Doug Noffsinger comments on his appointment and the critical role of an involved community:

“I am proud to be the Chairperson of the Alliance Fund, and I am even prouder of the $405,000 that our donors have distributed through our Fund to worthy projects that benefit the LGBTQ and wider communities in Tucson and Southern Arizona.  The real credit goes to committed members of our community who include LGBTQ projects in their philanthropic plans and activities.

At the Alliance Fund Board, we try to facilitate that commitment by seeking the very best projects each year in our annual competitive grant round.  We take accountability seriously, and try to be sure each donor is proud of specific projects that they made possible.  Those projects have made life better for thousands in our communities, one person at a time.”

“Without the annual and long-term investment of time and resources by our LGBTQ and “straight” donors, there would be no Alliance Fund.”

Noffsinger also commented on the future.  “The priorities of our donors remain the same.  They want to eliminate the chronic under-funding of projects that benefit the LGBTQ community.  The Alliance Fund, in association with the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, helps reach such goals in two ways.  We manage an annual grant competition that has averaged $40,000/year in awards over the last decade.  And we work with our donors to create multi-year funds, endowments, and legacy bequests that give truth to a major theme:  ‘We will always be there.'”

And a last observation.  “Two people have left our community in the last year that we remember and honor.  Maurice Grossman was a founder of and long-time contributor to the Alliance Fund and a giant in this town and state.  Joel Meister was a long-time member of our Board and a long-time contributor and gadfly for our efforts.  Despite the great sadness we have on their exits, their examples will inspire and motivate us and the community of donor-philanthropists who care about fairness for the LGBTQ community.”