The Community Foundation

Established in 1995, The H. Franklin Brooks Philanthropic Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee encourages the inclusion, acceptance and recognition of Middle Tennessee’s lesbian and gay citizens by supporting a variety of nonprofit programs in Middle Tennessee enhancing the quality of life for the LGBT community and building bridges between all segments of the community.

The Brooks Fund is focused on preventing disconnection, promoting understanding and providing education and is building an endowment to support the needs of the LGBT community, now and forever.

From The Brooks Fund’s inception to today, we have worked to be a bridge-building entity. We were founded for the purpose of building bridges between the LGBT community and the community-at-large, and between local nonprofits and donors committed to issues of tolerance and education.

We set out to create a permanent source of funding dedicated to these goals and committed to supporting these efforts in Middle Tennessee. That focus remains the same, and The Brooks Fund’s mission continues to be fulfilled thanks to the generosity and support of many and the dedicated leadership of a talented, diverse group of advisory board members.

A Look at The Life of H. Franklin Brooks

H. Franklin Brooks never really talked about himself because he always wanted to talk about what was going on in the lives of others. He was a distinguished gentleman and a gracious host who loved to bring people together. Life was a pleasant party filled with arts, love and laughter. Franklin Brooks wanted all people to feel included, no matter what their way of life.

He was a listener — genuinely interested in all people, not just those like him. He could sit down and listen to a four-year-old child as intently and with as much engagement as he would with a colleague or student. That was the thing that made him so beloved. He had a unique way with people, and his agenda was the whole human family.

For 25 years, Franklin Brooks was one of the most beloved figures on Vanderbilt University’s campus. As an associate professor in the Department of French and Italian, he was repeatedly recognized in the classroom — as much for his creative teaching technique — as for his natural friendliness and personal integrity.

Franklin was instrumental in leading the dialogue that eventually helped include gays and lesbians in Vanderbilt’s anti-harassment policy in the late 1980s. He was also the faculty sponsor for the first lesbian and gay students organization on campus.

After Franklin’s death in 1994, a group of his friends wanted to honor him and to continue his forthright championing of human rights, and so The Brooks Fund was created at The Community Foundation. Franklin’s tireless work to promote equality for gay and lesbians and diversity among the community as a whole is a legacy that lives on through The Brooks Fund.

The Brooks Fund’s Grantmaking

With the help of our generous donors, supporters and volunteers over the past 20 years, The Brooks Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has granted over $223,900 to a variety of nonprofit organizations.

These organizations offer a wide range of services to the Middle Tennessee community including:

• cultural activities like film festivals and plays

• outreach programs focusing on crisis management, violence prevention, and healthcare access

• youth programs offering counseling, mentoring, and scholarships

• community services such as hotlines, peer counseling, and support groups

• training programs on topics of sensitivity/diversity, youth issues, and safety.

The Brooks Fund is committed to increasing its endowment and support of worthy organizations that are working to build bridges and break down barriers. The Brooks Fund annually accepts grant applications from Middle Tennessee nonprofits supporting the LGBT community, through The Community Foundation’s discretionary grant process. For more information, visit cfmt.org/request or contact The Community Foundation at 615-321-4939.

Make a gift to The Brooks Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Grantmaking snapshot of the past eight years:

2015

Oasis Center, Inc. – To support efforts creating positive change for LGBTQ youth in their lives, in our communities, and throughout our systems.

Jewish Family Services of Nashville and Middle Tennesse, Inc. – To provide support for adoption home studies, coordinating placement and post-placement services for LGBT families.

2014

Tennessee Equality Project Foundation – Equality Means Business campaign is a program to identify businesses that do not discriminate against their customers or employees based on sexual orientation or gender identity. This program gives businesses a volunteer way to show inclusiveness and send a signal that they are welcoming of the LGBT community.

Nashville in Harmony – Goals initiative are to promote the arts the mission of the organization through the area youth, including spring season concert with Hunters Lane High School located in Nashville, TN.

Jewish Family Services of Nashville and Middle Tennessee – Continence supporting home studies and coordinate child placement and post-placement services to the GLBT community

Oasis Center, Inc. – LGBTQ youth led program called #SMOKEFREERAINBOWS, Targeting the disproportionately high rates of smoking in the LGBTQ community. Advertising campaign and engaging with the community to promote anti-smoking.

2013

Jewish Family Service of Nashville and Middle Tennessee – To support adoption home studies, coordinating placement and post-placement services to the gay and lesbian community.

Middle Tennessee State University Foundation – To support the presentation of first LGBTQ College Conference for 30 TBR Institutions and Middle Tennessee community organizations.

Oasis Center – To support LGBT youth as they create positive change in their lives and in the community.

2012

Jewish Family Service of Nashville and Middle Tennessee  – To provide support for adoption home studies, coordinating placement and post-placement services for the gay and lesbian community.

Oasis Center  – To provide a safe and affirming place for GLBT youth to participate in changing their community.

2011

Jewish Family Service of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, Inc. – To conduct adoption home studies, coordinate child placement and post-placement services to the gay and lesbian community. 

Nashville in Harmony – To help underwrite outreach and performance activities for the 2011/2012 season, “Mosaic…Voices for Change.” 

Oasis Center, Inc. – To support the “Just Us” program, which is dedicated to helping lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth to achieve their full potential. 

2010

Nashville Film Festival – To support the GLBTQ programs at the annual Nashville Film Festival which provides a platform for education, entertainment and enlightenment by connecting communities and fostering a greater understanding and tolerance.

Nashville in Harmony – To help underwrite outreach and performance activities for the 2010/2011 season, “A Home for Us All.”

2009

Abintra Montessori School –To underwrite the costs of videos and lesson guides for parent education sessions around LGBT issues.

Nashville in Harmony – To produce a collaborative chorus concert piece with Voices of Kentuckiana.

People’s Branch Theatre -To support artistic fees and production costs for the Obie award-winning musical “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

2008

Abintra Montessori School –To provide support to gay and lesbian families on how to explain their parental configuration or parents of classmates.

Nashville Film Festival – To host LGBT films and filmmakers during the annual film festival.

Nashville in Harmony – To create a chorus performance piece to be performed at a concert in May.

OutCentral, Inc. – To develop a community calendar and database of nonprofit organizations serving the GLBTQIF community.