The application for the 2024 Community Fund Grant has now closed. Awardees will be notified no later than March 1st, 2024.

Project Rainbow Utah Background 

Established in Utah in 2018, Project Rainbow Utah (PRU) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that seeks to increase visibility and acceptance for the LGBTQ community. PRU does so by displaying widespread support through the placement of pride flags throughout Utah to demonstrate community love and support for LGBTQ+ members of the community. 

Utah’s compassionate residents continue to come together to celebrate and support LGBTQ people. Project Rainbow volunteers show up to stake flags over the course of the year at homes and businesses throughout the state. Donations received from the flag hosts and other generous sponsors are used to fund grants awarded through a grant program described below, or to sponsor other events and projects identified by Project Rainbow Utah. Since its inception, PRU has distributed over $250,000 in grants and staked 25,000 flags across the state of Utah. 

Mission and Objective of Grant Program 

Project Rainbow works to increase LGBTQ visibility in Utah by staking rainbow and transgender flags across the state. We know that LGBTQ people and their allies exist in all corners of the state, so we want to help you show your pride and the world that Utah is a place of LOVE! 

This grant program was established so that donations received by Project Rainbow Utah from homes and businesses that host flags, and from our generous sponsors, can be distributed to local organizations and projects that advance the visibility of and celebrate LGBTQ+ people throughout Utah. Past awardees have included Pride festivals, special events, service organizations and more. 

Who Can Apply 

Individuals, groups, and organizations can apply for a grant that will be used for a specific, defined project or event that is in alignment with Project Rainbow Utah’s mission to “create and promote community support for LGBTQ+ individuals.” Projects or events supported by the grant program may not be associated with a political campaign or candidate for public office or to influence legislation in any way. Projects or events whose primary purpose is to raise funds (e.g., fundraisers) are not currently being considered.

Community Fund Grants are limited; this is a competitive application process favoring small community led projects. Applications that were awarded funding in the past are not guaranteed funding in future years.   

Grant recipients from 2023 that have not filed their required Final Report will not be considered for 2024 grant funding.

Dates and Deadlines

The 2024 Fund Application is open for programs occurring between February 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024.

Application Opens: January 1, 2024

Q&A Session (Virtual): January 8th, 2024

This session has been completed. The slideshow and FAQ are now posted. Please continue to submit questions via this form until January 27th, 2024; questions will be answered on the Q&A page and/or via email. 

Application closes: January 31, 2024 at 11:59PM MT 

Award and Distribution notifications: No later than March 1, 2024 

Project Completion Requirements

Projects selected must be complete by December 31, 2024 unless given a schedule extension in writing by PRU. 

Grantees must submit a final report describing the finished project or event by December 31, 2024. (The Final Report will briefly summarize if and how the project met each of the grant selection criteria, described in the section below.) 

If a grantee can not, or does not, use the grant award for the proposed project and submit a final completion report by December 31, 2024 (unless a written extension is given), the grant funds provided by PRU must be returned to PRU in a timely manner.

Grant Application Criteria and Review Process 

PRU's Board of Directors will review and rank applications based on how well they align with PRU's mission to promote LGBTQ+ visibility in Utah and foster inclusivity across the state, as well as how well the event or proposal aligns with our values for this grant fund. Please be sure to elaborate on how your project aligns to the below values when completing your application.

Be Participatory: Decentralize Control by encouraging a culture of community where the event or program has buy-in and participation from the community.  

Scoring focus: Description of how the project implementation involves or includes people in the community in the planning process.

Bridge Silos: Exude Curiosity – Our world and context are dynamic and constantly evolving. This approach is flexible, experimental, and centers on admiration of community empowerment. The outcome is bringing together entities (individuals, community groups, and organizations) to play and create together.

Scoring focus: Describe specific initiatives within the event that encourage collaboration and interaction among individuals, community groups, and organizations. How does the event foster a sense of shared effort and community empowerment?

Flip the Dynamic of Perspectives: Solidarity, not Charity – Solutions should come from the communities experiencing those issues.

Scoring focus: How does your proposed use of grant funds actively involve and empower the communities affected by the issues you aim to address? Please describe how your approach fosters an inclusive process that values the experiences and perspectives of these communities, embodying the principles of solidarity rather than charity.

Share Learnings with Broader Community: Understanding of the interconnected nature of individual or group oppressions such as race, gender, class, sexuality, disability, nationality, or other social categories.

Scoring focus: How will your project share insights and build bridges across interconnected oppressions like race, gender, class, and more with the wider community?

In selecting the slate of final grant awards, the PRU Board of Directors will take into account the rank of each received application, and may also apply the below criteria as necessary to enable a diverse set of awards awards:

• Geographic location 

• Project type and size

• New vs previously funded projects

The Board will also, at its discretion, request additional information from applicants in order to best assess each project or event’s context and potential impact. 

Types of Grants Available 

Categories: The application will ask the project or event to be categorized into one of the following grant categories

1) Visual, Print and Performing Arts: 

• Who can apply: Individuals and groups in the LGBTQ+ community.

