Diversity Richmond, a local nonprofit that supports the Greater Richmond area’s LGBTQ+ community, released a preliminary design for its new “Celebrate Diversity” state license plate. Diversity Richmond hopes the license plate will increase visibility for the community, according to the Rev. Lacette Cross, who also is executive director of the organization.

“We wanted to do it because that is the vision — to create a region where we’re all welcome, included and safe, and we do that through visibility,” Cross said.

The organization wanted a license plate that reflected the diversity within the LGBTQ+ community across Virginia. Staff input and community responses contributed to the final design.

It was in the works for around 15 months, and then released in September, right after Diversity Richmond’s 25th anniversary, according to Cross.

“Everything just came together at the right time,” Cross said.

Diversity Richmond is the first to propose an initiative like this in Virginia, according to Cross.

Any special license plate by law requires 450 applications and payments before the start of the next General Assembly session, which is Jan. 8, 2025. The effort also needs a legislative sponsor, who will be Delegate Betsy Carr, D-Richmond, according to Cross.

The estimated timeline for customers to receive the plates is approximately nine months after the General Assembly approves the legislation, according to DMV .

The organization has sold around 15% of the plates necessary for submission and plans to host Zoom and in-person application parties to encourage people to apply, Cross said.

All applicants will be refunded if Diversity Richmond is unable to meet the minimum number of applications for approval, according to its website. Plates are $25, or $35 with personalization. Personalized plates can have six characters maximum, though handicapped plates have a maximum of five, according to the DMV .

From every plate purchased, pending approval, $10 goes toward the organization, which in turn supports the Greater Richmond LGBTQ+ community through events, an art gallery and funding other nonprofits, according to Cross.

“We are about the potential to have a way to raise visibility and continue to bring in donations and financial support for the ongoing mission for Diversity Richmond,” Cross said.

The organization’s Instagram will have dates for application parties, and the applications are available at diversityrichmond.org. Only the organization can collect the application and fees at this phase in the plate development process, not DMV.

There are over 100 revenue-sharing license plates in Virginia, which generate funds for colleges around the state and organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association, Friends of Tibet, the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance and others.