2015 ANNUAL REPORT David Furnish Marching As Grand Marshal for the Toronto Pride Parade in June 2015
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2015 ANNUAL REPORT David Furnish marching as Grand Marshal for the Toronto Pride Parade in June 2015. CONTENTS 04 Letter from Founder Elton John 06 Letter from Chairman David Furnish and Executive Director Scott Campbell 08 Today’s HIV/AIDS Epidemic 10 EJAF’s Response to the Challenges of Today’s Epidemic 12 Grant Making: What We Supported in 2015 14 Where We Fund 16 At the Leading Edge: EJAF Responds to Emerging Priority Issues 18 Making a Difference: Grantee Highlights 20 Health and Wellness 22 Rights 24 Improving Quality of Life 26 Resilience 28 Other Programmatic Activities 34 Grants List 40 Fundraising 54 Our Supporters 57 Executive and Advisory Board 58 Financials On the cover, clockwise from top left: Elton John testifying in front of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee. David Furnish speaking at Toronto Pride 2015. Supporter of EJAF grantee Immigration Equality speaking in New York City. EJAF grantees marching in New York City Pride 2015. LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER immigrants, and communities of color. There is still so much work for us to do. Thanks to you, 2015 was also a monumental year for the Elton John AIDS Foundation. We made a record-breaking number of investments: 134 grants totaling nearly $9.8 million, a 40% Photo: Greg Gorman, 2014 increase over 2014. Those are big numbers, but they represent our continuing efforts to answer these important questions: • How can we prevent people most at risk from becoming infected with HIV? • How can we make sure HIV-positive people To the Friends, Donors, Grantees, and Advocates receive the treatment they need and remain of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, successfully on treatment? • What are the barriers that stand in the way This past year, we have seen a tremendous of achieving these goals, and how can we change in the global landscape of the AIDS overcome them? epidemic. Worldwide, infection rates have dropped along with deaths from AIDS. This We answer these questions by funding projects is wonderful news. However, not all people are addressing the root causes of the AIDS benefiting from this progress, and the burden of epidemic. HIV infection varies widely across the U.S. and the rest of the world. For instance – There are still substantial challenges before us. Stigma and discrimination continue to In Chicago, we’re funding a national survey create significant barriers resulting in many by the University of Chicago to document people not being tested or receiving the care the numbers and needs of homeless youth – and treatment they need to stay healthy and especially homeless LGBT youth who are at prevent further transmission of the virus. People increased risk of HIV/AIDS. living with HIV are subject to inhumane HIV In Toronto, New York City, and Los Angeles, criminalization laws and experience increasing we’re helping organizations led by and serving levels of discrimination and violence. Because immigrants to provide much-needed, high- HIV disproportionately affects poor and quality legal services and support to people with disenfranchised communities, HIV-related HIV caught up in the inexcusably brutal and stigma also intersects with other forms of inhumane U.S. immigration detention system. marginalization against LGBTQ people, drug We’re also helping LGBT people in countries users, sex workers, prisoners and parolees, that criminalize homosexuality seek asylum. 4 | ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION 2015 ANNUAL REPORT In California, we’re backing several bold projects But let’s remember: it was not long ago that and a broad coalition of organizations to no one was talking about an end to AIDS. I modernize unjust laws that criminalize HIV. remember those days well. They were filled We are one of the few funders paying attention with fear, fear of what we didn’t know. Today, in to this issue. place of fear, there is knowledge and hope—real hope that we will live to see the first AIDS-free We’re supporting more LGBTQ community generation. centers than we ever have before because we Thanks to the generosity of our supporters and believe these organizations are the backbone of the work of our grantees, we aren’t just talking the LGBTQ community. They provide services about ending AIDS – we’re talking about ending and advocate for people most affected by the injustices that drive the epidemic: racism, HIV and provide compassionate support and discrimination, poverty, homelessness, and belonging in countless ways. unjust laws. Our grantees are leading the charge for justice in the United States, Latin America, We continue to increase our support for and the Caribbean. We are so proud of them and organizations in the Southern U.S. and will of their work, which we highlight in this