Reed Erickson (1917 – 1992) was a mechanical engineer, businessman, financier, and philanthropist whose support of transgender research and advocacy made him one of the most influential early benefactors of the transgender rights movement.
In 1964, he founded the Erickson Educational Foundation (EEF), which provided funding for LGBTQ organizations, served as an information resource for transgender individuals, and supported pioneering research into gender-affirming healthcare. Through the EEF, Erickson contributed millions of dollars to research projects, referral networks, educational materials, and advocacy efforts, helping shape the development of the transgender movement in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s.