Creating Better Partnerships That Sustain LGBTQIA+ Relationships
Dear nonprofit leaders,
When I say “LGBTQIA+ relationships” I mean ALL relationships. Staff, board, community members, volunteers, clients, donors, supporters…all of them.
Your relationships with community partners – no matter how big or small – have meaning. When you’re working to better engage the LGBTQIA+ community, it’s important (albeit vital!) to understand who you’re partnering with, what they do, and why you partner with them.
Who you are partnered with makes a difference. There are organizations out there of all sizes who are blatantly and not so blatantly anti-LGBTQIA+. Usually, (usually) a simple Google search of “[partner name] lgbt” will tell you all you need to know.
LGBTQIA+ people pay attention to your relationships (especially younger generations) and it’s important to be aware of even just the general public’s perception of an organization. We’re talking about navigating misinformation here, which is a topic in itself, but the key is when in doubt, you’re probably better off. And because LGBTQIA+ people pay attention to your relationships, doesn’t mean THEY should be the ones doing the research on who’s anti-LGBT or not. This can be really triggering for our community.
That being said, ask yourself: Do you fully understand who your partners are? Do the people who are in charge of developing and sustaining relationships?
When we talk about WHAT your partner organizations do…THIS is what LGBTQIA+ people pay attention to. Who are your partners supporting? Whose voices are being uplifted by your partners? What other projects are they involved in? Be cautious of being the token charity for an organization that thinks they can get away with anti-LGBT hate…
Be aware of anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric and practices from your partners or potential partners. You’re likely already doing research and vetting your partners, whether they are grant funders, sponsors, collaborators, or otherwise. Add a few checkboxes onto your vetting checklist to be sure you’re aligning yourself with other LGBT-friendly organizations.
Most nonprofits will refuse to engage with companies that do not align with their mission – if you want to serve the LGBTQIA+ community…you should partner with people who also align with that desire. :)
At the end of the day…actions speak louder than words. Don’t put yourself in a position where you have to aplogize profusely. Don’t apoligize, do better!
It’s OK to change when you’re presented with new information. This is where the willingness and courage to have uncomfortable conversations comes in. IF you do discover some anti-LGBT tendencies in your partners…what are you going to do about it?
The best advice in these difficult situations is to always always always connect back to your mission and values. Your driving forces. You can never go wrong.
Sincerely,
Queers
Queer For Hire provides fundraising support and LGBTQIA+ diversity training for nonprofits, professionals, and corporations.
Learn about our Fundraising Services <here> – we’ll lead or support your fundraising efforts, whether you need general support or want to focus on raising money from and for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Learn about our Fundraising Trainings <here> – we can coach your board, staff, and fundraising team on how to fundraise and how to engage LGBTQIA+ donors.
Learn about our other services <here> or our resources <here>.
