Allies in Arts
Allies in Arts is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2015 that supports women, BIPOC, and queer artists through grants, exhibitions, the Transanta trans-youth mutual aid program, and the Transchool creative writing program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Allies in Arts does
Allies in Arts is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2015 by Drew Denny and Paco de Leon and headquartered in Los Angeles, California (EIN 47-5376594). Its mission is to support women, BIPOC, and queer (LGBTQQIA2S+) artists through education, grants, exhibitions, and partnerships, serving three primary beneficiary segments: women/BIPOC/queer artists facing discrimination in the arts industry; trans youth who are unhoused, in foster care, or otherwise without support; and emerging trans writers aged 18-30. Since founding, the organization reports having supported 13,470+ creatives, facilitated $3 million+ in mutual aid gifts, and redistributed over $1 million directly to artists.
The organization operates a portfolio of integrated programs. Transanta, launched in 2020 with Indya Moore and Chase Strangio, is a mutual aid project that has answered 11,300+ letters from trans youth and facilitated $3 million+ in gifts. Transchool, launched in 2023 under Dr. Ren Heintz (Associate Professor and Director of the Center for the Study of Genders and Sexualities at Cal State Los Angeles), offers paid college-level creative writing courses for trans writers and has produced two published anthologies through Co—Conspirator Press. SOS Grants served 471 BIPOC artists with emergency cash grants during 2020-2021. The organization runs a recurring Pride mural series with Häagen-Dazs across Brooklyn, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and Chicago; programmed the Reel Her In film screening series (2017-2021) and 2020 Collection; curates exhibitions including Anti•Venom at LMCC Arts Center (2023); and provides fiscal sponsorship to aligned projects including Weirdo Night, Chase Strangio, and chosen•kin. Other initiatives include Queer Black Futures, Support Trans Voices public installations, and the 2025 LA Wildfire Relief effort with Grief & Hope.
The business model is funded through individual donations (a recurring $50/month tier with a "Sisters Not Cisters" advocacy t-shirt), corporate sponsorships (Häagen-Dazs as the anchor partner across multiple years), grants (including NBCUniversal in 2023), merchandise sales, and fiscal sponsorship administrative fees. The organization operates standard non-profit digital infrastructure: Squarespace-hosted websites, Stripe payment processing, and Instagram-led community engagement, with no proprietary technology platform. Operating with a 1-10 person staff and registered users limited to the United States per its terms of use, the organization extends its reach globally through the Transanta anonymous Santa network.
Allies in Arts firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Allies in Arts
- Legal name
- Allies in Arts
- Website
- https://alliesinarts.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Allies in Arts is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2015 that supports women, BIPOC, and queer artists through grants, exhibitions, the Transanta trans-youth mutual aid program, and the Transchool creative writing program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Allies in Arts industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Arts Nonprofit Services
- NAICS
- Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arts & Culture Service/Support Organizations (Networks, Advocacy, Capacity Building) (BPAGAHAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)
Keywords
Where Allies in Arts is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Allies in Arts business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: Primary revenue stream from individual donations (including recurring monthly donations) and corporate/grant funding to support programs for women, BIPOC, and queer artists.
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of 'Sisters Not Cisters' t-shirts with donations of $50+ receiving a free shirt. Additional merchandise sold through e-commerce cart.
- Fiscal Sponsorship Administration: Provides fiscal sponsorship to artists and projects (Weirdo Night, Chase Strangio, chosen•kin, Jibz Cameron, trans advocacy projects), taking a portion of donations for administrative purposes.
- Event Sponsorships: Sponsored mural series (Häagen-Dazs partnership) and collaborative relief efforts providing funding for artist projects and public programming.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free programs for artists - grants, workshops, exhibitions |
| Subscription | Monthly | Donor incentive - $50+ monthly recurring donation |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Allies in Arts product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Allies in Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports women, BIPOC, and queer artists through education, grants, exhibitions, and partnerships. It operates programs including Transanta (a mutual aid gift-matching program for trans youth), Transchool (a paid creative writing course for trans writers), SOS Grants (emergency cash grants), film screenings, Pride murals, and fiscal sponsorship for aligned projects.
Product overview
Allies in Arts is a queer and trans-led 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports women, BIPOC, and queer artists through education, grants, exhibitions, and partnerships. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected programs including Transanta (a mutual aid gift-matching project for trans youth), Transchool (a paid creative writing course with published anthologies), SOS Grants (emergency COVID-19 relief for BIPOC artists), and various art programs including film screenings (Reel Her In, 2020 Collection), Pride murals (Chicago, Miami, and ongoing Häagen-Dazs partnerships), Pride art walks, and public art installations. The organization also provides fiscal sponsorship for aligned projects and hosts events like Weirdo Night. Founded in 2015, the organization has expanded from grants and exhibitions to include educational programming, advocacy merchandise, and community relief efforts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Transanta: A mutual aid project connecting anonymous gift-givers with trans youth who are unhoused, in foster care, or otherwise without crucial support they need to thrive.
