Revenue for LGBT groups down 20 percent in 2009: report

A new report has found revenue for LGBT groups dropped 20 percent in 2009 from the previous year and that less four percent of LGBT adults donated $35 dollars or more to these organizations.

The 21-report report, published on Wednesday by the Movement Advancement Project, examines the 2009 finances of 39 leading organizations of the LGBT movement, including the Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal and National Log Cabin Republicans.

According to the report, the combined expenses of the organizations amounted to $165.6 million, which is just half of the expenses of the 10 largest groups working against LGB T rights. Their combined expenses of these groups — which included the Family Research Council and the National Organization for Marriage — were $333.1 million.

The report found that many LGBT organizations have scaled back programs to align with available resources. The combined budgets for 2010, which amounted to $135.4 million, are down 18 percent from 2009, when they were $165.6 million.

Still, the general financial health remains of LGBT groups remains strong. According to the report, organizations have good and rising average working capital, declining but still-healthy liquidity ratios and steady cash and net assets. All 39 participants exceeded the efficiency standards for both the American Institute of Philanthropy and the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance.

Download a copy of the report here.