News & Stories

There is a lyric in the musical RENT that goes, “the opposite of war isn’t peace; it’s creation.” When we had the idea to create this Foundation, it was always with the goal of being more than just a funder. We didn’t want to just write checks (although we understand the importance of writing checks!). We wanted to create a seat at the LGBTQ+ movement table, and to help to narrate our future together. It’s about going beyond what is, and seeing what could be. We live in dark times, perhaps the darkest of our own lives. But this is exactly not the time to lose steam in our movement. Sometimes the best remedy against the hateful attacks we’re experiencing is to continue forging ahead; not to fall back, but to build—to create. We are so proud of what this Foundation has been able to accomplish in relatively short time, through programs like SilverConnect, our Pride Coalition, and the TransPLUS Resource Center. And even as we face unprecedented backlash from our own government, we are committed to keep forging ahead with new initiatives. Stay tuned for the launch of LGBT Executives and Directors (L.E.A.D.) which will focus on supporting and…

What a difference five years can make. When the Leonard Litz LGBTQ+ Foundation was incorporated in 2019, our stated goal was to “help LGBTQ+ people fulfill their true potential” by providing funding and other resources for nonprofit organizations focused on advocacy, programming, and services for our chosen family, with a special emphasis on grassroots community organizations that center our most marginalized members. This year we officially approved our 150th grant. In total, including sponsorships for Pride and fundraising galas, we have awarded or committed over $6 million in charitable contributions to almost 150 organizations. In addition to repeat grantees like the Eastern PA Trans Equity Project and In Our Own Voices, we are pleased to welcome new partners, such as the Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY),  interACT, LGBTQ Elders of Color, Our Trans Life, and Pride in Aging RI to the Leonard Litz family.   Each of these organizations does literal life-saving work, often with bare-bones teams of dedicated volunteers and underpaid staff. The rate of burnout has long been a fundamental risk at nonprofit organizations, and it’s only getting worse. Yet these organizations persist. Their leaders and volunteers persist. Because they know that as much effort as they…

We at Leonard Litz recognize the urgent and unprecedented need for support of the TGNCNBI community.  At a recent Board meeting, our co-founder Elliot Leonard announced that we would be increasing our grant and program funding to back the trans community in its efforts to stave off attacks on essential human services, gender-affirming care, and other fundamental rights. This action is especially important in light of the decreased corporate and individual funding encountered by numerous organizations over the past year. We will also continue to sponsor several conferences across the United States that provide opportunities for members of the TGNCNBI community to connect, learn, grow, and celebrate. Notable events include First Event in Boston, MA, from January 21-25, 2026, and the Keystone Conference in Harrisburg, PA, from March 18-22, 2026. We invite you to join us at these events and visit the Leonard Litz booth in the exhibitor’s area. As we approach our next funding cycle in January, I will be available to consult with TransPLUS grant applicants regarding their submissions and to offer guidance as needed. Additionally, the Foundation intends to enhance our TransPLUS Resource Center by adding more links to resources, as well as curated articles and podcasts,…

We’ve said this many time before, but maybe it’s time to be more blunt about it: Philanthropic funding for LGBTQ+ communities and causes from U.S.-based foundations totaled $209.4 million in 2023. This represented a decrease of approximately $48.7 million or 19 percent from the previous year (22 percent when adjusting for inflation). This means that for every $100 awarded by U.S. foundations in 2023, only 20 cents specifically supported LGBTQ+ communities and causes. We need to do better! LGBTQ+ spending power is estimated to be about $1.4 trillion just in the U.S. alone. Most of that money is spent outside of our community. But at a time when so much corporate support for LGBTQ+ causes continues to preemptively cower in the face of homophobic government backlash—and when such cowardice inevitably has a disproportionate effect on the most marginalized among us—our community needs to invest in ourselves now more than ever. It continues to astound and confound us that Leonard Litz remains one of a small handful of foundations specifically focused on supporting grassroots LGBTQ+ nonprofits. Even many of the larger national LGBTQ+ organizations are struggling to keep up with the massive funding being fueled to the other side. Nobody is…

Since becoming the first nonprofit institute of higher education to be accredited in the state of Connecticut in over 25 years—and the only performing arts institute in Fairfield County—the Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts can now boast a new and monumental achievement: official status to grant a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. The program is one of the first in the country to offer a BFA in a three-year timeframe, and is the first and only BFA program to be offered in Norwalk, CT. The rigorous and selective program will admit 16 students per major across concentrations in musical theater, television and film, musical theater dance, and new commercial dance. The Leonard Litz LGBTQ+ Foundation congratulates the Conservatory—and its president Danny Loftus George, who founded the school in 2018 with his husband Ricky, and who also happens to be a new Foundation Trustee. The Conservatory, whose talented students have already been featured on several Broadway stages, is a proud partner of Leonard Litz and a steadfast champion of LGBTQ+ equality, in the performing arts and beyond. If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to see one of their productions, get your tickets for the 2025-26 season today. It’s an experience…

