What We Do: The Business Voice of the LGBTQ+ Community
Foundation
The Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliate of the Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber. The Foundation provides leadership opportunities and educational programs for our members and the community at large. In 2022, the Foundation collected over 500 backpacks for schools in both Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties.
Scholarship Fund: Awards scholarships to LGBTQ+ and allied students who exhibit leadership potential, demonstrate strong academic abilities, and are actively involved in school and community organizations. The Scholarship Fund is a product of the Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber Foundation.
Founding Sponsors: Wells Fargo, Trulieve, NFL, Tampa General Hospital, Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation, Tampa Bay Rowdies Soccer Fund, Sheriff Chad Chronister and Nikki DeBartolo.
- The Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber Foundation’s Scholarship Fund has given away nearly $50,000 since 2015.
- The Chamber’s Workforce Development Committee advocates for innovative educational initiatives and inspires meaningful academic and business partnerships with the community.
- The Chamber hosts monthly educational programing to give members unique opportunities for learning and to grow their leadership and business-relations skillset.
Chamber Advocacy
“Being a member of the Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber allows me to stay connected and involved with like-minded individuals and organizations focused on the equity of all people in our community. As someone who works in the nonprofit sector, the Chamber has given me great opportunities to network with other nonprofit and for-profit organizations that have helped me grow our organization. The Chamber has also given us a platform with elected officials and other community leaders to advocate for the advancement of our civil rights. I am honored and grateful to be a member!”
Joy Winheim
Executive Director
EPIC| Empath Health
myepic.org
Advocating for pro-business & pro-equality legislation
An integral component of the Chamber’s mission is to communicate the views of the business community to our elected officials and advocate for needed change. The Government Relations department identifies, prioritizes, and recommends policy to our Board of Directors for issues affecting the local economy, business environment and quality of life in Tampa Bay.
The Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber believes in equality for all. To that end, the Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber takes political positions on issues relating to business and economic development, equal rights, health care, workforce development, education, and tourism. We work with local leaders and LGBTQ+ government committees to achieve diversity and inclusion by creating a more balanced process in the areas of procurement. We will not endorse candidates or take positions which are divisive to our community. Additionally, we work with the NGLCC on representing their national advocacy efforts at the local level.
We support:
• Gender pay equality in the workplace
• The passage of a trans-inclusive ENDA policy
• Diversity and inclusion for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender LGBTQ+ owned businesses
• Implementation of pro-business, LGBTQ+ inclusive policies at the federal, state, and local levels of government
Read more in the OUT Tampa Bay 2022-2023 Business Directory & Resource Guide!
