ABOUT QSPF

Queer Sick Pay Fund (qSPF) has two main programs: Sick Pay and Gender Affirming Care Grants. 

Sick Pay 

qSPF provides sick pay to Queer contracted performers who live and work in the Greater Seattle Area, WA. This protects Queer artists and community from financial and physical harm by incentivising artists to stay home when they’re not feeling well. We believe that the financial and physical health of Queer People guarantees that Seattle will thrive. Queer performers often live paycheck to paycheck, and the loss of even a single gig can be devastating. Other industries have systems of protection and guaranteed sick pay, but Queers just have each other, so Betty Wetter and Drama Tops came together to create this safety net for their community.

Support qSPF and spend less time getting sick and more time getting SICKENING! You have the power to care for people who give you so much joy.

Gender Affirming Care Grants 

qSPF is providing Gender Affirming Care (GAC) Grants to 24 trans* people each year who live in the Greater Seattle Area, WA. These grants must be used toward covering the costs of gender affirming surgery. Trans* people have less access to health insurance, sick pay, and family support making it much more difficult to plan and pay for gender affirming surgeries. qSPF’s intention with these grants is to provide support to those who need it most. 

Support qSPF and make a trans* person’s dreams come true! 

Mission: provide compensation to Queer contracted performers in the Greater Seattle Area when they are not well, and provide grants to trans* people for gender affirming procedures. 

Vision: A world where Queer contracted performers don’t need to lose money because they are ill, and every trans* person can afford the Gender Affirming Care they need. 

Values: Queer performing artist stability, Queer health and safety, fair compensation, gender affirming care is life saving, and all trans* people deserve to be able to afford the care they need. 

Dreams: qSPF becomes so popular that they can increase grant amounts; other Queers in other cities recreate it.

HOW TO APPLY FOR SICK PAY

HOW TO APPLY FOR GENDER AFFIRMING CARE GRANTS

qSPF provides GAC Grants 4 times a year | Applications open JAN 5

Cheer Grant 

Each quarter, 1 grant for $5,000 will be issued. 

This grant is named after Cheer Seattle for their generous donation of $40,000, underwriting the entire first year of GAC Grants. Thank you, Cheer Seattle! 

Joy Grant 

Each quarter, 5 grants for $1,000 will be issued. 

Application timelines 2026

Criteria

• Eligibility 
• Financial need

To be eligible for a Gender Affirming Care Grant you must 

• Identify as trans (including transexual, transgender, nonbinary, two spirit, agender, and all non-cis identities) 
• Be 18yrs or older
• Live in the Greater Seattle Area
• Actively planning a gender affirming surgery

Financial need is determined through

• Information about your surgery (5 points)
  • High cost of surgery
  • Set surgery date
  • No insurance coverage or low insurance coverage
• Employment Information (5 points) 
  • Low income
  • Unemployed/under employed/unstable employment 
  • Little or no access to paid time off from an employer 
  • No access to Washington State Paid Family and Medical Leave 
• Financial Context (5 points) 
  • Long recovery time
  • High basic living costs
  • Little to no savings 
  • No financial support from family or significant others
  • Other financial burdens such as dependants, other medical concerns, or other debts 

Optional Personal Statement (0 Points)

• This is where we learn what the gender affirming surgery would mean to you, and how excited you would be to receive this grant.
• We also provide you with an opportunity to share anything else that feels relevant.

Because qSPF is trying to support those who need it most, please consider the following:

• Do you have insurance that covers all or most of the cost of surgery?
• Do you have family that can financially assist you through recovery?
• Do you have a partner who can financially assist you through recovery?
• Do you have significant savings that can sustain you while you recover? 

If you answered yes to most of the above questions, please consider leaving this grant for those who answered no to most of the questions above. 

Adjudication 

qSPF has assembled a panel of trans community members to read your applications and allocate the GAC Grants to those who need it most. The panel serves for one calendar year. 

Anonymity and Safety  

Your applications will be anonymized before they are sent to our panel. If you receive the grant, your identity will be kept confidential if you wish, or we will happily announce your award on social media. Remaining anonymous will not influence your chances of receiving a grant. We understand that anonymity can mean safety. 

Before Applying

Prepare to be asked about the following 

• Your financial situation 
  • Yearly income
  • Employment history 
  • Basic living costs like rent, utilities, and food costs
  • Total cost of your surgery
• Your access to resources such as
  • Paid Time Off 
  • Family support or partner support 
  • Washington State Paid Family and Medical Leave 
• A short personal statement about what excites you most about life after your procedure. 

Help with your Application 

If you need any assistance with your application please email infoqspf@gmail.com and we’ll be happy to help. 

HOW TO SUPPORT

To join the community of support for qSPF, contact us, or make a gift at the link below. We can also take donations via cash, check, Donor Advised Fund, stock donations, or through a giving portal like Benevity. Contact Erin (erin@velocitydancecenter.org) for more information. 

As a fiscally sponsored project, all gifts to qSFP made through Velocity Dance Center are tax deductible.

Queer Sick Pay Fund’s Gender Affirming Care Grant program is generously underwritten by Cheer Seattle