Contigo Fund

As a systems change funder, Contigo Fund awards grants, builds capacity, and makes connections to build the power of Central Florida’s Queer and Trans grassroots movements led by and for Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian and Pacific Islander, Immigrant communities and other communities of color and to develop holistic and intersectional social justice ecosystems where all can thrive. Contigo’s Roots and Model Contigo Fund was founded in the wake of the Pulse tragedy and is deeply grounded in the Queer communities of color most affected by the Pulse shooting. Contigo is rooted in Queer Latinx communities and culture and deeply committed to intersectional movement building and multiracial democracy. Our work stands on the shoulders of Queer and Trans Latinx history-makers such as Sylvia Rivera and Lorena Borjas. Contigo uses community-driven grantmaking models and Indigenous frameworks of resource and power sharing that go beyond traditional top-down models of philanthropy. We recognize the wisdom and power of “for us, by us:” those closest to the challenges we face are also the ones closest to the solutions we need. Contigo is a systems-change funder. We believe that the arc of history is long, and therefore our struggle for change must be oriented toward the long term. We are part of a decades-long movement of resistance and resilience rooted in the South. That’s why we focus on structural change, building power, building pipelines of leadership, and building thriving social justice ecosystems. Contigo recognizes the enduring impact of violence and trauma on our Queer communities in Central Florida and beyond. We know that the healing process is different for each individual, and we believe that our healing journey can also be a source of power and transformation. Contigo is based in Central Florida and is also part of a larger movement for justice in the South, the United States, and the globe.