Empowering the Next Generation of LGBTQ+ Youth Changemakers. If you can dream it, we want to fund it!
We know you have a big idea to change the world.
It Gets Better is looking for the next generation of CHANGEMAKERS.
Are you an LGBTQ+ young person (13-18 years old) with a dream to make your community or school a safer, bolder, prouder place? Then, you’ve come to the right place.
Do you want to publish a zine filled with local LGBTQ+ youth resources and art? What about a service project empowering youth to directly benefit their community? Maybe there’s even a queer homecoming or celebration in your future?
Grants are available at the $5,000 and $10,000 level to ensure your community can achieve its unique goals.
$5,000
Should impact at least 200 LGBTQ+ youth.
Examples include: school curriculum overhauls, staff trainings, gender-inclusive closets, lgbtq+ youth led food drives, etc.
$10,000
Should impact at least 400 LGBTQ+ youth.
Examples include: statewide community service projects, leadership summits and conferences, proms/celebratory events, etc.
We know you have the ideas – and we have the grants available to achieve them.
Are you ready to get inspired?
We’re proud to introduce the bold, youth-led projects selected for this year’s It Gets Better: Changemakers grants. Since 2022, we’ve awarded more than $1.6 million to LGBTQ+ youth-led initiatives in schools and communities across the U.S. and Canada. From Pride proms and queer closets to mental health zines and inclusive STEM events, these projects are turning bold ideas into real, lasting change.
It Gets Better: Changemakers exists because we believe in the power of young people to lead. When LGBTQ+ youth are given access to resources and support, they don’t just imagine a better world; they build it. Ready to be inspired? Ready to act?
We want to see a strong LGBTQ+ youth leader coming to their school or partner organizations with their big idea – and their partners working with them to achieve their goals to create a more uplifting and empowering space for LGBTQ+ youth.
Every community faces different challenges, so make your project unique to your needs. What do you want to see changed? What projects can make your community more inclusive and empowered?
Whatever your project, make sure there are ways to measure impact. Can you survey your community to get before and after metrics? Can you count how many people engage with your project over the course of the year?
We are particularly interested in funding projects that support the following communities:
Check out these previously-recorded Zoom sessions for more helpful Q&As!
Answers to the burning questions in your mind.
Here is our current application timeline:
March 2, 2026: Application Portal Opens
May 3, 2026: Application Portal Closes
Summer 2026: Application Review
After July 1, 2026 Notify Grantees of Final Decisions and Paperwork + Distribution of Funds
We are funding projects presented by LGBTQ+ youth and partner organizations like you who are interested and determined to make a positive impact on your community.
You can see some great examples of how your funds can be spent in the section above. Grants do NOT fund research, political activities, scholarships, or individual needs. Grants can NOT benefit only one person.
All applications require collaboration between an LGBTQ+ youth leader (13-18 years old) and an adult from a partner organization to complete their answers. Additional individuals can be invited to work on the application as collaborators.
These grants are ONLY for LGBTQ+ youth partnering with registered nonprofits OR public and charter schools within the United States, Washington D.C., and its territories.
All project plans for this grant must be executable within one year. Per the grant eligibility requirements, any funds given from this grant must be used by the end of the grant cycle. We encourage you to create a project timeline for yourself in order to ensure your project plan is executed by the one year mark.
In our experience, receiving funds looks very different from organization to organization, school to school. Payments are sent via check or ACH transfer. If you believe your school would be unwilling to accept the funds, please consider working with a nonprofit partner for your grant proposal.
Yes! Our staff is able to read your application and provide support throughout the grant year in Spanish. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide the application in languages other than English at this time.
Yes! Please see the following dates for opportunities to learn about the grant opportunity and ask any questions you might have. They are not mandatory to apply.
March Info Session
Thursday, March 19, 2026 - 4pm PST/7pm EST.
RSVP here.
April Info Session
Tuesday, April 14, 2026 - 3pm PST/6pm EST.
RSVP here.
If your question isn't answered above in the FAQ or in the previous Zoom sessions, you can email education@itgetsbetter.org
Interested in applying for It Gets Better: Changemakers but not sure where to start?
Join us for an info session about the program, the application process, and a live Q&A!
This campaign is brought to you by It Gets Better, with support from MAC VIVA GLAM Fund, AE Foundation, Converse, Humble and Tumblr.
Community support was also provided by: Alan Person, Alexander Peters, Amy Kennedy, Anne Chamberlain, Conor Fetting-Smith, David Stopp, Elizabeth Berman, Jill Langham, Marcella Fierro, Mark Groshek, Nina Kooloian Tegu, Robert Arends, Stanley Fried, Susan Hosler, and Victoria Finlayson.
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