DC LGBTQ youth groups face funding ‘crisis’ from Trump anti-trans policies
The D.C. based LGBTQ youth advocacy and support groups SMYAL and the Wanda Alston Foundation, which among other things provide housing for homeless LGBTQ youth, have stated in recent messages to supporters that they face a potential funding “crisis” from Trump administration policies.
In fundraising messages sent to supporters by email, the two groups say Trump’s executive orders threatening to cut off all federal funding for organizations that provide services to transgender people, especially trans youth, could prevent them from providing what they call life-saving services to trans youth as well as all LGBTQ youth in D.C
The D.C. based LGBTQ youth advocacy and support groups SMYAL and the Wanda Alston Foundation, which among other things provide housing for homeless LGBTQ youth, have stated in recent messages to supporters that they face a potential funding “crisis” from Trump administration policies.
In fundraising messages sent to supporters by email, the two groups say Trump’s executive orders threatening to cut off all federal funding for organizations that provide services to transgender people, especially trans youth, could prevent them from providing what they call life-saving services to trans youth as well as all LGBTQ youth in D.C.
“Right now, the Wanda Alston Foundation’s youth and staff are facing unprecedented attacks, and we are grappling with one of the most challenging funding crises in our history,” the group states in a Feb. 6 email message to supporters.
The message notes that the Trump administration policies threatening to cut off funding for trans related youth programs were occurring at the same time that D.C. government agencies have “severely delayed payments” to groups like the Alston Foundation that rely on D.C. grants.
“This bureaucratic chaos is happening while LGBTQ+ youth—already disproportionately affected by homelessness and mental health crises—face increasing hostility in the political and social climate,” the Alston Foundation message says.
Kurt Vorndran, a member of Alston Foundation’s board of directors, told the Blade the group also was initially concerned that Trump’s executive orders targeting diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) programs “would compromise, eliminate, or reduce our grants that we receive.” He said the Alston Foundation was relieved that the court orders halting the funding cuts at least temporarily have not resulted in the group losing any of its grant funds so far.
“We still feel that this administration has the potential for threatening our grants,” Vondran said. But he added that the fundraising appeal in its earlier email message drew a generous response from the community.
“It was the largest response ever that the Wanda Alston Foundation has received on an email appeal,” Vorndran said. “It was a great response from our community.”