Arts & Culture

Fort Lauderdale's Stonewall Museum receives $40K grant amid budget cuts

WLRN Public Media | By Alyssa Ramos

Published October 17, 2025 at 4:25 PM EDT

A pin display anchors a section of the Stonewall Museum Library, Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Stonewall Museum hosts a comprehensive archive on LGBTQ+ history and the largest library collection in the world. The museum is one of hundreds of art and culture groups in the state that are left scrambling to plug a large budget gap after Gov. Ron De Santis vetoed $32 million in arts funding.

A museum in Fort Lauderdale that's home to decades of American LGBTQ+ history is getting much-needed financial help.

The Stonewall National Museum, Archives and Library has received a $40,000 grant to help develop new programming and run daily operations.

The windfall comes as local arts organizations in South Florida cope with state and federal budget cuts that threaten their futures.

Robert Kesten, president and CEO of the Stonewall Museum told WLRN that up to 30% of its budget relies on funding from the government.

" The sharing of history, the sharing of traditions, the sharing of culture is what keeps us alive. It's what keeps us alive as a community, and that's important for people to know," Kesten said.

The grant comes from the Our Fund Foundation, which is distributing a total of $370,000 among 19 organizations and LGBTQ+-specific projects in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

This is a News In Brief report. Visit WLRN News for in-depth reporting from South Florida and Florida news.