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2014 LGBT Community Center Survey Report

The Bottom Line

The biennial LGBT Community Center Survey Report provides a detailed picture of centers’ staffs and boards, program priorities, constituencies and services, infrastructure, fundraising, budgets, and technical assistance needs. The 2014 report finds that local community centers serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people provide vital information, education, and health services to almost 40,000 people each week.

  • 2014 LGBT Community Center Survey Report Download
  • 2014 LGBT Community Center Survey Report: CyberCenters Download
  • 2012 LGBT Community Center Survey Report Download
  • 2010 LGBT Community Center Survey Report Download
  • 2008 LGBT Community Center Survey Report Download

Abstract

The LGBT Community Center Survey Report, prepared jointly by MAP and CenterLink and published every two years, provides an overview of local lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community centers, including their capacity, their programs and services, the people they serve, and their technical assistance needs.

The 2014 report analyzes data from 111 LGBT community centers, which represent 84% of all LGBT community center expenses. Among the report’s key findings:

  • LGBT community centers serve almost 40,000 people each week (or over 1.9 million people annually). This includes referring over 9,900 people weekly to other organizations or agencies for services and assistance.
  • Both large and small LGBT centers reported revenues increases from 2012 to 2013; small centers experienced a 20% increase in revenues from 2012 to 2013, compared to a 12% increase for large centers.
  • Despite the increase in average center revenue, many centers still struggle with a lack of funding and resources; 21% of all surveyed centers have no staff and rely solely on volunteers; and 57% have five or fewer paid staff. Almost half of center staff (49%) identify as people of color.
  • The demographics of LGBT community center patrons vary greatly among centers. On average however, center patrons are disproportionately male, people of color, transgender, and/or low-income.

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Sexual Orientation Policy Tally

The term “sexual orientation” is loosely defined as a person’s pattern of romantic or sexual attraction to people of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or more than one sex or gender. Laws that explicitly mention sexual orientation primarily protect or harm lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. That said, transgender people who are lesbian, gay or bisexual can be affected by laws that explicitly mention sexual orientation.

Gender Identity Policy Tally

“Gender identity” is a person’s deeply-felt inner sense of being male, female, or something else or in-between. “Gender expression” refers to a person’s characteristics and behaviors such as appearance, dress, mannerisms and speech patterns that can be described as masculine, feminine, or something else. Gender identity and expression are independent of sexual orientation, and transgender people may identify as heterosexual, lesbian, gay or bisexual. Laws that explicitly mention “gender identity” or “gender identity and expression” primarily protect or harm transgender people. These laws also can apply to people who are not transgender, but whose sense of gender or manner of dress does not adhere to gender stereotypes.

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