This past weekend, the Queer Business Alliance (QBA) announced its first-ever microgrant recipient at a community celebration in Denver. The Queer Business Alliance, founded in 2018, is dedicated to “providing resources and education to amplify LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs.” The nonprofit bestowed the microgrant to Haus of Other, a queer creative collective based in Denver and founded by Gary Adrian Randall.
The microgrant is quite a historic landmark for QBA, as the organization has spent years focused on the queer business community to understand what they need most. When asked about their findings on what was needed the most, founder Jade Baranski explains, “We’re clear on what people really need: cash.” She continues, “Haus of Other’s vision perfectly embodies what we’re looking for: a business that measures success not just in revenue, but in the queer joy and creative inspiration they bring to us all,” Baranski adds.
Haus of Other is an aggregate of multifaceted artists aiming to build community through art, celebration, and entrepreneurship. The collective was born out of a desire to bring “beauty into the world and make handmade art and fashion accessible to all.”
A few of the collective’s outreach efforts include: hosting inclusive crafting nights and producing theme parties that spotlight queer talent while raising funds for LGBTQ+ charities such as YouthSeen, another nonprofit that aims to “foster and empower the social and emotional well-being of LGBTQ youth.” When you purchase from Haus of Other, you are supporting the artist and contributing to a charitable cause, as Haus of Other donates a percentage of each sale to a charity chosen by the artist.
QBA’s microgrant program stands out due to its simplicity and transparency; there are no complicated reporting requirements for grant recipients, nor are there any restrictions on fund usage. “We believe in trusting our community members to know what their businesses need most,” says Baranski. “This no-strings-attached award represents our commitment to empowering queer entrepreneurs and celebrating the innovation happening right here in our community.”
