Since 1985, the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force, now Allies for Health + Wellbeing, has offered supportive services for people living and at risk of HIV and AIDS. Today, in addition to high quality HIV support and specialty care, Allies for Health + Wellbeing has a full medical clinic to offer primary care, gynecological care, gender-affirming care, an onsite pharmacy, and so much more.

“Over the past 40 years, we have continued to evolve to address the needs of our community,” said Mary Bockovich, Allies CEO. “We will continue to do what it takes to fulfill our mission every day.”

Today, Allies announces that it has been selected as one of 12 organizations across the country to participate in the National LGBTQ Legacy Giving Initiative (NLLGI).

“Legacy giving is transformative,” said Alex Neal, Allies senior director of development and marketing. “For donors that have given generously throughout their lifetime, legacy giving is an easy way to secure the impact that Allies has in our region far into the future.”

What is the NLLGI?
The National LGBTQ Legacy Giving Initiative (NLLGI) is a groundbreaking new effort designed to help LGBTQ+ organizations tap into the powerful potential of legacy giving to benefit our communities across the country. Twelve organizations were recently chosen to be part of a three-year program to build legacy giving programs and a pipeline of support to further their work for years to come. 

The 12 organizations include a mix of national, statewide, and local groups, focusing on health services, advocacy, community building, and outreach for LGBTQ people. Program participants will receive intensive training, one-on-one coaching, support in marketing, and the chance to leverage the knowledge of experts in legacy giving. Additionally, the organizations will receive an annual stipend to support their efforts plus be eligible for incentive grants throughout the three years as they secure legacy commitments from donors.

Why Legacy Giving?
The ongoing challenges facing LGBTQ+ communities, including the increased scapegoating of the most vulnerable LGBTQ+ people, underscore the need for sustained investment in the movement. We will need strong and well-funded organizations to fight for, protect, house, and nurture LGBTQ people for many years to come—at both the national level and in communities across the country.

The reality is that most LGBTQ+ organizations—particularly those serving people of color, transgender people, and those outside the nation’s largest cities—struggle to find sufficient resources. These groups cannot count on the government or corporations, nor on foundations, to make ends meet.

About the Initiative
The initiative includes three primary components:

  • Pilot program for LGBTQ nonprofits: Intensive programming to help a 12-member cohort of LGBTQ organizations to develop their legacy giving programs. The LGBTQ movement will learn from this pilot program and apply those insights to further elevate legacy giving’s impact.
  • Legacy Giving Resource Warehouse: A collection of resources to help any LGBTQ nonprofit organization to build its own legacy program. The warehouse also has resources for estate-planning professionals and donors.
  • Support for professional advisors and attorneys: Called the “Stonewall Legacy Project,” this program offers LGBTQ-focused trainings and credentialing opportunities estate-planning professionals, such as financial advisors, attorneys, and accountants.

“We are delighted to have been chosen for this program,” Bockovich said. “The LGBTQIA+ community has a long history of supporting one another through challenging times. Legacy giving is another way to offer that support and to ensure that future generations have access to the same quality care and services that PATF and Allies has always provided.”

The National LGBTQ Legacy Giving Initiative is a movement-wide project, generously funded in part by the Foundation for a Just Society, Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, The Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, and the Ford Foundation and administered by the Horizons Foundation and SAGE. Learn more at https://lgbtqlegacygiving.org/.

For more information about Allies’ legacy giving program, contact Alex Neal, senior director of development and marketing, at aneal@alliespgh.org or 412-910-0077. Additional resources can be found at the Allies Legacy Giving website(opens in a new tab).

About the National LGBTQ Legacy Giving Initiative
The National LGBTQ Legacy Giving Initiative (NLLGI) is a groundbreaking new effort designed to help LGBTQ+ organizations tap into the powerful potential of legacy giving to benefit our communities across the country. NLLGI is a movement-wide project, generously funded in part by the Foundation for a Just Society, Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, The Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, and the Ford Foundation, and administered by Horizons Foundation and SAGE.  Learn more at https://lgbtqlegacygiving.org/.