With its $250,000 grant to the Gay Games, the Cleveland Foundation became the first presenting sponsor in the 31-year history of this international sports competition open to all participants. Gay Games 9 is expected to bring 30,000 athletes and spectators to Cleveland in August 2014.

Greater Cleveland is the smallest metropolitan area to be chosen to host the games, which will present gold medals to the first-place winners of more than 35 sporting competitions. The Cleveland Foundation sponsorship, as well as the welcoming spirit of the City of Cleveland, the City of Akron and each community’s visitors bureau, were decisive factors in Greater Cleveland’s selection. In addition to securing the benefits of the competition’s anticipated $50 million economic impact on the region, the foundation seized the opportunity to express its strong support for the values of equality, social justice and human dignity.