​In reverse chronological order:

2023

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●  Rose Bern, doctoral student at University of California/Davis:  $2,000 to UC/Davis for fiscal sponsorship of necessary expenses for Bern's "Polyamorous Networks" research project. Says Bern, "This study examines how polyamorous network dynamics map onto overall relational well-being. We aim to collect quantitative and qualitative data on all members of the same polyamorous networks/polycules. This study will enable us to examine partner interactions across an array of domains, including attachment style, goal fulfillment, and sexual outcomes. This study may offer insight into both macroscopic close relationship experiences (i.e. how attachment styles may shift across different intimate partnerships) and microscopic poly-specific experiences (i.e. the role of compersion in polyamorous relationships across different network structures, such as non-hierarchical or hierarchical polyamory).
 

"While prior research has examined the experiences of polyamorous individuals , research has yet to actually capture key network experiences. Given that polyamory is inherently a collective and network-based relationship model, this kind of data is crucial because it provides invaluable insight into these unique relational experiences."   

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●  MN Poly:  $2,000 toward expenses for the 2023 MNPolyCon convention to be held near Minneapolis, July 14, 2023. This follows the success of the 2022 MNPolyCon, which we helped to revive post-covid. Says ConChair Rose, "MNPolyCon [a nonprofit] focuses on education in topics relevant to the world of Polyamory and Ethical Non-Monogamy (ENM), as well as vendors and information booths. Our convention is focused on educating people interested or participating in this lifestyle through workshops, panels, presentations, and peer-to-peer interaction. MNPolyCon 2023 has a theme of 'Building Community.'

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"We had to get a bigger, more modern location for 2023 to continue to make room for growth. We have room to grow here for the next few years and can rent more space if we outgrow what we rent this year." Their long-term plan is to become a major, weekend-long convention that will draw attendees regionally and nationally.

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●  OPEN, the nonprofit Organization for Polyamory and Ethical Non-Monogamy:  $10,000 for fiscal sponsorship and fiduciary oversight of work by Heath Schechinger (psychologist and co-founder of the American Psychological Association Division 44 Committee on Consensual Non-Monogamy) to develop OPEN's Consensual Non-Monogamy Policy Project. Schechinger writes,

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"The CNM Policy Project targets two essential areas to advance polyamory recognition and rights.

 

"In the healthcare sphere, I will spearhead efforts to propose a resolution in support of consensual non-monogamy within the American Psychological Association (APA). This involves collaborating with key stakeholders, researchers, and practitioners to raise awareness, develop a compelling proposal, and advocate for its adoption by the APA. I will also advocate for policy support in other healthcare organizations, such as the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association. By advancing these efforts, the CNM Policy Project will foster greater understanding, acceptance, and support for consensual non-monogamous individuals within the psychological and healthcare communities.

 

"In the municipal domain, I will concentrate on stewarding [others'] efforts for non-discrimination ordinances that protect polyamorous families and relationships in municipalities across the United States. This will include activities such as engaging with community leaders and advocacy groups to raise awareness of polyamory rights and helping draft inclusive ordinances.

 

"To achieve these goals, the project will employ a range of strategies, including compiling research,
collaboration, education, and advocacy. Collaboration with a diverse network of stakeholders, such as mental health professionals, legal experts, and policymakers, will help ensure that the proposed changes are well-informed and widely supported. Furthermore, I will engage in targeted educational initiatives aimed at both the general public and professionals within the healthcare and legal sectors."

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●  OPEN, the Organization for Polyamory and Ethical Non-Monogamy:  $1,350 for expenses for a polyamory representative to network and present at the ENM Summit in Houston, "a gathering of swinger/lifestyle content creators, event organizers, and venue owners to discuss the development of standardized consent frameworks for swinger clubs and events, as well as to discuss integrating the lifestyle community into emerging political organizing efforts under the umbrella of the broader consensual non-monogamy movement." Recent years have seen increasing overlap and recognition of practical common interests between the swinger and polyamory communities.