Constitutional law isn’t exactly known for being easy to understand—especially when bigoted politicians try to subvert it to attack members of our community who simply trying to live their lives. Between outdated rules, confusing policies, and the constant stream of catastrophic news headlines, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Anti-LGBTQ+ laws targeting workplace pronouns, drag performances, public expression, and diversity programs continue to emerge across dozens of states and at the federal level, threatening freedom of speech and equal access in public life. So what does all of this mean for us? In addition to our grants and advocacy programs, the Leonard Litz LGBTQ+ Foundation is focused on helping our grantees and partners try to understand the increasingly complex and volatile legal landscape we face in the United States. Through our partnership with several key LGBTQ+ legal organizations like Lambda Legal, ACLU-CT, and the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, we are afforded a unique connection to the legal ecosystem that helps protect our rights. We occupy a rare intersection: observer, intimate camper in the trenches of legal reform, and catalyst for meaningful change across health, anti-discrimination, racial justice, and gender identity issues. (Plus we currently count three lawyers on our Trustee…

It seems like just yesterday that Elliot turned heads at the Pride flag raising in Bridgeport, CT, by announcing a $100,000 grant to establish a permanent Bridgeport Pride Center. Two years (and another $100,000 grant) later, the Center has turned that promise into reality, having become a true community resource for connection, support, joy, and so much more. It stands as one of the Foundation’s proudest accomplishments, which is why we were thrilled to be part of their inaugural fundraising gala, a Mardis Gras-themed spectacle that not only delighted attendees but also helped raise precious resources to sustain the organization’s vital work. Congratulations to all involved on planning and executing an event that by all accounts was overwhelmingly successful. Can’t wait to do it again next year! Congratulations, especially, to BPC’s Executive Director Marcus Brown, who has proven himself to be a champion of marginalized communities both in Hartford, where he serves as a Representative in the CT State Assembly, and in Bridgeport, where his steadfast and compassionate leadership of the Center has been integral to its initial success. Double our delight, then, to welcome Marcus as a new Trustee here at Leonard Litz. We all look forward to continuing…

After four and a half years with Colin Hosten as Executive Director, the Leonard Litz LGBTQ+ Foundation shares the bittersweet news that Colin will be transitioning into a new role outside of the Foundation, as Director of Development for the Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts. The Conservatory is already one of the Foundation’s valued partners, and its President Danny Loftus George will be joining the Foundation as a Trustee, so happily everyone’s work will continue to be in close orbit. Danny and his husband Ricky founded the Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts in 2018 with a mission to provide exemplary education to aspiring artists and students, positively impact the local community, and create connections and entertainment within Fairfield County. We at Leonard Litz proudly welcome Danny, and we thank Colin for four great years of leadership and wish him continued success on his journey of advocacy and community building. Leonard Litz is also proud to announce that Judy Troilo will take on the role of Executive Director at the Foundation. Judy is currently a Foundation Trustee and the former CEO of The LOFT LGBTQ+ Center. She is the recent recipient of the Lorri L. Jean Leadership Award from CenterLink. Judy has…

Humble beginnings, parental loss, and even a stint in a childhood orphanage defined our early lives. On top of that, being members of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly at that time, meant hiding or denying who we were. Success at that time meant escaping these circumstances and attempting to rebuild our lives. We both realized, individually and then together, that we had to take charge of our own destiny. Fast forward to today, we have obviously succeeded beyond our own expectations. But success has never been something we took for granted. We always needed to pay that success forward. We’ve been active participants in community organizations that serve teenagers and other clients by helping them to find like-minded peers in safe, welcoming environments for the first time. We’ve seen firsthand how desperately underfunded these organizations tend to be, with no steady or recurring income streams. There are national LGBTQ+ organizations who perform very valuable services for our community, but we knew we wanted to help fund these smaller community groups more directly. In November 2019, the Leonard Litz LGBTQ+ Foundation was officially incorporated. Even then we did not fully recognize the impact we could make. Think back to November 2019: the…

Congratulations to Leonard Litz Trustee Robyn Schlesinger, who was honored with the Intersex Visibility Award at Triangle Community Center’s (TCC) Phantoms and Flora Gala in Stamford, CT, this Fall. InterConnect Board Member Liat Feller presented the award and reflected on the power of community, telling attendees the story of how the two became fast friends and chosen family at Interconnect’s 2023 Minneapolis conference. Robyn spearheads the TransPLUS Initiative at Leonard Litz, which provides funding and support for projects benefiting trans, intersex, and gender non-conforming youth. Robyn shared her Interconnect experiences and the intentional steps that she, the Foundation, and TCC are taking to support intersex lives. How fitting that the gala took place on Intersex Awareness Day (Oct 26)—what a way to celebrate!