• What we're looking for: Backing for creative work in visual, print and performing arts (including book clubs, zines, etc) 

2) Inclusive Program Support:

• Who can apply: Those seeking support for fully funded programs that require additional resources.

• What we're looking for: to cover fees for resources that will enhance the accessibility of projects/events such as language services, ADA accommodations, and scholarships/accessible entry for tickets

3) Miscellaneous:

• Who can apply: Anyone with program/event ideas not mentioned in the categories above.

Please note: Project Rainbow funding of pride parades/festivals and event sponsorships are to be handled directly by the sitting Executive Director. The purpose of this change is to promote closer relationships and community partnerships between Project Rainbow Utah and pride organizations across the state. If you represent a pride festival, please email jacey@projectrainbowutah.org to discuss your needs for 2024. 

Funding/Project Size Categories: Funding varies based on the event's size. The amounts below determine the range of funding that can be requested by each application. Our grant awards range from $500 to $5,000. 

• Small awards ($500-$1,499) are for events or projects that have a budget of less than $2,000.

• Medium awards ($1,500-$3,499) are for events or projects that have a budget over $2,000 to $5,000.

• Large awards ($3,500-$5,000) are only for events or projects that have a budget over $5,000 where we are not the sole funder. 

Events with a total budget of $10,000 or more and/or that charge an entry fee will have additional application questions to ensure PRU understands the intended impact of our contribution. 

Note that the category selected does not inherently guarantee the amount awarded. The Board may decide to award partial funds for projects and events in order to maximize the impact and diversity of awards. As such, it can be helpful to note in your application how funds will specifically be used in particular when funds may cover multiple aspects of a project or event (such as venue, interpretation services, scholarships etc).

Where and How to Submit Grant Applications 

Grant applications should be completed online by filling out the appropriate application form no later than 11:59PM MT, January 31, 2024.   This form is also embedded below.

A virtual Q&A session will be held January 8th, 2024 at 6-7PM MT - register here if you would like to attend. Please submit questions via this form. A recording/FAQ will be posted on our website. Additional questions may be asked via the same form until January 27th, 2024; questions will be answered on the Q&A page and/or via email. 

2024 Grant Acceptance & Disbursement Processes

Accepting Your Award
Projects and events being awarded will be notified no later than March 1, 2024. In order to accept your award you will be required to:

1. Complete and sign a form confirming your acceptance, providing contact information and preferences for payment method (check or Paypal) 

2. Complete a W-9 tax form via DocuSign if we do not have one on file already 

Award Disbursements 

Award disbursements will be made 30 days before your event or project, based off the date submitted int he application. Year-round projects will receive their funding in March (within 10 days of completing the above tasks), unless otherwise requested. If your event date changes, please contact us at boardofdirectors@projectrainbowutah.org to ensure there is no delay in your award disbursement. Please also contact us if you need your disbursement earlier, including  context for your request and ideal timing for disbursement. 

Ongoing Support:
The board of directors has adopted a change to better support grantees throughout the year, based on feedback from prior grantees. Grantees will have the opportunity to participate in small-group cohorts led by a current board member. These cohorts aim to foster a community of learning, ensuring that, as a grantee, you feel connected to our organization and to other organizations in our community. Cohorts will convene regularly to discuss progress, address issues, provide feedback to PRU, and facilitate learning from one another. The first meeting will cover the expectations for your final report and how to show impact, as well as opportunities to collaborate on PRU’s flag campaigns. 

Where and How to Submit Final Project Completion Report
For all grantees that receive funding through PRU, a 300-500 word final report (with photographs when possible) must be submitted by December 31, 2024.  This final report must be completed online at ProjectRainbowUtah.org/community-fund. If a grantee wishes to request a time extension or to cancel the project and return the grant funds, please fill out the final report online and indicate which of these options you wish to pursue.

Summary of changes for 2024 grant cycle:

These details are included above but are summarized here for your convenience. 

• The grant timelines for 2024 are different from previous years. The decision to change timelines was to offer PRU time to think through our new process and to align our administrative support with the needs of the community. Thank you for your patience and understanding. 

• Project Rainbow funding of pride parades/festivals and sponsorships is to be handled directly by the sitting Executive Director. The purpose of this change is to promote closer relationships and community partnerships with pride organizations across the state. If you represent a pride festival, please email jacey@projectrainbowutah.org to discuss your needs for 2024. 

• Awards are limited to $5,000 maximum; for awards $3,500 or above, PRU can not be the sole funder. 

• Award disbursements will be made 30 days before event/project dates. Year-round projects will receive their funding in March (within 10 days of completing the above tasks.) If your event date changes, please contact us at boardofdirectors@projectrainbowutah.org to ensure there is no delay in your award disbursement. Please also contact us if you need your disbursement earlier, including  context for your request and ideal timing for disbursement. 

• The board of directors has adopted a change to better support grantees throughout the year, based on feedback from prior grantees. Grantees will have the opportunity to participate in small-group cohorts led by a current board member. These cohorts aim to foster a community of learning, ensuring that as a grantee, you feel connected to our organization and to other organizations in our community. Cohorts will convene regularly to discuss progress, address issues, provide feedback to PRU, and facilitate learning from one another.