Who we are

Founded in 2000, Rainbow World Fund is the world’s first and only all-volunteer, LGBTQ+-based humanitarian aid organization. RWF raises funds within the LGBTQ+ community to help people affected by natural disasters, hunger, poverty, disease, oppression, and war. It supports both LGBTQ+ people and non-LGBTQ+ people, locally and around the world.

Since 2000, RWF has donated over $6.5 million in aid such as financial grants, food, clothing, water, medicine, medical equipment, and school supplies, and has provided more than 85,000 hours of volunteer service. It raises LGBTQ+ awareness of humanitarian needs, channels LGBTQ+ contributions to effective grassroots organizations in dozens of countries, and says to aid recipients that our LGBTQ+ community exists and that it cares.

RWF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization EIN: 94-3372560.

MISSION STATEMENT
RWF’s mission is to promote world peace, unity, and hope by leading the LGBTQ+ community to participate in humanitarian relief efforts.

RWF helps people in need while increasing the positive visibility of the LGBTQ+ movement. RWF serves those most in need regardless of race, religion, political belief, or sexual orientation.

CORE VALUES

Empowerment - RWF supports programs that foster independence, self-reliance and self-determination while respecting cultural and community traditions.
Sustainability - RWF supports programs that will continue their important work even after Rainbow World Fund's involvement.
Peacemaking - RWF supports programs that promote tolerance and understanding of differences among people and cultures.
Measurable Impact - RWF supports programs that demonstrate consistent positive impact.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 Jeffrey A. Cotter - Founder-President
A licensed clinical social worker specializing in trauma recovery and HIV/AIDS case management, Jeff practices in San Francisco, California. He has worked in the HIV/AIDS, trauma resolution, and LGBTQ+ civil rights fields since 1987.
Education: Bachelor of Science, Management Information System, 1985, Old Dominion University; Masters of Social Work, 1990, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He was made a Distinguished Alumnus of Old Dominion University in 2011.

Karen N. Kai - Secretary
An independent research and writing consultant, Kai is a community activist who has served on the boards of local, statewide and national Asian American, civil and human rights organizations. She is a former Chairperson of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission and served as co-chair of its LGBTQ Advisory Board.
Education: Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, San Francisco State University, 1975; J.D., University of San Francisco, 1978.

Joseph Rodriguez-Quintana - Board Member
A social impact executive with Gardner Rodriguez in San Francisco, Joe works with organizations who are breaking new ground and doing good in the world. He has worked in marketing for leading advertising agencies, software companies, and start-ups. He has served on the board of San Francisco Zen Center, the Alliance Political Action Committee (the first PAC in the country to raise money for LGBTQI political candidates), and many other LGBTQI groups. He is a human rights advocate, a spiritual teacher, and an endurance athlete. Education: BA, Economics, University of Maryland - College Park 1982, MS, Marketing, University of Wisconsin - Madison 1984.

Yew-Hoe Tan - Board Member
Yew-Hoe is a licensed architect with more than 27 years of experience with a special interest and passion for sustainable design. He has served on the Board at the Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco. Born and raised in Malaysia, he has lived and worked in Latin America, where he learnt Spanish and has been a volunteer and supporter of Rainbow World Fund since 2006.
Education: Bachelor of Arts, major in Architecture, Magna Cum Laude. Washington University in Saint Louis. 1985, Masters in Architecture. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1989

Neil J Young - Treasurer
Neil J Young is a tax accountant that has a broad range of tax and business experience in leading tax and treasury functions of multinational companies.  He has lived in San Francisco for 30 years, and has been volunteering with many organizations throughout his life.  He is currently the team lead accompanying  LGBTQ+ immigrants and others seeking asylum in the U.S., and participates in other activities with several other charitable and professional organizations.  Neil has been a volunteer and supporter of the Rainbow World Fund since 2015, and joined the Board in 2023
Education: Certified Public Accountant (licensed in the State of Florida); Bachelor of Science in Accounting (BSAc) and a Master of Accounting (MAcc) degrees from the University of Florida.

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Jim McBride - Advisory Board Member
Jim brings to RWF more than 30 years of marketing, communications and fundraising experience. Jim is has been the Development Director of the AIDS Legal Referral Panel since 2003, and previously held positions with UCSF Alliance Health Project and Shanti. For profit stints include Bozell Worldwide, Design Media and The Ideas Group.
Education: Bachelor of Liberal Arts, General Arts & Sciences, Penn State University, 1981; Development Director Certification, University of San Francisco Institute for Non Profit Management, 1994.  

Lisa Capaldini, MD, MPH - Advisory Board Member
An Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCSF, Capaldini has been in private practice in Internal Medicine with an emphasis on care of people with HIV disease since 1988. Capaldini's areas of interest include quality of life, the doctor-patient relationship and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders in the primary care setting.
Education:  Baccalaureate of Arts, History of Ideas, 1978, Williams College; Masters of Public Health, 1982, University of California, Berkeley; M.D., 1982, University of California, San Francisco.

Sister Jeannine Gramick, IBVM, PhD - Advisory Board Member
A reform-minded Roman Catholic nun, activist and co-founder of New Ways Ministry - helping LGBTQ+ Roman Catholics in the United States - Sister Jeannine began working with gays and lesbians in 1971. In 2000, Gramick and New Ways co-founder Father Robert Nugent were ordered by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (under then - Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, recently resigned Pope Benedict XVI) to cease ministering to gays and lesbians due to the Church’s teaching that same-sex relationships are sinful. While Nugent formally acquiesced to the decision by resigning from New Ways, Gramick respectfully set aside the order altogether. Gramick is the author of several books on LGBTQ+ Catholic issues. The documentary In Good Conscience details her journey of activism, the Vatican’s attempt to silence her and her decision to disregard that attempt.
Education: Doctorate in Mathematics Education from the University of Pennsylvania.

Javier Rivera-Rosales - Advisory Board Member
Javier is a native San Franciscan, born and raised in the Mission. He has over 8 years of experience working within the non-profit sector. Previously the Director of Positive Images, a non-profit serving the needs of LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, in Sonoma County. Program development, community/event organizing, and using love to balance the hate in our communities are a few of his skills. Some of his passions are: social justice through dance and spoken word, connecting with and nurturing mother nature, and providing space for others to be who they truly are. Javier served on the RWF Board of Director from 2018 to 2019.
Education: Bachelor of Science, Psychology, Deans Honors, Sonoma State University.

Joe Trummer - Advisory Board Member
Joe is a chemical engineer with a culinary background and works in research and development in the commercial food industry. Joe has served on the board (one year as president) of his 300 unit co-op apartment building in Chicago and contributed to several committees in their efforts to revitalize the Edgewater Beach Apartments. Joe is excited to be part of the Rainbow team and looks forward to expanding Rainbow’s efforts to help those in need. Joe served on the RWF Board of Director from 2017 to 2019.
Education: B.S in Chemical Engineering Michigan State University 1983, M.S. in Chemical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology 1987.

Fernando Hildebrand - Advisory Board Member
Fernando is Marketing and Advertising professional who move to the U.S. in 2018 from Mexico. In leu to meet people in his new place of residence, Fernando has volunteered with Meals and Wheels project in Atlanta and with the Atlanta and Detroit AIDS Walks, Fernando became a member of the RWF board in 2020. Education: Bachelor of Communication, Universidad Iberoamericana, Puebla, Pue, Mexico.