By Ellyn Ruthstrom
For more than 30 years, I’ve been involved in building and strengthening the bi+ community. One thing I’ve learned is that while bi+ organizations are doing vital work, they are too often underfunded and overlooked. They provide crucial support, create visibility, educate communities, and build connections—yet many struggle to find the financial resources they need to grow.
That reality inspired Neil Aasve to bring together a group of bi+ leaders—Lauren Beach, Camille Holthaus, Jim Larsen, Belle Silverman, and Meg Weireter—to found the Visibility Impact Fund (VIF) on Bi+ Visibility Day, September 23, 2020.
As VIF’s founding Project Director, Neil saw firsthand the gap that prevented many bi+ organizations from thriving. “The need is strong, and many organizations serving the bi+ community have difficulty receiving funding from both LGBTQ+ and mainstream foundations. VIF has provided seed funding for new organizations such as Bi+ Georgia, supported groups hosting their first bi+ events, and funded books, visibility materials, and educational programming. In many cases, VIF has supported projects that likely would not have been funded elsewhere because they focus specifically on bi+ communities.”
Through the Giving Circle platform on Grapevine, donors make monthly contributions that are combined to provide grants to bi+ organizations across the country. Giving Circle members also vote in the grant allocation process, offering another way to help guide the work of VIF. Although VIF is not currently a 501(c)(3), it is fiscally sponsored by the Social Good Fund, allowing all donations to be tax-deductible and managed securely and professionally.
I am currently serving as VIF’s Project Director, and I’m excited about what we can accomplish together as a community. But we need more people to join us—not only as donors, but also as volunteers on the Leadership Team that keeps the organization moving forward.
Since our founding, VIF has awarded more than $50,000 in grants to strengthen bi+ organizations and projects. This fall, we’ll award another $8,000. While we’re proud of that impact, the need is far greater than our current resources. In our most recent grant cycle, we received 33 applications and were only able to fund four.
The publication you are reading right now—Bi Women Quarterly—has been a recipient of VIF grants, which enables BWQ to pay its assistant editors and to continue producing a global publication that connects thousands of bi+ readers around the globe.
Imagine what would be possible if hundreds more people joined our Giving Circle. Small monthly gifts, when combined, become meaningful investments in bi+ organizations that are creating safer communities and ensuring that bi+ people are seen, supported, and celebrated. If you’ve ever wished there were stronger organizations serving the bi+ community, this is one concrete way to help make that happen.
Please visit www.visibilityimpactfund.org and click the Donate Now button to join our Giving Circle. If monthly giving isn’t right for you, one-time donations are also welcome. And if you’d like to become involved with VIF as a volunteer or learn more about our work, I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me at info@visibilityimpactfund.org.
Ellyn Ruthstrom is a long-time bi+ activist, former editor of Bi Women Quarterly, former President of the Bisexual Resource Center, and current Executive Director of SpeakOUT Boston.
