March, and the Miami Recognition Dinner, held each November. Two-thirds of the net proceeds raised annually are contributed to the GLBT Community Projects Fund for grantmaking. The 2007 GLBT Community Projects Fund grantees are:

American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Florida, Inc. - $10,000 - To retain a Field Coordinator to coordinate the ACLU Campaign in opposition to the proposed Anti-Marriage Consitutional Amendment.

Aqua Foundation for Women, Inc. - $6,000 - To support the Lesbian Health Initiative Project which intends to improve the health outcomes and wellness levels of lesbians in Miami-Dade County by expanding and increasing the effectiveness of the health infrastructure.  

Camposition, Inc. - $3,100 -  To support a series of Subversive Cabarets that will target GLBT youth and older members of the community and will focus on issues related to Anita Bryant's fight against anti-discrimination legislation and the legacy of that struggle.

Equality Florida Human Rights Education Project, Inc. - $20,000 - To support the Young Voices for Equality program which will communicate and gain support among GSAs (Gay-Straight Alliances) and other LGBT inclusive diversity clubs on secondary school campuses. 

Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, Inc. - $15,000  - To support the 10th Annual MGLFF which focuses on an exhibition of internationally diverse film, video and other media that offer historical and contemporary perspectives on the GLBT experience.  

Miami Gay Men's Chorus, Inc. - $10,000 -  To support the work and activities related to ensuring MGMC's successful participation in the planning of the GALA Choruses Festival 2008.  

Pridelines Youth Services, Inc. - $12,000 -  To support Rites of Passage, a partnership between Pridelines and FuturePoint, a nonprofit organization that empowers young people to achieve greatness personally, socially, academically and professionally through innovative youth development and leadership program that specifically targets LGBTQ youth and their straight allies ages 13-20. 

Safe Schools South Florida, Inc. - $15,000 -  To provide for the continued expansion of the Safe Schools Project which trains existing and aspiring administrative personnel in issues faced by LGBTQ youth. 

SAVE Foundation, Inc. - $15,000 - To build on existing field efforts by increasing volunteer participation, galvanizing community support and identifying community needs for Miami-Dade's LGBT community.  

Stonewall Library and Archives, Inc. - $5,000  - To install the exhibition 'Days Without Sunshine: Anita Bryant's Anti-Gay Crusade' during the 2008 Winter Party Festival. This 20-panel exhibition explores the 'Save Our Children' campaign which successfully repealed a 1977 Miami-Dade ordinance that outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, housing and public accommodation. 

Switchboard of Miami, Inc. - $15,000 - To develop and implement a marketing campaign for the GLBT Suicide Awareness Initiative to broadcast the availability of services offered via Info-Ads, the production of brochures, work to sensitize leaders of community organizations and an academic paper that will discuss the statistics to help address suicide on a national level. 

University of Miami - Miller School of Medicine - $2,000 - To support MedicOUT a University of Miami medical student run GLBT ally organization that aims to create a curriculum that accurately reflects pertinent health issues of the GLBT population; to train the medical community about those issues and to promote awareness and education and awareness post-training to students and medical professionals.

YES Institute - $8,000 - To provide workshops in communication and education on gender/orientation to teachers, students, Sexual Minority Youth Network counselors, Safe Schools Coordinators and School Social Workers in MDCPS. Workshops will also be provided for faculty and students in private schools throughout Miami-Dade and to deaf and hard of hearing students, their teachers and counselors.

Jerry Chasen, Esq.,
GLBT Advisory Committee Chair

Board member and GLBT Community Projects Fund Advisor Damian Pardo with Alison Burgos of Aqua Foundation for Women

Edward Guedes, Esq., GLBT Community Projects Fund Advisor, with Michael Yawney and Jose Vilanova of Camposition

Gloria Bauta of Equality Florida with Gigi Laudisio, GLBT Community Projects Fund Advisor

Peter Wharton, GLBT Community Projects Fund Advisor, with Kirk Paskal and Carol Coombes of the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival

Edward Guedes, Esq. with Afework Afework and Robert Loupo, Safe Schools South Florida

Frank Sanabria, Switchboard Miami; Liebe Gadinsky; and Edward Straub, Switchboard Miami

Damian Pardo with Fernando Suarez and Dr. Ana Campo, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.