With NEFA Support: Queerlective

NEFA is proud to work with grantees like Queerlective in New Hampshire.

As 2025 draws to a close, Randall Nielsen, Executive Director of Queerlective, reflects on NEFA’s impacts:

“Our communities are facing a tremendous storm of challenges, intensified over the past year. NEFA fills a critical gap by investing in cultural infrastructure, not just individual projects. Our Cultural Sustainability grant arrived at a crucial moment, when Queerlective was facing a major funding shortfall due to recent legislative shifts. The New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, once a reliable funder, saw its budget slashed from roughly $1.5 million to just $150,000 annually, leaving many of us without the support we had depended on. As a small grassroots organization, we don’t have the financial buffer that larger institutions do, and this is especially true for arts organizations serving BIPOC, disabled, and low-income communities. NEFA’s support allowed us to maintain our momentum and continue strengthening our capacity without disruption. Support like this bolsters small, community-rooted organizations so we can focus on care, creative expression, and long-term movement building.

NEFA has helped us feel more connected to arts communities across the region and truly understands the realities of running a queer, anti-racist, grassroots arts organization in a politically volatile moment. Their support has strengthened Queerlective’s stability, expanded our reach, and allowed us to show up more fully for artists and communities across New Hampshire.Their support has strengthened Queerlective’s stability, expanded our reach, and allowed us to show up more fully for artists and communities across New Hampshire.”

- Randall Nielsen
Executive Director
Queerlective