As Gay Marriage is Made Legal in Miami-Dade County, the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority Grants Nearly $150,000 to Four South Florida LGBTQ Organizations

After an uphill battle, the LGBTQ community celebrated a victory in Florida when same-sex marriages were finally approved first in Miami-Dade County and then throughout the state and couples promptly applied for marriage licenses and wed. Nowhere was there more celebration than Miami Beach where the LGBTQ community and its advocates have long had a home. Miami Beach has always been a city that welcomes LGBTQ residents and visitors with open arms via a plethora of organizations and events created and designed to specifically lure and cater to this unique group. In addition, the city's HRC (Human Rights Campaign) perfect score of 100 on the US Municipality Index which scores a city on factors like Non-Discrimination Laws, Relationship Recognition and Relationship with the LGBT Community is a testament to the city's commitment to, and embrace of, all its citizens.

Monetary grants help many local groups to adequately represent and draw LGBTQ visitors from all over the world ensuring that the community has a bold and bright presence on Miami Beach. The Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority (MBVCA) builds bridges between these groups and travelers to Miami Beach by providing those grants. This year they benefited the National LGBTQ Task Force, Miami Beach Gay Pride, the World OutGames Miami and the Aqua Foundation for Women.

Head of the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, and Chair of the MBVCA, Steve Adkins says the grants were well deserved and will provide the funding these groups need to continue their very important mandates, "Along with New York City and San Francisco, Miami Beach is ranked as one of the top LGBTQ destinations in the world. We have a large population of LGBTQ residents who include activists, business leaders and celebrities. We want to ensure that we encourage new visitors and residents by helping each of these funded organizations roll out their own unique red carpet."

"Miami Beach strongly advocates for equal LGBTQ rights, so it's no surprise that the LGBTQ community here is a large one," says Grisette Roque-Marcos, Executive Director, MBVCA. "The almost $150,000 in grants we approved for LGBTQ groups will not only help their organizations grow and flourish but will also go a long way in continuing to attract gay travelers who, whether they want to play here or even get married here, a warm welcome awaits them."

Below are the four organizations that will benefit from the MBVCA grants:

The National LGBTQ Task Force received $27,350 for the annual Winter Party Festival, a six-day fund- and consciousness-raising event committed to supporting, inspiring and activating the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community and its supporters through a celebration of identity, equality and unity. Now in its 22nd year, Winter Party Festival will utilize the grant money to expand its marketing reach across the U.S. and internationally and permit the Task Force to continue its upward trajectory and attract even more visitors to Miami Beach for the 2015 Festival in March.

Miami Beach Gay Pride is the recipient of $39,350 which organizers say will be put toward national out-of-market advertising, public relations and promotions to encourage more visitors to come to the two-day festival and Pride parade in April. Since its inception in 2009, Miami Beach Gay Pride has grown from a neighborhood event to an event on the global stage with A-list celebrities such as Adam Lambert who performed in 2013 and Gloria Estefan who was Grand Marshal in 2014. An estimated 15,000 spectators turned out for the first Pride parade in 2009; an estimated 100,000 attended the two-day event in 2014, which included nearly 100 parade contingencies, 35 floats and 2,000 participants.

When the World OutGames Miami 2017 comes to Miami Beach, it will be the first time a U.S. city has hosted the global event. The MBVCA's $50,000 grant will be used for marketing the event internationally, with the goal of encouraging participants and spectators to come for the 10-day event. The World OutGames are built around three components - a human rights conference, cultural activities and sporting events. World OutGames Miami 2017 will feature an international array of speakers during the three-day Human Rights Conference that will focus on combatting homophobia and trans-phobia in sports and on LGBTQ health and development issues. The cultural component will feature bands and choruses as well as themed dances, Opening and Closing Ceremonies and a Women's Village. The sporting component will include more than 30 sports and be open to all who wish to participate, regardless of skill level. Expected attendance for the World OutGames Miami 2017 is 40,000.

The $27,350 MBVCA grant to Aqua Foundation for Women will go directly to support AQUA Girl, the largest charity event for the lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LBT) community in the nation. Specifically, the funds will be used to support the Foundation's marketing efforts to draw more women to Miami Beach for the event next May, including national promotions on both the east and west coasts as well as in Canada. Funds will also support the production of the event itself by helping to cover the cost of production elements. In turn, all funds raised from Aqua Girl will allow the Foundation to distribute over $100,000 in grants and scholarships.

Miami Beach launched the "Pink Flamingo" customer service program in 2011 to perfect already stellar hospitality services for LGBTQ travelers. Miami Beach is also home to gay-friendly bars and hotels as well as gay driven events and nightclubs and has designated its own 'Gay Beach" from 12th to 13th streets on Ocean Drive; rainbow flags mark the territory.

About Miami Beach

A favorite destination among travelers worldwide, Miami Beach is renowned for its unparalleled culinary offerings, extravagant nightlife, rich culture, luxe shopping and plush hotels. Home to unique museums, New World Symphony, Miami City Ballet, Miami Beach Convention Center, international festivals and art exhibitions, boat and auto shows, over 187 boutique and resort hotels and 12 public parks; it is no wonder the beautifully diverse city is one of the world's most popular vacation destinations. Boasting seven miles of breathtaking beaches, Miami Beach is easily accessible from the Port of Miami and Miami International Airport. The City of Miami Beach has been named one of the top cities worldwide for 'walkability' and is equally easy to navigate by bike or boat. Known for its year-round sunny skies, the vibrant destination not only produces its own branded sun care line, MB Miami Beach Suncare, but has been ranked by TripAdvisor as number one in 2011's Top Winter Sun Vacation Rental Getaway Destinations and was also part of Top 25 Beaches in the World and Top 25 Destinations in the U.S. Additionally, Miami Beach was recently awarded a 2014 Magellan Award by Travel Weekly under the "Destinations | Mobile App" category. Miami Beach is like no other place in the world!

Visit MiamiBeachGuest.com or MiamiBeachINCARD.com for more information, or contact Grisette Marcos, Groquemarcos@miamibeachvca.com.