The National LGBT Movement Report, published annually by MAP, examines revenue and expenses, fundraising and fundraising efficiency, and other indicators of financial health for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) social justice advocacy, issue, legal, research and public education organizations.
The 2014 National LGBT Movement Report provides a comprehensive snapshot of the financial health of LGBT social justice advocacy organizations. The 37 organizations examined for the 2014 report collectively represent 61% of the budgets of all LGBT social justice advocacy organizations. Among the key findings in the 2014 report:
Revenue and Expenses. LGBT social justice organizations’ revenues grew 7% from 2012 to 2013, with revenue exceeding expenses by $5.8 million in 2013. This financial growth continues an upward trend that re-emerged in 2011, following a downturn experienced by the LGBT movement during the Great Recession. Increases in expenses and revenue closely tracked national averages for nonprofits: nationally, total nonprofit revenue increased 7.8% and expenses increased 4.5%. Participating organizations are projecting combined 2014 expense budgets totaling $185.9 million, a 14% increase from 2013 expenses.
Fundraising and Fundraising Efficiency. Fundraising and individual donations continue to increase, with a notable spike in revenue from individual giving, which increased 15% from 2012 to 2013, compared to a 4.2% nationwide increase in nonprofit giving. Movement groups are highly efficient in their fundraising and programming operations. On average, 81% of total expenses are dedicated to programs and services—exceeding benchmarks of the American Institute of Philanthropy and Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance.
Other Indicators of Financial Health. General financial health remains strong. In 2013, organizations reported an average of nearly six months of available working capital, a 9% increase from 2012.
Staff and Boards. The racial and ethnic diversity of paid staff at participating organizations is slightly less than that of the overall population: 34% of paid staff identify as people of color compared to 37% of the U.S. population. Among senior staff, the percentage who are people of color dropped to 27%. Also, 47% of all staff are women and 12% identify as transgender. Of board members at participating organizations, 29% identify as people of color, 46% as women, and 12% as transgender.
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