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●  Tessa DesMarais, student at DePaul University:  $1,000 for certain expenses making a pilot for a TV series titled "Myths of Free Love", which "centers around ENM and a young woman's foray into polyamory. I created and wrote the show with the explicit goal of making media I wish I had seen-- a show with the ENM lifestyle I wished for portrayed in a positive light. This production already has 10 out of 20 crew members, a completed script, and dates to be shooting the pilot through April and May [2023]." 

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●  Katie Nicole Adams, post-doctoral research fellow at Purdue University: $4,000 to recruit and pay 200 volunteers $20 each for their time in a research study tentatively titled "Keeping It Going: Novel Relationship Maintenance Strategies within Polyamorous Relationships." This project will assess "what validated and/or novel maintenance strategies are used among people in consensually non-monogamous (CNM) relationships," with an eye to identifying particularly effective ways that people maintain mutual long-term commitments within these nontraditional relationships. $2,000 given February 8, 2023; the other $2,000 to be given after the first 100 subjects are recruited.

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●  Polyamory Legal Advocacy Coalition (PLAC):  $2,456, fiscally sponsored by the Chosen Family Law Center, to pay expenses enabling PLAC's first in-person strategy and planning retreat, held at Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA, February 3-4, 2023. This was the first gathering of all the principal PLAC activists. Through many hours of meetings across two days they learned much more of each other's polyamory legal advocacy work and experience, shared information from around the country, built deep bonds as trusted colleagues, and strategized directions forward. Two Polyamory Foundation directors were invited to the final dinner (take-out at a member's apartment). Intense discussions ran to nearly midnight. We were dazzled by the concentrated brilliance, expertise, and capability packed into these couple of rooms. Watch these folks.

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2022

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​●  Cathy Vartuli of The Intimacy Dojo, San Jose, California:  $590 for expenses to present a workshop on body image and body acceptance at the Loving More Retreat in Vernonia, Oregon, Sept. 15-18, 2022. The grant enabled Vartuli, following a sudden financial crisis, to attend and present this material as scheduled.

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●  MNPoly:  $2,000 toward expenses for reviving and putting on MN PolyCon, a one-day poly education and support convention to be held near Minneapolis July 24, 2022. MNPoly is a nonprofit. The convention had been off to a fine start pre-covid, with a reported 86 people attending in 2018 and 171 in 2019; then covid hit. After a two-year gap they were concerned that a 2022 restart would fail to cover expenses. Following the convention, writes organizer Randy Frehse, "We had 112 attendees [total]. [MNPoly] did really well with ticket sales and has a good nest egg set aside for the coming year," including a 2023 convention at a larger venue.

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●  OPEN, the Organization for Polyamory and Ethical Non-monogamy:  $1,220.92  for expenses related to setting up this new nonprofit, which has a mission that matches ours, including expenses for an OPEN representative to attend the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Summit in Washington DC, August 2022, to spread the news of OPEN, network with activists, and recruit talent.

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●  Loving More Nonprofit:  $2,500 to pay expenses for low-income/DEI presenters to travel to and present talks/workshops at the Rocky Mountain Poly Living conference in Denver, May 2022, and to fund scholarships for low-income polyfolks who could not otherwise attend. Writes Loving More director Robyn Trask, "With the funds we were able to help three presenters to be at RMPL and present. This was a huge help in bringing some diversity in presenters / presentations to the conference. Scholarships: We were able to give eight scholarships for attendees, some full and some partial."

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●  Lindsay Hayes, graduate student at the University of Colorado/ Denver:  $460 for several expenses related to her research study, “How Do You Do Poly? A Narrative Inquiry of a Polycule.” “This study explores [in depth] the lived experience of polyamorous individuals in a unit (polycule) and as individuals. ... Research must keep up with relationship practices to help educators, therapists, social workers and others understand complexities of these [types of] relationships.” Academic publication is expected, as are semi-popular summaries for publications used by the types of professionals described. Hayes presented a poster paper on this work at the November 2022 Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality conference.

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A sixth grant was approved in 2022 but the recipient declined it because of a scheduling problem.

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