Gay and Lesbian Organisation of Business and Enterprise (GLOBE) has had a long and proud tradition of providing financial support to Victoria’s LGBTI individuals, groups and organisations through the GLOBE Community Grants program. Over their 26 year history, GLOBE has donated well over $85,000 to the LGBTI community.
With the support of the Victorian Government, GLOBE’s 2018 Grant and Scholarship program is the largest to date, with $27,000 in funds to be donated back via the GLOBE Community Grants, GLOBE Scholarship and GLOBE Small Business Grants programs. This year GLOBE received a record number of applications for all three categories.
Recipients of the 2018 GLOBE Community Grants are:
FTM Shed:
This is a Melbourne based support group for trans masculine people and their allies. They will use the GLOBE Community Grant to purchase some much needed larger size binders and run a peer led workshop on how to sew binders. Another project will be to establish a singing group for trans masculine people to guide them in singing and throat exercises during the medical transition when their vocal chords are thickening.
Alphabet Soup:
This is a support group for the trans and gender diverse community. Counsellors and psychiatrists supporting this community have asked Alphabet Soup to provide a venue which is open during the day and on weekends. They have done so by establishing a partnership with the Uniting Church Network in Banyule. The GLOBE Community Grant will go towards the cost of running this venue.
Bits and Bods:
This is an upcoming web series that talks to teen girls about sex, bodies, relationships and all the awkward bits in between. Its content centres on the experiences of LBTQIA+ people. With already 65 hours of high-quality footage recorded the GLOBE Community Grant will fund the post-production and distribution of either the gender or sexuality episodes of the series.
Spectrum Intersections:
This is currently the only organisation that supports LGBTIQA+ adults who also identify as neurodivergent which includes autism, Tourette Syndrome, ADHD, dyslexia and others. The GLOBE Community Grant will be used to help incorporate the organisation as not for profit through Consumer Affairs Victoria and develop a brand through the use of a professional graphic designer.
Australian GLBTIQ Multicultural Council:
The AGMC is a volunteer-based, non-profit organisation that celebrates the intersection between race, culture, religion and the LGBTIQ identity in Australia. The GLOBE Community Grant will help support their three day national conference called Living and Loving in Diversity held from the 21 – 23 September 2018.
Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus:
The MGLC is keen to bring its joy of singing and its proud statement of diversity to sometimes more isolated communities. MGLC incorporates the shOUT youth chorus. In 2018 shOUT will perform at the Out in the Open Festival in Shepparton and MGLC is planning to return to Castlemaine for a major concert. The GLOBE Community Grant will support the cost of transport and accommodation for these performances.
Inside Out:
This is a volunteer run group that is seeking to build a network of LGTBIQ+ people both inside and outside prisons. They aim to build a sense of community across the walls, amplify the voices of the prisoners and provide access to information, community news and resources. The GLOBE Community Grant will help fund activities such as the ongoing publication and postage of a quarterly newsletter to incarcerated members and support internal prisoner support groups.
Yellowkitties:
This is a social support group for Asian women who identify as LTBIQ in Melbourne with currently more than 150 members from a wide variety of countries. The GLOBE Community Grant will help support a series of educational sessions for their members and other community groups aimed at creating awareness and sensitivity towards sexually and gender diverse people from multicultural backgrounds.
The Equality Project:
This is a national organisation bringing together LGBTIQ people with our allies across the social justice movement to advocate for a better, more just and fairer society for all. In October 2018 they plan to run a 2 day Leadership Training Academy which includes a full day of media training presented by GLAAD. The GLOBE Community Grant will help to fund ten places at this Academy which will be awarded to those facing financial hardship but have something significant to contribute to the LGBTIQ community.
GLOBE is also pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2018 GLOBE Scholarship is Prashant Bhatia. Prashant is in the final year of a Master of Global Media Communications at the University of Melbourne. GLOBE feels that he has a bright future with much to offer the LGBTI community.
Recipients of the GLOBE Small Business Grant has been also announced, providing GLOBE members, who are small business owners, the opportunity to develop, expand and promote their business with the financial assistance of $4000. This year, four finalists were chosen to compete for two grants on offer: Native Man; Thrive Health and Fitness; Queer as Foxtrot; and Fearless Movement Collective.
The four finalists had the opportunity to “pitch” their business proposal to a panel of judges at a special event on Thursday 21 June 2018 with the Fearless Movement Collective and Native Man being named the ultimate winners.
GLOBE has also revealed a new look, adopting a new logo in place of the previous brand. The new logo aims to be a contemporary solution that is direct, distinctive and will modernise the GLOBE brand to better reflect their growing diverse community.
For more information, visit: www.globemelbourne.com.au for details.
Image: The new GLOBE Logo – courtesy of Gay and Lesbian Organisation of Business and Enterprise (GLOBE)