- Transchool
Products and services
- Transanta A mutual aid project that connects anonymous gift-givers ("Santas") worldwide with trans youth who are unhoused, in foster care, or otherwise without crucial support. Letters from trans youth are shared publicly with linked gift registries, and gifts are sent directly to recipients. The program has facilitated over $3 million in critical gifts and answered over 11,300 letters from trans youth.
- Transchool An introductory course in trans studies and creative writing for emerging trans writers ages 18-30. Delivered free via Zoom twice weekly during Pride month, with college-level instruction, mentorship from established trans academics and creatives, and paid stipends for student participants. Since 2023, 45 students have been paid to learn and 17 educators have taught.
- Transchool Anthologies (Volumes 1 & 2) Two published creative writing anthologies drawn from Transchool cohorts, published by Co—Conspirator Press with support from the Feminist Center for Creative Work. Volumes showcase original writings by Transchool students and mentors.
- SOS Grants Immediate cash grants offered to BIPOC artists struggling to make ends meet during the COVID-19 lockdown. The program served 471 BIPOC artists from summer 2020 to 2021 before closing.
- Reel Her In An annual screening program showcasing short films directed by women of color and LGBTQ+ women, trans, and non-binary people. Programmed films by approximately 100 queer and BIPOC directors across five years of operation.
- Pride Mural Series Large-scale public art installations in partnership with Häagen-Dazs featuring QBIPOC artists in Brooklyn, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and Chicago. Provides artists with well-paid work on a national platform for Pride celebrations.
- Sisters Not Cisters
Quantifiable outcome
- 13,470+ creatives supported since 2015
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Allies in Arts
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Allies in Arts technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Allies in Arts partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Grief & HopecoreVolunteer-run fundraising and mutual aid effort for LA wildfire relief. Allied in Arts raffle proceeds administered by Grief & Hope for artists displaced by Eaton and Palisades fires. Co-organized by Kathryn Andrews, Andrea Bowers, Julia V. Hendrickson, Olivia Gauthier, and Ariel Pittman.
- Häagen-DazscoreMulti-year partnership for Pride mural series. Third consecutive year in 2025. Supports large-scale murals in Brooklyn, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and Chicago featuring QBIPOC artists. Provides artists with well-paid work on national platform.
- Effen VodkaminorCheers Queers Pride campaign - Effen distributed stickers designed by Allies in Arts artists Kyle Lasky and Acacia Rodriguez with their signature Pride bottle during Covid lockdown.
- Co—Conspirator PresscorePublisher of Transchool Volume 1 and Volume 2 anthologies, compilations of original writings by Transchool cohort and mentors. Published in 2024 with support from Feminist Center for Creative Work.
- Feminist Center for Creative WorkcoreSupported publication of Transchool anthologies and hosted readings. Collaborative partner for Transchool student and mentor readings.
- Sundance InstituteminorFilm programming partner for Reel Her In. Moderator Kamal Sinclair from Sundance New Frontier moderated the 2017 Intersectional Feminism Panel at Annenberg Space for Photography.
- MOTHA (Museum of Transgender Hirstory & Art)minorMOTHA Executive Director Chris E. Vargas serves as Transchool mentor. Transchool mentors include prominent trans writers and activists from across the country.
- Cal State Los AngelescoreDr. Ren Heintz, Transchool Program Director, is Associate Professor and Director of the Center for the Study of Genders and Sexualities at Cal State LA. Provides academic rigor to the educational program.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Allies in Arts competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Allies in Arts social profiles
Digital presenceAllies in Arts financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Allies in Arts leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Allies in Arts funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Allies in Arts M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Allies in Arts
What does Allies in Arts do?
Allies in Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports women, BIPOC, and queer artists through education, grants, exhibitions, and partnerships. It operates programs including Transanta (a mutual aid gift-matching program for trans youth), Transchool (a paid creative writing course for trans writers), SOS Grants (emergency cash grants), film screenings, Pride murals, and fiscal sponsorship for aligned projects.
Is Allies in Arts a public or private company?
Allies in Arts is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Allies in Arts founded?
Allies in Arts was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Allies in Arts based?
Allies in Arts is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Allies in Arts make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Grants are the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales, fiscal Sponsorship Administration and event Sponsorships.
Does Allies in Arts have an API?
No public API is recorded for Allies in Arts.
What industry is Allies in Arts in?
Allies in Arts's product category is Arts Nonprofit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAL, Arts & Culture Service/Support Organizations (Networks, Advocacy, Capacity Building), with a secondary code of BPAGAHAC, Arts Education & Community Arts Programs. Its NAICS code is 81341 and its SIC code is 8300.