The LGBTQ Leadership Giving Circle
The LGBTQ Leadership Circle is a soon-to-be giving circle housed at Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, created to bridge generations and identities in support of LGBTQ organizations across Middle Tennessee. It launches in 2026.
In a giving circle, members pool their resources, learn about community needs, and decide together where their support will go. It is a combination of donors’ lived experiences, time, and shared knowledge to strengthen the work happening on the ground.
One reason giving circles have grown in popularity is because they allow members a chance to build lasting relationships with like-minded community members. Solitary giving can be incredibly impactful, and there are many reasons to give independently, yet the power of collective giving also promotes authentic belonging and powerful change.
What makes this Circle distinct is its power to bring together LGBTQ people and allies together to serve queer communities across Middle Tennessee. For Morgan Karr and Gabriel Starner, community is at the heart of why the LGBTQ Leadership Circle will be not only successful, but necessary.
Getting Involved From the Start
For Morgan, being active in LGBTQ philanthropy in Middle Tennessee is a no-brainer. When he returned to Nashville after leaving to pursue his career in music, he had mixed feelings about the state of queer representation in the city.
“Coming back made me wonder if I could find community here,” said Morgan. “When I heard about the Circle, it felt like a chance for queer people in this city to come together and support the groups that keep us going.”
Nashville and Middle Tennessee are diverse, but finding authentic communities can still feel challenging for LGBTQ individuals. Therefore, opportunities like the LGBTQ Leadership Circle matter, because it creates a space of belonging for queer people and allies to come together and find opportunities to make a difference.
Space to Support Others
Gabriel Starner felt pulled to the Circle for different reasons than his husband. As a therapist, he empathizes with the weight many LGBTQ people carry on a daily basis.
“So much keeps people apart. This felt like a way to turn toward each other instead of away,” said Gabriel. “Being part of the Circle from the beginning means we help shape something that can support people in real, human ways.”
For Gabriel, the Circle offers a way to turn empathy into shared action, and it invites others who care about LGBTQ wellbeing to do the same alongside him.
Building a Circle of Belonging
Gabriel and Morgan’s involvement reflects what Jacob Tudor, who is leading development of the LGBTQ Leadership Circle, hoped would happen: attracting those who want to make a difference in the lives of queer people in Middle Tennessee.
“A model built on shared learning and collective decision making only works when a broad range of voices helps shape its foundation,” said Jacob. “That’s why we need people like Gabe and Morgan, and many more voices as well.”
Joining the circle means making a difference for LGBTQ lives in Middle Tennessee. A good candidate is someone compassionate, thoughtful, and looking to lead Middle Tennessee through purposeful giving and action.
“The ideal members are people who care about the wellbeing and visibility of LGBTQ communities, People who want to listen, learn, and contribute to a more inclusive future,” Jacob said. “If someone feels called to help build a more supportive and inclusive Middle Tennessee for the LGBTQ community, they are exactly who I hope will join us.”
Why This Work Matters
Queer people in Middle Tennessee continue to face growing pressures. Laws that target trans youth, fewer affirming spaces, and the loss of once familiar sources of queer visibility all add to the strain of a city that has rapidly evolved over the past decade.
These pressures continue to shape daily life for LGBTQ people, but they also point to the need for collective care. Therefore, the Circle helps create space for people to come together and respond as a community when opportunities to make a difference arise.
According to Jacob, it’s a community project that will grow through the people who join it, and it will become a place where their stories and hopes for the community are seen and valued.
Looking Ahead
“In my work, I see what happens when someone finally feels held instead of alone,” said Gabriel. “Sometimes that small moment of support is the thing that pulls a person back from despair. That is why this circle matters to me. It gives that kind of care a place to live.”
Morgan added, “There are queer people here who want to stay, who want to thrive, who want to feel safe. We cannot wait until things get worse to act. We have to start now.”
Members are invited to build something steady and meaningful together, deepening their understanding of the community and growing their confidence as leaders and advocates. By learning where the greatest obstacles exist and listening closely to those most affected, the group can help direct philanthropy toward the places where it can remove barriers and create real momentum. Over time, participants will support organizations that work every day to make life better for queer people across the region, focusing on the areas where collective action can truly move the needle.
The hope for the Circle’s success is simple: that queer youth will be able to imagine a future for themselves in Nashville, something Morgan and Gabriel struggled to picture while growing up in Middle Tennessee.
“Queer people know how to build a family,” said Gabriel. “This Circle can be one more version of that.”
Learn More
When you join a giving circle with Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, you become part of a group of neighbors who believe giving matters. Together, we invest in the people, places, and possibilities that make our region home and work to connect you with others who care about making a difference.
For more information about the LGBTQ Leadership Circle, email Jacob Tudor at [email protected]. To support the circle’s annual grant making or make a membership gift visit the fund page.
