One of the community foundation's most important values is inclusiveness, and no fund embraces that more than the Gay Community Endowment Fund.
Founded in 2001, the mission of the Gay Community Endowment Fund is to support the Greater Akron LGBTQ+ community by providing grants and scholarships that advance the right to live safely, openly and authentically. The fund envisions a societal transformation in which all LGBTQ+ individuals experience equity and acceptance.
Since its establishment, the Gay Community Endowment Fund has invested nearly $840,000 into local causes that change the lives of LGBTQ+ people in our community. Recent grants have created safer environments for LGBTQ+ youth, combated phobias of the LGBTQ+ community, and supported mental health and suicide prevention programs for LGBTQ+ people.
In addition, area students can apply for a scholarship from the GCEF Scholarship Fund, which supports LGBTQ+ and allied students who live or attend school in Summit, Medina, Portage, Stark and Wayne counties.
Read our latest newsletter | Learn about the history of the fund | Circle of Inclusion | Impact Grants | Sugar Plum Tour
Our Recent Grants
By the Numbers
Advisory Board
Advisory board members serve without pay to help the fund impact the lives of people in Greater Akron's LGBTQ+ community.
Dr. Kate Raymond
Chair Katherine I. Raymond, D.D.S.,
Raymond Dental Group
Adam Besenyodi
Vice ChairVice President, Senior Project Manager,
PNC Bank
Kim Rivers
SecretarySr. Business Systems Analyst,
Kent State University
Gregory Hail
At-Large OfficerRetired Attorney
Mar-quetta Boddie
Executive Director,Summit County Continuum of Care
The Honorable Carol Dezso
Retired Judge,Summit County Domestic Relations Court
Thomas Kintz
Development & Events CoordinatorAutism Society of Greater Akron
Doug Kohl
Chief Development Officer,YMCA of Greater Cleveland
Michelle Krocker
Judicial Attorney,Eighth District Court of Appeals
Julie Miller
Teacher,Maple Heights City Schools
Phil Montgomery
Director of Finance and Budget,County of Summit
Cheryl Morse
Retired Teacher,Canton City Schools
Jacob Nash
Co-Owner,Nash Integrated Services LLC
Lauren Shaniuk
Speech Language Pathologist,Wyant Woods Healthcare Center
Dr. Jeremy Troxler
Dentist,Medina Pediatric Dentistry
Janis Worley
Finance & Operations Manager,First Congregational Church of Akron
Cindy Christman
Emeritus Member Retired, Akron Police Department
John Grafton
Emeritus Member Retired, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
Eric Jones
Emeritus Member President, Jones Group Interiors
Rick Krochka
Emeritus Member President, TRIAD Communications
Steven P. Schmidt, Ph.D.
Emeritus MemberRetired Healthcare Executive
News & Events
News
Each year, the Gay Community Endowment Fund recognizes an individual, business or organization that has actively supported the LGBTQ+ community with its Paul Daum [...]
Before putting pen to paper for this note, I spent some time reading several messages from former GCEF chairs (thank you, Steve Schmidt, et al.). A common thread across all [...]