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Philanthropic Catalyst Cultivates Quality of Life for LGBT Community |
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Since 1982, Cream City Foundation has been meeting the needs, advancing the rights, and celebrating the lives of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people throughout Southeast Wisconsin. Cream City has increased its impact over the years by granting over $700,000, expanding its services, and building key partnerships to advance their mission.
"The Foundation provides support for and increases the visibility of LGBT organizations and projects," said Maria Cadenas, Cream City Foundation Executive Director. "For many years Cream City Foundation was the only source of funding available to LGBT causes."
Cream City Foundation has given start-up funding for numerous LGBT events; many have become notable for their success and growth.
Cream City provided a multi-year grant to establish Milwaukee's PrideFest in 1988. Twenty years later, over 15,000 people attended the three day festival which is one of the largest Pride celebrations in the nation.
Similarly, Milwaukee's LGBT Film/Video Festival just celebrated its 20th anniversary, made possible by a start-up grant from Cream City. One of the longest-running LGBT film festivals in the country, the festival has a permanent home with technical and artistic support from UW-Milwaukee's Peck School of the Arts.
More recently, Cream City has developed collaborations and partnerships with funders to execute strategic initiatives, including:
- Cream City LGBT Partnership Fund -comprised of Cream City Foundation, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, and National Lesbian and Gay Community Funding Partnership- aims to increase the number of new and non-LGBT donors to sexual orientation and gender identity issues. Starting in 2001 the Fund has conducted a needs- assessment of the LGBT community, dispersed over $150,000, and created a permanent fund within the Greater Milwaukee Foundation to address LGBT issues.
- Cream City Foundation representatives have served on an advisory board for the Women's Fund of Greater Milwaukee's Lesbian Fund since its inception in 2005, sharing its commitment to raising community consciousness of, and commitment to, the quality of lesbian life.
- With the help of its 41/26 Venture Committee, Cream City launched the first large-scale Gay Neighbor billboard campaign in August 2008 to raise awareness of common values among all people, including gay and transgender neighbors and their families. The successful one-month campaign included an educational website and resource book.
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| "Cream City Foundation's work has evolved over 25 to increase LGBT visibility, aid LGBT services, and empower our LGBT community's voice," said Cream City Foundation Executive Director Maria Cadenas. |
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1978-2008
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Snapshots of Philanthropy offers a glimpse into the many ways funders are making a different in our community. This is one in a series of 30 profiles created to celebrate the work of local grantmakers in recognition of the 30th Anniversary of the Donors Forum of Wisconsin.
The Donors Forum of Wisconsin is a membership association of grantmakers who support and promote effective philanthropy through networking, professional development, community leadership and knowledge. |
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