The Queer Philanthropy Circle (QPC), the nation's first philanthropic giving circle focusing on queer philanthropy, has provided a grant to the Kinsey Institute to assist with their research on LGBTQ+ youth mental health.
The Kinsey Institute recently announced a partnership with The Trevor Project to address LGBTQ mental health: "The critical need for research on LGBTQ youth mental health and suicide prevention -- made even more critical by the COVID-19 pandemic -- has led to a new partnership between the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, the premier research institute on human sexuality and relationships, and The Trevor Project, the world's largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning youth.
The formal research partnership will enable collaborations, including data sharing and innovative project design between the two organizations. These collaborations will leverage the Kinsey Institute's scientific expertise in methodology and data analysis to support The Trevor Project's efforts to advance knowledge of the clinical implications of suicide and LGBTQ mental health."
"This partnership will focus on LGBTQ+ mental health and suicide prevention," Jessica Wootten, senior associate director of LGBTQ+ Philanthropy, said. "This will have wide-reaching effects for students of IU and young people across the nation."
This grant will provide funding for a graduate research assistant to assist a collaborative multi-disciplinary team of faculty and student researchers at the Kinsey Institute in cataloging the collected data beginning in June of this year. This partnership will allow for greater research, study, and understanding of LGBTQ+ youth mental health and suicide prevention.
Prof. Lemuel Watson, senior scientist at the Kinsey Institute and associate vice president for diversity, equity, and multicultural affairs, and one of the lead investigators on this research program, noted, "This partnership and work is essential in addressing LGBTQ youth and the multiple issues many of them have in their lives and families. Sharing the research and creating a space for the public to listen, learn, engage, and support this group will be a priority for us."
Ann Sciortino, QPC founder and chair of the finance and disbursement committee, said that Prof. Justin Garcia, executive director of the Kinsey Institute, has been "moving the institute forward not just in collecting data, but as a mechanism for innovation."
Sciortino notes that this is a unique opportunity between the Kinsey Institute and The Trevor Project. Both organizations complement each other well, with Kinsey adept in methodology and data collection and The Trevor Project experienced in implementing a variety of initiatives.
"Because we are so new, being connected to such prominent organizations like Kinsey and The Trevor Project is almost a gift to us. We are incredibly grateful and honored to contribute to this partnership," Sciortino said. "And huge kudos to the University, which is committed to furthering diversity. We are super pleased to be connected with these well-respected institutions and to help advance their initiatives."
While this is only the second grant distributed by the QPC, the giving circle is excited to branch out and provide both major and minor assistance wherever possible. According to Sciortino, the QPC views grant awards and similar services as opportunities to further LGBTQ+ advocacy and to the power of possibility for all.
"We are so grateful to the QPC for their leadership and confidence," Garcia said. "This grant will provide critical support for a series of collaborative studies on LGBTQ+ mental health and help demonstrate the power of philanthropy to propel forward important research and education related to sexual and gender diversity."