Black trans lives thrive
GIVING CIRCLE
easy
community-driven
year-round giving
Black Trans Lives Thrive (BTLT) is a giving circle founded in response to the question: how can I support Black Trans leaders who are working hard to build thriving communities?
We kicked off in June 2020, aiming to cover operating costs for Black Trans-led organizations so (instead of fundraising) they could focus on being powerful support systems in their local communities and steering the movement toward equitable rights and resources for Black Trans people.
What started as a small effort among friends has grown into a nationwide network of community members and allies supporting Black Trans-led organizations, every month.
Since June 2020:
$155K DISTRIBUTED ACROSS 14 GRANTEES by 336 members.
btlt is 100% volunteer run.
donations via grapevine go directly to our grantees.
How it works
Members subscribe to give a suggested $25 every month.
Members vote at the end of each quarter on a vetted, grassroots org run by for and Black Trans people to become our grantee for the subsequent quarter.
We notify that org, promote them throughout the quarter, and send them the full amount we raise for those 3 months.
Members tell their networks about our giving circle and invite others to join so we can give more as we grow.
why it works
Automated giving is easy for givers and high-impact for grantees.
Many members are Queer people involved in adjacent movement work, so we are able to find trusted orgs doing impactful work that we can get behind.
Monthly giving over a quarter provides financial stability for small grassroots organizations.
Unlike charities and foundations, giving circles empower communities and center their voices, actions, and ideas.
Our Grantees
our story
The Black Trans Lives Thrive Giving Circle started in June 2020 in response to the Black Lives Matter liberation protests. Our founder, Bridget Conway-Taylor, asked a few close friends to join her in giving $25 every month to Black Trans-led organizations. Since then, BTLT has grown to 336 members who have given over $155K total, and we currently send approximately $3-4k per month to our grantee.
In addition to running BTLT, Bridget is a co-founder of Queer Healers and Kink Out, and a frequent collaborator with Red Canary Song.
Read Bridget’s interviews about BTLT with Giving Compass and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Watch Bridget speak about leading an LGBTQIA-focused giving circle in this Collective Conversation with Philanthropy Together.
FAQ
What happens when i donate?
Members subscribe to give monthly via our profile on Grapevine, a platform made for giving circles. Funds are electronically debited from your account, usually on the 1st day of the month. Grapevine doesn’t charge platform fees, but their payment processor charges standard credit card fees (2.2% + 30¢ per donation; 3.5% for AmEx). After payment processing fees are deducted, Grapevine sends everything else automatically to our grantee for the given quarter, after the end of every month in that quarter.
Is this tax-deductible?
Yes! Everything you give via Grapevine goes to a verified nonprofit org listed in US 501c3 databases. You’ll receive a “charitable gift” receipt after each donation. Please confirm tax deductions on your charitable contributions with a tax professional.
how are grantees selected?
We (aka Bridget and other volunteers) have a growing list of Black Trans-led grassroots orgs across the US. At the end of each quarter, they compile info on four of those orgs — based on a mix of geographic diversity, proximity to critical situations, and whether or not they have been voted on previously — and ask members to vote for the org they’d like us to support in the following quarter.
What type of orgs CAN BTLT support?
To be included in our voting cycle and become one of our grantees, an org must be a 501c3 entity in the US, or be fiscally sponsored by an entity with that status.
what do grantees receive?
Our grantee for a given quarter receives all funds raised in our giving circle during that quarter. We also promote each grantee org on Instagram and Twitter, where our members can share. Grantee branding and links will be added to our Grapevine page, here on our website, and on any directories where we are listed.
when do grantees receive funds?
Our giving platform (Grapevine.org) begins their disbursement process on the 1st of each month, for funds raised in the prior month. Grapevine sends a grant notification email with a request for any necessary documents. A grantee can opt to receive either an ACH transfer or a check. For ACH transfers: once the grantee's bank info is confirmed, they typically receive funds within 3 business days (depending on their bank). For checks: the grantee will typically receive funds within 15-25 business days.
What is required of grantees?
Beyond getting set up to receive funds, no contact nor labor is required from our grantees! That said, we are open to dialog and welcome our grantees to participate in or suggest promo ideas and press opportunities (if they come our way).
Why doesn’t the BTLT all-time giving total match the number of members?
For a few reasons! Our monthly giving totals vary as subscribed members join, leave, or if their cards expire. Some people joined to give only once. And not all members are able to give $25 every month: some folks give less (or more!) and some folks give support by promoting our grantees or recruiting new members, if they are unable to give cash.
why donate via a giving circle instead of directly to an org?
Our #1 priority is getting funds into the hands of Black Trans leaders so, if you want to donate directly, great! However, many folks don’t have direct ties to people active in the Black Trans Liberation movement, so may struggle to ensure their funds go to effective, respected organizations. BTLT solves that problem by looking for orgs who have strong, active community-roots and by using a platform that makes monthly-giving easy, so your impact is consistent, automatic, and amplifying as we grow.
Can I recommend a Black Trans-led org?
Yes! If you know of a Black Trans-led org in the US that is not yet on this list, please email us to suggest it via blacktranslivesthrive@gmail.com