Originally founded in 1995 as G/L Community Center Trust Fund, this organization was at one time intended to help lead to a Community Center for Milwaukee's LGBT community. Their web site at that time stated "The G/L Community Center and Community Trust Fund was established in 1995 from the settlement of the Beer Town Badgers Inc. It was established to maintain a community center for the public to have a general meeting place for gays, lesbians, and other organization in need of meeting place facilities." Once such a center became a reality, the organization rebranded itself as simply the G/L Community Fund and supports various smaller organizations in the community from small individual donations.
According to their web site in 2022:
"The Community Fund serves for social change on behalf Gays and Lesbians in Southeastern Wisconsin. We help grass roots organizations and the underserved groups who do not have the resources to do major fundraising, or are unable to receive grants from large foundations.
We work with several organizations that are listed under the ‚"Southeastern Wisconsin Coalition". New members are always welcomed, and can contact us at any time. One hundred percent of the funds raised for coalition members are distributed annually. If you wish to make a gift to an organization that is not among the coalition members, we will forward your gift provided we have their contact information. Unrestricted funds are used for grants and gifts to community organizations or programs.
Grants are made to small LGBT groups in the Milwaukee Metro Area. Letters of intent may be submitted at any time, if a full application or more information is required a letter will be sent to you. The board of directors will consider all grant request quarterly.
Our long term goals for the LGBT community consist of the G/L Community Endowment Fund and the Building Fund. The G/L Community Fund is operated by volunteers with no paid staff or expensive overhead."
NOTE: A "Donald Schwamb" is listed by this group as a member of their Board of Directors. This is NOT the same person as the Don Schwamb who runs this History Project website. The Don Schwamb who runs this web site has been a Past President of GAMMA, founding Vice President of the ARCW, long-time President of the Cream City Foundation, and numerous other involvements. The "Donald Schwamb" who is a member of the Board of Directors of this group, the G/L Community Fund, has no known affiliation with any of those other organizations, and has no involvement with this website.
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Gift giving card, circa 2006 |
Appeal letter, Jan. 2008 |