Girl's Best Friend Foundation (GBF) closed November 2007. 
GBF’s records are archived with Special Collections of the University
of Illinois, Chicago.  In fall 2008, they will be made public: www.uic.edu/depts/lib/specialcoll.

Here are profiles of a select number of GBF grantee organizations and programs. We will be adding more profiles to our collection through 2005 and 2006, so please visit this page again to check them out.

About Face Youth Theatre is Chicago’s award winning arts-based program for LGBTQ youth and their allies. AFTY’s innovative programs increase the safety, empowerment, and leadership capacity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth and their allies (LGBTQA) in order to catalyze youth-led civic dialogue and action within schools and communities.
Read the complete profile >

Since 2000, Beyondmedia Education has promoted the voices of marginalized and underserved girls and young women by creating alternative media that tell their unique stories and position their perspectives on issues affecting their lives. 

A core program of Beyondmedia, Girls! Action! Media! workshops fosters leadership development, public speaking, and community activism skills while teaching media/technology, arts, and academic skills. Young women learn to produce effective advocacy tools such as documentaries and media events, develop strategies for social justice organizing, and become media activists.  Beyondmedia Education has partnered with more than 100 community-based organizations to document and historicize the lives of underrepresented communities.
Read the complete profile>

The Coalition for Education on Sexual Orientation (CESO) is a 43-member statewide coalition working to ensure the well being and safety of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth in Illinois schools through education, public policy, research, and student involvement.  CESO was created seven years ago and since then has trained over 6,900 school personnel.  Our staff is a group of committed social justice activists who firmly believe that the fight against heterosexism and homophobia is inextricably linked to the fight(s) against racism, classism, sexism, ableism, etc. 
Read the complete profile>

Chicago Women in Trades' Aspiring Tradeswomen Program supports junior and senior females enrolled in Chicago Public Schools Career Academies' nontraditional vocational career programs. The program provides four summits for students from all participating high schools to ensure success in their high school programs and to promote entry into and retention in high-wage, high-skill nontraditional careers. The young women gather for hands-on activities, team building, problem solving, tradeswomen’s stories, coping strategies for young women in shop classes, and school tours.
Read the complete profile>

Umoja Student Development Corporation
Umoja's Women of Destiny program strives to develop strong, empowered young women to serve as leaders and learners prepared and motivated to act as agents of change in their own lives and in their communities. With more than 50 participants, Women of Destiny explores issues including domestic violence, holistic health, and women in politics. The program helps improve participants' self-confidence, awareness of women’s issues, and writing and speaking skills.
Read the complete profile >