2010 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 2010 report finds that despite the toll taken by the economic downturn (which has caused reduced operating hours and staff cuts), local community centers serving lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people provide vital information, education and health services to more than 30,000 people each week.
Abstract
The LGBT Community Centers 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 2010 report analyzes data on 69 LGBT community centers, which represent about 82% of all LGBT community center revenues. The 35 larger centers providing trend data reported reductions in staff (from 916 combined staff in 2008 to 748 combined staff in 2010) and reduced operating hours (the average center was open 61 hours per week in 2008 versus 53 hours in 2010). Larger centers also reported serving fewer people; an average large center served 921 people per week in 2008 versus 668 people per week in 2010.
By contrast, smaller centers (those with annual budgets under $100,000) saw modest financial, staff and service growth despite the economic downturn. However, the smaller budgets of these centers means they continue to face capacity challenges. Over two-thirds (69%) of small community centers have no paid staff and all have fewer than five paid staff.
Despite these challenges, LGBT community centers are remarkably resilient. Among the report’s other key findings:
- LGBT community centers in the U.S. serve more than 30,000 people in an average week and refer an additional 9,500 people to other organizations or agencies.
- Centers offer a broad array of programming including information services, legal services, community outreach, arts and cultural programs, and health and mental health programs. Many centers offer specific programming for transgender people (83%), LGBT youth (80%), LGBT older adults (64%) and LGBT people of color (59%).
- Community center patrons are racially diverse, with the average large center serving a clientele that is 56% Caucasian, 20% African American, 16% Latino, 3% Asian Pacific Islander, 2% Native American and 3% other.
- For larger centers, 45% of revenue comes from government grants for purposes such as HIV/AIDS care, prevention, and testing and counseling; domestic violence work; and services for homeless people, older LGBT adults and LGBT youth.

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