And the 2012 Vision Dinner

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

 Honorees Are... 

Stonewall Community Foundation is pleased to announce the 2012 Vision Dinner Honorees!  Visionary Award recipients will be:  

• Fire Island Pines Property Owners Association (Laurie Linton Visionary Award)
• Jennifer Costley (Paula Ettelbrick Visionary Award)
• Frank Selvaggi & Bill Shea (Allan Morrow Visionary Award)

The Fire Island Pines Property Owners Association (FIPPOA) is being honored for their continued support of Stonewall and New York City's LGBTQ community.  Since 1999 FIPPOA has awarded approximately $900,000 in grants to LGBTQ organizations in New York City via the Stonewall Community Foundation.  With their major fundraiser, the Pines Party, they've reminded all of us that we can have fun and give back at the same time.

Jennifer Costley is being honored for her leadership at the Anti-Violence Project, Hetrick-Martin Institute and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission.  Over the last 20 years Jennifer served on the board of directors as treasurer of each these critical community institutions.  As the most senior out lesbian at Credit Suisse, she also served as co-chair of their employee resource group, the Open Network. 

Frank Selvaggi & Bill Shea are being honored for the many contributions the couple has made to advancing LGBTQ equality.  Frank and Bill were married in Northampton, MA in 2004.  Frank is a CPA and Founding Partner at Altman, Greenfield & Selvaggi, LLP.  Frank served on the board of the Empire State Pride Agenda for 6 years, serving as Chair of ESPA for two years and as Co-Chair of ESPA's foundation board for three years.  Frank currently serves as Treasurer on the board of directors of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and on the board of directors of Freedom to Marry.  Bill is the National Creative Director of Autism Speaks.  Like Frank, Bill is a staunch LGBTQ advocate and currently serves on the board of directors of the Ali Forney Center.

Everyone at the Stonewall Community Foundation looks forward to recognizing these dedicated leaders at the 2012 Stonewall Vision Dinner on Wednesday, June 13 at Bridgewaters in lower Manhattan.  We're extremely grateful to have Marianne Haggerty and Paul Rodel as co-chairs of this year's Vision Dinner.  For more details on the Vision Dinner, click here.  To purchase a ticket or sponsorship, click here. 

If you're interested in becoming a table captain or have questions about getting involved as a sponsor in recognition of one of our honorees,  we invite you to attend our Vision Dinner Kick-Off on Tuesday, April 3 from 6pm-8pm at Diageo Corporate Headquarters.  Please contact Lyle Matthew Kan, Foundation & Events Manager, at either (212) 367-1533 or lyle.matthew.kan@stonewallfoundation.org for more details.

Are you a Community Champion?

At Stonewall Community Foundation we're excited to launch our latest monthly giving program: the Stonewall Community Champions.  Stonewall Community Champions will allow major donors the opportunity to strengthen our community by investing New York City's LGBTQ public charity and supporting grants aimed at helping at-risk LGBTQ youth (the future of our community).  The new program is being chaired by board treasurer Richard Winger. 

The members of Stonewall's Board of Directors have already joined at one of the monthly giving levels.  They include:

• $100 a month - Community Builder
• $250 a month - Community Engineer
• $500 a month - Community Architect
• $1,000 a month - Master Architect

Each giving level includes various benefits. For more information about the program, please reach out to staff liaison Lyle Matthew Kan at either lyle.matthew.kan@stonewallfoundation.org or (212) 367-1533.

 Stonewall Launches 2012 Grants Cycle

Stonewall Community Foundation is now accepting proposals for Strategic Partnership grants. This funding priority reflects our aim to encourage collaboration, cooperation, and coalition among LGBTQ nonprofits in New York City. When organizations come together in a thoughtful way to achieve a common vision, they maximize their potential impact and the likelihood of success. We are grateful for the opportunity to support local groups striving to make the most of their resources and relationships for the benefit of many. Depending on scope and cost, Stonewall will be awarding one-year, project-specific grants to a variety of partnership efforts. Grants will range from $5,000 to $15,000.

Click here to download the 2012 Request for Proposals

Completed proposals must be received by noon on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 in order to be considered. They will be reviewed and evaluated by our Grant Advisory Committee. Grant finalists will be notified by June 1.

Please read eligibility requirements and proposal guidelines carefully to determine whether you qualify to apply for funding. If you have any questions, please call us at 212-367-1155 or email Grants@stonewallfoundation.org.

Thank You Richard Burns!