Despite the tense political landscape, the 2019 National Movement Report, published annually by MAP, finds that national LGBTQI organizations remained steadfast in providing vital programs and services with continued increase in revenue and diverse revenue sources.
This year's report provides a comprehensive and standardized look at fiscal year 2018 for 40 major LGBTQI advocacy organizations. These organizations reported total combined 2018 revenue of $299.3 million—up 8% from 2017. The majority of 2018 expenses (79%) was spent on programs and services, indicating that the largest LGBTQI social justice organizations operate efficiently.
Some of MAP’s most important work is to help policymakers better understand who LGBTQI people are, the challenges at hand, the policy solutions to address them, and how to become more effective advocates. Advancement is our middle name, and that’s because MAP works to advance policy, understanding, and collaboration in pursuit of LGBTQI equality.
Major findings from the report include:
• Excluding in-kind contributions, organizations reported an aggregate 10% revenue increase from 2017 to 2018. Aggregate revenue including in-kind contributions was up 8% for the same period. Over the past five years, total revenue has increased 47% from 2014 to 2018.
• Total combined 2018 expenses (including in-kind) across all participating organizations were $269.8 million–up 6% from 2017. Over the past five years, total expenses increased by 33% from 2014 to 2018, demonstrating growth in programs and services.
• Individual donor contributions remain the most significant source of revenue among participating LGBTQI organizations, comprising 32% of their total 2018 revenue.
• Based on the number of donors to participating organizations (assuming that all donors are LGBTQI and there are no duplicates), only 3.4% of LGBTQ people contributed $35 or more in 2018 to participating organizations.
• Organizations that reported staff demographics have diverse staff that reflects the overall population. Fifty-four percent of staff are Caucasian, while 15% identify as Black, 14% as Latinx, 8% Asian or Pacific Islander, 1% as Native American, 4% as multiracial, and 4% as some other race or ethnicity. Among senior staff and board members of LGBTQI organizations, 62% of senior staff are Caucasian as are 65% of board members. Of organizations providing data on the sexual orientation of their staff, 45% of staff identified as gay or lesbian, 10% as bisexual, 16% as queer, 15% as another orientation, and 14% as straight.
