The Equality Foundation of Georgia, the 501(c)(3) sister organization of Georgia Equality, celebrated its 30th anniversary this year against the backdrop of an increasingly challenging environment for the LGBTQ communities it supports. After a difficult legislative session in 2025 – which saw passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and bans on transgender people playing sports and receiving gender-affirming care while incarcerated – Equality Foundation of Georgia’s organizing and advocacy efforts helped lead to the defeat of all 15 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced during the 2026 session. Some of the bills successfully defeated aimed to restrict access to medical care for trans youth, further restrict trans youth from participating in sports, and criminalize librarians for sharing LGBTQ content. Legislators were contacted over 2,500 times about the bills, and nearly 400 advocates came to the Georgia State Capitol to make their voices heard in-person.

Executive Director Jeff Graham credits deep coalition-building work for the wins this year and success in mitigating some of the potential harms of the bills passed last year. Hear more about Equality Foundation of Georgia’s efforts and how being part of RFDC’s Georgia grantee cohort has benefitted them.