Beyond Pride Grant Fund

Grants will be made to to support programs that expand upon the following focus areas:

• Housing (including homelessness services, transitional housing, and permanent housing programs)

• Crisis Response and Resource Navigation

• Community Events and Programming

• Legal Assistance and Support

• Wellbeing, Physical Health, and Mental Health Services

• Economic Mobility

If you have any questions about this prioritization, please feel free to contact Kimberly Rhoten at kimberly.rhoten@boston.gov.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss the grant in more detail, please email the Grant Program Manager (kimberly.rhoten@boston.gov) or lgbtq@boston.gov OR attend our office hours:

MOLA Beyond Pride Grant Office Hours

• Tuesday, September 30 · 5:00 – 6:30pm

• Time zone: America/New_York

• Google Meet joining info

  • Video call link

• Or dial: ‪(US) +1 980-354-3075‬ PIN: ‪791 880 010‬#

• More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/xpm-qkgb-mpw?pin=4318374365933

PLEASE NOTE: In response to ongoing feedback from community organizations and residents—who have expressed a preference for prioritizing basic community needs over Pride events—this grant may provide up to $5,000 per grantee for Pride-related events taking place during Pride season (May–July 2026). A total of no more than $25,000 of the $275,000 will be awarded across all Pride specific recipients.

Eligibility Criteria:

• 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organizations serving Boston’s LGBTQIA2S+ community:

  • Community-based organizations that do not have non-profit status must partner with a fiscal sponsor that is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you do NOT have a fiscal sponsor, our staff will assist you.

  • We are not offering this grant to individuals or for-profit entities, regardless of a fiscal sponsorship. If you have questions about your particular organization, please contact kimberly.rhoten@boston.gov. 

• Any grant funded program or event must be open to the public and free to participants;

• Committed to the advancement, empowerment, and inclusion of LGBTQIA2S+ community in the social, economic, civic, and cultural life of Boston;

• Demonstrates an understanding and response to the diverse LGBTQIA2S+ community needs of Boston;

• Demonstrated a history of collaboration, providing a sustainable resources, advocacy work and/or providing direct service.

• Be in good financial standing with both the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the IRS, and be in good standing with current or previous MOLA grant reporting requirements.

Grant Application Evaluation Criteria:

The following factors will be considered by reviewers

1)  Alignment with Grant Intention and Community Needs: The proposed project should be in alignment with the intention of the grant as well as the application establishes clear linkage between community need and proposed programming.

2)  Timeline: The organization is capable of carrying out the proposed project within the grant period. 

3)  Capacity and Expertise: Organization has experience providing LGBTQIA2S+ affirming programming as well as particular expertise in conducting the proposed grant funded project, programming or event. 

4)  Outreach Plan: The applicant's outreach plan is equitable and realistic. 

5)  Use of Funds: Optimal use of grant funds, dollar spent per impacted individual is reasonable, and the proposed project is impactful for City of Boston Residents 

Reporting Requirements:

Grantees will be required to submit an impact report on basic program metrics, what services and goods were provided, and demographic information. This report will be due by July 31, 2026. The survey will be provided by MOLA no later than May 2026. 



Questions? 

Please contact Acting Chief of Staff, Kimberly Rhoten, in the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQIA2S+ Advancement, at kimberly.rhoten@boston.gov, OR lgbtq@boston.gov if you have questions about the guidance above, this application, or the eligibility requirements for funding from the City of Boston. 

For this year’s grant cycle, we are prioritizing programming and events aligned with the needs and priorities identified in MOLA’s recent community survey, completed in Summer 2025. This decision reflects our commitment to addressing the key areas highlighted by our constituents and ensuring grant funding is directed toward initiatives that resonate most with the community we serve.

Eligibility Criteria:

• 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organizations serving Boston’s LGBTQIA2S+ community:

  • Community-based organizations that do not have non-profit status must partner with a fiscal sponsor that is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you do NOT have a fiscal sponsor, our staff will assist you.

  • We are not offering this grant to individuals or for-profit entities, regardless of a fiscal sponsorship. If you have questions about your particular organization, please contact kimberly.rhoten@boston.gov. 

• Any grant funded program or event must be open to the public and free to participants;

• Committed to the advancement, empowerment, and inclusion of LGBTQIA2S+ community in the social, economic, civic, and cultural life of Boston;

• Demonstrates an understanding and response to the diverse LGBTQIA2S+ community needs of Boston;

• Demonstrated a history of collaboration, providing a sustainable resources, advocacy work and/or providing direct service.

• Be in good financial standing with both the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the IRS, and be in good standing with current or previous MOLA grant reporting requirements.

Grant Application Evaluation Criteria

The following factors will be considered by reviewers

1)  Alignment with Grant Intention and Community Needs: The proposed project should be in alignment with the intention of the grant as well as the application establishes clear linkage between community need and proposed programming.

2)  Timeline: The organization is capable of carrying out the proposed project within the grant period. 

3)  Capacity and Expertise: Organization has experience providing LGBTQIA2S+ affirming programming as well as particular expertise in conducting the proposed grant funded project, programming or event. 

4)  Outreach Plan: The applicant's outreach plan is equitable and realistic. 

5)  Use of Funds: Optimal use of grant funds, dollar spent per impacted individual is reasonable, and the proposed project is impactful for City of Boston Residents 

Reporting Requirements:

Grantees will be required to submit an impact report on basic program metrics, what services and goods were provided, and demographic information. This report will be due by July 31, 2026. The survey will be provided by MOLA no later than May 2026. 



Questions? 

Please contact Acting Chief of Staff, Kimberly Rhoten, in the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQIA2S+ Advancement, at kimberly.rhoten@boston.gov, OR lgbtq@boston.gov if you have questions about the guidance above, this application, or the eligibility requirements for funding from the City of Boston.