Supporting Organizations Fighting for LGBTQI Equality
For more than 15 years, MAP has advanced understanding of LGBTQ people and provided vital tools to help movement organizations and staff be more effective.
MAP’s movement capacity work focuses on the strength, health, and challenges of LGBTQ organizations, from small community centers to the largest state and national advocacy organizations.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, MAP conducted a series of surveys to assess the impacts on LGBTQI movement organizations.
This research has been instrumental in illustrating the immediate financial, programmatic, and staffing challenges that organizations have faced during the pandemic. It has also highlighted organizations’ resiliency, adaptability, and innovation in responding to a changing landscape while still supporting the needs of LGBTQI people across the country.
MAP just published two movement capacity reports to build understanding for funders, the public, and advocates themselves about how LGBTQI organizations are doing at this stage of the pandemic. We also hosted our annual conference for financial operations staff to learn from one another and experts about how best to support their own organizations and staff.
- Every year, MAP publishes The National LGBTQI Movement Report, part of an annual series focusing specifically on the financial health of leading movement organizations. This year’s report, covering fiscal year 2020, is the first in its series to cover a full year of COVID-impacted experiences. The report shows that, while organizations ended the fiscal year in a relatively strong financial position overall, this could just as easily change in the coming year as the pandemic unfolds. Indeed, this report’s data cover fiscal year 2020 — prior to the emergence of the Delta variant.
- MAP has conducted quarterly “pulse” surveys to provide real-time data on how LGBTQI organizations are faring during the pandemic.
The Q1 and Q2 reports on COVID & the LGBTQI movement in 2021 highlighted the ongoing impact of the pandemic on staff mental health.
The Q3 report on COVID & the LGBTQ movement in 2021 released this week documents the new policies and practices that organizations are implementing to better support and promote staff health. The report also shows the continuing impacts of the Delta variant on organizations’ plans to reopen or remain remote, as well as their declining confidence in revenue for this year as the pandemic’s economic and health impacts continue. - Finally, last week MAP hosted its 16th annual CFO Network Conference. The CFO Network is a unique network, facilitated by MAP and designed to support finance operations professionals working within the LGBTQI movement. These professionals play an integral part of an organization’s financial and operational stability and sustainability, and especially so in times of economic crisis. The CFO Network engages and supports these professionals throughout the year with the mission to share informational resources, provide professional development opportunities and high-quality programming, and peer-to-peer support and mentorship — all of which helps to advance the collective mission of the LGBTQI movement itself.
During the pandemic, the CFO Network facilitated the sharing and development of best practices and policies for hybrid or fully remote work environments, helped navigate opportunities for federal pandemic relief, and much more.
MAP’s movement capacity research continues to track and support organizations working tirelessly to advance LGBTQ equality and it is used to inform funders and the public about the operational, staffing, and financial health of the movement.
