THLA Foundation

Established in 2016, the THLA Foundation serves as the 501(c)(3), charitable fundraising arm of THLA.  In conjunction with THLA, the Foundation seeks to provide a forum and network for lawyers, judges, legal assistants, law students, law professors, and all other individuals in law-related fields who are interested in helping to secure the human and civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and alternative or non-traditional gender identity (“LGBTQ+”) people.  This includes defending and expanding the legal rights of LGBTQ+ people, and securing for these people the basic human rights guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution and laws of the United States and the State of California; expanding and facilitating networks and relationships between LGBTQ+ attorneys and other members of the Bench and Bar; and educating LGBTQ+ people of San Diego about their legal rights.

If you are interested in donating to the Foundation to support its student scholarship program, grants, fellowships, or other charitable giving, you can make your donation here.

For more information, please contact the Foundation’s President at thlafoundation@gmail.com.

The Foundation firmly believes in giving back to the community, including law students just beginning their journey towards becoming members of the legal profession. Each year, the Foundation awards scholarships to qualified and deserving law students, and presents these scholarships at THLA’s Annual Awards and Installation Dinner in the spring of each year. In past years, the Foundation has awarded at least $25,000 in scholarships, including a $5,000 bar study stipend awarded in conjunction with California ChangeLawyers to a deserving 3L law student taking the California Bar Exam. 

The Tom Homann LGBTQ+ Law Foundation’s 2024 scholarship application materials are now available.  The Foundation 2024 scholarship application is available HERE.  The dealine to apply for a 2024 Tom Homann LGBTQ+ Law Foundation Scholarship is Friday, April 26, 2024.

Application materials are now available for the 3L Next Gen Scholarship, jointly awarded by the Foundation and California ChangeLawyers. Two (2) Next Gen Scholarships will be awarded for recent 2023 graduates or soon to be 2024 graduates, who are taking the bar for the first time in 2024. Each Next Gen Scholarship is a $5,000 scholarship award. The application can be found HERE. The application closes at 11:59 p.m. on March 4, 2024.

In its discretion, the Foundation also considers other charitable or donation requests, community service activities, organizational grants, and fellowships. The Foundation and THLA may also refer such requests to each governing Board for consideration.

Such requests should provide as much detail and information about the request as possible, including but not limited to (1) amount requested; (2) total amount needed for the request (if seeking partial contributions); (3) name of individual or organization to whom the donation would be made; (4) tax-exempt status, if any, of the organization receiving the requested donation; (5) contact information of person making the request; (6) dates and times of any event related to the request; (7) whether other organizations (including THLA) have been contacted regarding the same or similar requests; (8) how the request, activity, or event impacts the legal community, underrepresented communities, the LGBTQ+ community, or otherwise raises awareness of or causes championing diversity and equality; (9) whether the request is related to any political campaign, endorsement, or fundraising (including political candidates or ballot measures); and (10) any deadline by which a decision must be made or a donation must be received.

The THLA Foundation’s Board of Directors is selected annually by the THLA Board of Directors (usually presented as a slate of candidates).  The current Foundation Board is comprised of the following individuals dedicated to THLA and its mission:

• Kyle W. Nageotte (Feb. 2, 2017 – June 30, 2022)
• Anita J. Margolis (Feb. 2, 2017 – June 30, 2019)
• Patty Hollenbeck (Feb. 2, 2017 – June 30, 2018)
• Tristan Higgins-Goodell (Feb. 2, 2017 – June 30, 2018)
• Heather Rosing (Feb. 2, 2017 – June 30, 2019)
• Ben Aguilar (Past Secretary) (Dec. 1, 2016 – Mar. 13, 2017)

If you are interested in donating to the Foundation to support its student scholarship program, grants, fellowships, or other charitable giving, you can make your donation here.

All donations over $100 automatically receive a tax letter issued by the Foundation. If you would like to request a tax letter for your donation, please email the Foundation’s President at thlafoundation@gmail.com.

The THLA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, and donations made to the Foundation may be tax deductible.