report. not stop until we see meaningful change in the course of the epidemic. I’ve often said that a virus causes HIV, but it doesn’t cause the HIV/AIDS epidemic. If we Our grants support organizations doing treat everyone in society with kindness and incredible work, from HIV testing to housing compassion, with dignity and love, we can LGBT youth, and from syringe exchange stop this disease in its tracks. We can save programs to advocating for policies to make countless lives. health care accessible to the most vulnerable That’s the vision of the Elton John AIDS populations. Very often, EJAF is one of the only Foundation. Thank you for sharing that vision, vital and consistent sources, or sometimes the for believing in it, and for helping us bring it ONLY source, of funding for this urgent work. to fruition. I am profoundly grateful for your continued support of our work. And we don’t turn our backs or avoid controversial issues affecting the epidemic that Sincerely, people would rather ignore and wish away, like drug addiction and supporting the rights of sex workers. Instead, we make sure our investments are bold and brave in order to find real solutions to the true causes of AIDS. It’s amazing to see our grantees at work helping to make our vision of a world without AIDS a reality by addressing Elton John the needs of people in difficult circumstances Founder without judgment. 5 | ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION 2015 ANNUAL REPORT LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Photos: Greg Gorman, 2014 Dear friends and supporters: A young HIV-positive person in New York or San Francisco, just arrested for survival sex work, Thanks to your generous support, the Elton can access low-cost legal advice, thanks to EJAF John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) has been able funding. Not only should this young person (and to help thousands of people across the United any person) have someone on their side in case States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean they face civil or criminal charges because they during 2015 to access lifesaving medical care are HIV-positive, but also if they are informed and services. about their rights, they can become a powerful advocate, helping to transform the police and Here are some examples of the people your the justice system into forces for health rather contributions have served: than against health. A 24-year-old mother, living in the old cotton- A young HIV-positive transgender person in producing Black Belt of the Deep South, is Tijuana, Mexico, can get free, high-quality able to walk into the offices of a local HIV medical care along with mental health organization funded by EJAF and get help with counseling and help with substance use issues her electric bill and rent payment, along with at programs funded by EJAF. Tijuana can be medical care, case management, and social a tough place to be transgender. Researchers support. All of these services help this young say at least 20% of transgender women in mother stabilize her life in the face of economic Tijuana are HIV-positive, and many have no uncertainty, as well as access and benefit from steady income to pay for medicines, hormone the HIV treatment she needs to stay healthy. treatments, or other services. The programs 6 | ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION 2015 ANNUAL REPORT EJAF funds in Tijuana help young HIV-positive • Invest in people’s rights through good laws, law LGBT people and migrants stay in care and enforcement, legal services, and public literacy sustain good health. and empowerment about rights. What do all of these people have in common, • Invest in efforts to advance social and aside from HIV? They are all people deserving economic justice, so people have greater of health and opportunity and justice. opportunities for upward mobility and the Furthermore, in the same way the HIV epidemic means to achieve better health and wellness. is connected across populations and borders, • Invest in building stronger and more resilient these people are connected by the solidarity organizations that can help us move forward to of the HIV movement, by grants from EJAF achieve our vision of a world without AIDS. through the generous support of thousands of people like you. Thank you for being our supporter and ally in this work. Join us once again as we continue In the last several years, we are proud of the to build a stronger and even more effective many ways EJAF has grown: response to the many challenges of the HIV/ AIDS epidemic. • Our grant portfolio has tripled from 45 grants worth $7 million in 2010 to 134 grants worth Sincerely, nearly $10 million last year. • We continue to be a responsive grant maker, listening to grant seekers explain their vision and work in their own words and bringing David Furnish their unique perspectives into our efforts to Chairman develop solutions to the priorities we share.