Horizons Foundation

Horizons Foundation, a philanthropic social justice organization, serves the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community throughout the Bay Area and beyond.

Mission
A community foundation rooted in and dedicated to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, Horizons Foundation exists to:


 * Mobilize and increase resources for the LGBT movement and organizations that secure the rights, meet the needs, and celebrate the lives of LGBT people.
 * Empower individual donors and promote giving as an integral part of a healthy, compassionate community.
 * Steward a permanently endowed fund through which donors can make legacy gifts to ensure our community's capacity to meet the future needs of LGBT people.
 * Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Horizons aspires to set a stellar example of effective community based philanthropy in all its work.

Grantmaking
Since the beginning, Horizons has provided financial support to community organizations and causes in areas ranging from youth to elders, from LGBT arts and culture to civil rights advocacy.

Leadership development
Strategic Partnership Program provides support and training to the leaders of key Bay Area community organizations. And every year the Cornerstone Awards recognize outstanding LGBT leaders and philanthropists.

Donor education
Annual Philanthropy Series keeps donors connected and involved through issue briefings and seminars. The sessions-on topics from domestic partnership laws to charitable giving plans-are designed increase the giving capacity of the LGBT community and sharpen the impact of individual donors.

Donor services
Horizons offers a variety of tailored philanthropic vehicles, such as donor-advised funds, scholarship funds, and field of interest funds. They also work with individuals and professional advisors on customized gift and estate planning.

Philanthropic advocacy
Horizons links the larger philanthropic world with LGBT organizations and causes, opening doors to new sources of funding for our community.

History
Horizons Foundation had its start as the philanthropic committee of the Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA), the nation’s first “gay chamber of commerce.” The thousands of LGBT people who made the San Francisco Bay Area home in the 1970s also helped gay-owned businesses thrive. Under the leadership of President Arthur Lazere, GGBA recognized that for the community to continue to develop, they needed to raise money to support emerging LGBT organizations and issues while encouraging LGBT nonprofits to build the infrastructure they would need to grow. Thanks to the hard work of GGBA’s Philanthropic Committee Chair, Roger Gross, they established the GGBA Foundation in 1980 to take on this role.

Funding / Support
Horizons offers multiple ways to give, including United Way, donor-advised fund and gifts of stock.


 * Donation information
 * Donate online

Foundation funding
Horizons Foundation has received financial support from:
 * The California Endowment
 * The California Wellness Foundation
 * Ford Foundation
 * Funders for LGBTQ Issues
 * Funding Exchange
 * Gill Foundation
 * Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund
 * Walter and Elise Haas Fund
 * The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
 * The James Irvine Foundation
 * The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
 * San Francisco AIDS Foundation
 * San Francisco Foundation

Corporate funding

 * Levi Strauss Foundation
 * AT&T
 * Pacific Gas and Electronic Company
 * The Bob Ross Foundation
 * UnionBank
 * DLK Law Group
 * United Way
 * Boston Trust Investment and Management Company
 * RBC Foundation