Ohio county’s LGBTQ+ organization cuts support groups, events due to lack of funds

A year ago, LGBTQ+ Allies of Lake County hosted a youth support group, book clubs, bimonthly free skating events and more for their local community just east of Cleveland. 

Today, the nonprofit can only afford a trans support group and rent on the organization’s building — their only full-time staff member now has to work for free.

LGBTQ+ Allies of Lake County was created in 2019, and its membership and programming grew every year. But funding dried up fast after the 2024 election, Board President Roy Bottiggi said. He thinks the current administration’s crackdown on anything it perceives as “DEI” has led to the organization losing grants that it relied on despite the grants not being governmental.

Other LGBTQ+ organizations have endowments and some “nice chunks of money” providing a steady stream of incoming coming in from private donors, but Bottiggi said his organization doesn’t have sources like those. Most of LGBTQ+ Allies of Lake County funding comes from private grants and Pride-related incoming like sponsorships.

“In a perfect world, Pride wouldn’t be the thing that helps us either stay alive or die,” he said.

Corporate sponsors pulled out of this year’s Lake County Pride as they cut their LGBTQ+ support, Bottiggi said. Events and programs are being cut as both funds and volunteers have dwindled. In 2024, he said LGBTQ+ Allies of Lake County received almost $27,000 in grant funding. So far this year, the nonprofit received only a little over $1,000.

“Our accounts are getting low,” Bottiggi said. “ It’s just a real concern when are just having such issues in securing funds.”

Despite the recent losses, Bottiggi said that the Lake County Pride celebration has only grown year after year. Not only does LGBTQ+ Allies of Lake County pay for the location, but they have to outbid other events for a police presence and fund a kids’ area and other activities.

The need for services is also increasing. After Trump’s election and anti-LGBTQ+ executive orders, Bottiggi said, attendance grew in the organization’s trans support group. 

“To me, the quantitative numbers don’t matter because I think if we’re making a difference in one person’s life, then we’re making a difference in the world,” Bottiggi said. “If we’re providing support to somebody and that person doesn’t commit suicide, we’ve saved a life.”

The organization also offered Safe Space training for local businesses and nonprofits through a grant, he said. When that grant was pulled, so were the trainings and their only full-time staff member’s pay. That staff member, who now is working pro-bono, is responsible for not only putting together events, but also writing grants and securing funding.

Bottiggi said the organization would be in a much better position if they could hire a grant writer in addition to paying for their other staff member.

“If those were the only two people we were able to fund, that would be great,” he said. “But we can’t even afford our one person.”

Even if the coffers run completely dry, Bottiggi said LGBTQ+ Allies of Lake County will stick around. He compared it to walking down a street and seeing a house with a Pride flag.

“Having a presence is important,” he said. “Our organization has to exist.” 🔥

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• LGBTQ+ Allies of Lake County accepts donations. Their donation page can be found here.