Since his inauguration in January 2025, President Donald Trump has signed multiple executive orders rolling back LGBTQ+ protections and shifting federal priorities away from community health.
The impact is being felt in Chicago, where local LGBTQ+ organizations say cuts to federal grants are disrupting HIV testing, youth programs and other vital services.
Once-thriving community programs—from youth drop-in centers to free sexual health screenings—are being cut back or shuttered entirely, as federal support is withdrawn.
Even cities with a reputation as queer oases have been impacted. In Chicago, several LGBTQ+ oriented organizations have faced a wave of budget cuts and closures, forcing them to scramble to retain their funding or—in some cases—their employees.
At the Trans Empowerment Center, part of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center’s Public Health Initiative, staff were laid off in late January after the sudden halt of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grants.
“In late January, our CDC grants halted. And our staff—I was one of them…was laid off.” says Tichike Tumalan, the Health Educator at the Trans Empowerment Center, part of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center’s Public Health Initiative.
The loss threatened the group’s core services: free HIV and STI testing, linkage to care and referrals for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
Tumalan says the Trans Empowerment Center restored their jobs within three weeks. But during that time, he continued the work, even without payment.
“ We were working on a volunteer basis for a week. I’m one of the primary [people] that organizes the events here. And we had a series of events that same week we got laid off. So I was like, I’m not gonna let this stop us,” Tumalan said
Despite the uncertainty, the center kept programs going: pop-up clothing closets, free haircut events, trans BIPOC markets and “know your rights” workshops.
But even with staff reinstated, the Trans Empowerment Center’s future remains unclear and is dependent on grant renewals.
TaskForce Prevention & Community Services, which serves LGBTQ+ youth of color, has also seen cuts. Executive Director Chris Balthazar said organizations like his fall under the “DEI” umbrella and have become targets for rollback.
“It’s hard to scenario-plan when you don’t know how you’re going to be attacked, or how you’re going to be hit or impacted,” said Balthazar. “The Chicago Department of Public Health had to roll back some of the funding that they had initially promised us…they’re doing two or three month contracts instead of the full year contract. And that creates some uncertainty at the financial level.”
TaskForce has tried to soften the blow by diversifying its revenue streams.
“When I started [as executive director] we began to position ourselves to ensure that our form of revenue is diversified as much as possible,” Balthazar said. “I think it’s important for organizations to be mindful of that. And I think our long-term strategy is certainly building individual giving and also looking more at earned revenue.”
As it stands, most of the funding sources being pulled out from under queer orgs have been federally funded, like the extensions of the CDC’s HIV mitigation programs.
Many of the federal changes are tied to Project 2025, a far-right policy agenda that includes dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Extensions of federal HIV mitigation programs, once a cornerstone of support for LGBTQ+ organizations, are among the areas being reduced or delayed.
For groups like TaskForce and the Trans Empowerment Center, the uncertainty makes planning difficult.
For both leaders, persistence in the face of obstacles is key.
“I think now is the time to really be pushing,” Tumalan said. “Back to being super unapologetic, to being super vocal. I have a lot of trans youth that are looking up to us…. So we have to set that expectation.”
Balthazar agreed, saying collaboration across communities is essential.
“Now is a time to advocate. Now is the time to collaborate. The only way that we’re going to get through this…is together,” Balthazar said.
Balthazar said TaskForce is working with other nonprofits—including Black-led, Latine-led and LGBTQ+ organizations—to pool resources, avoid competing for the same limited funding and hold elected officials accountable during this turbulent time.
“I think it’s time for us to be vocal,” Balthazar said.