2012 Annual Report

In 2012, grantees of the Gill Foundation worked to create an America in which all people are treated equally and respectfully.

Relationship Recognition

In 2012, Gill Foundation grantees laid the groundwork for victory in all four states with marriage equality ballot measures.

17 states, plus DC, now recognize the freedom to marry.

Through litigation, public education, and advocacy, Gill Foundation grantees are working across the country to win the freedom to marry for all Americans.

Nondiscrimination

35% of Pennsylvania residents, by the end of 2012, lived in a city or county that protected gay and transgender people from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations, thanks to the work of our grantees. Currently only 17 states, plus Washington, D.C., have nondiscrimination laws that include sexual orientation and gender expression.

Most Americans agree that no one should be discriminated against based on their sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

Safe Schools

In 2012, Georgia launched its GSA Connect network establishing Gay-Straight Alliances in 78 schools. The network also trained 1,334 teachers and school administrators how to best support LGBT students and advocate for LGBT-inclusive policies on school boards, and helped five school districts add or update anti-bullying policies to include LGBT students.

Across the country only 19 states, plus Washington, D.C., have statewide laws that protect LGBT students from bullying.

Colorado

In 2012, we made our first grants to address STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) literacy and close the achievement gap for all Colorado kids. Only 40% of Colorado's 8th grade students are proficient in math, and the percentage of Hispanic and African-American students at or above proficiency is less than half that of white students.

Colorado will have 232,000 STEM-related jobs to fill by 2018, but only 1 out of 10 high school graduates declare STEM-related majors in college.