Client Case Study:
IPM Advancement
THE CHALLENGE
At present, there has been little to no research conducted on LBGTQ+ nonprofits. With over
2-5% of the general population of every state identifying as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, this is a problem. There have been only 40 academic articles published on the topic in the last 46 years. Before 2000, most of these articles only focused on HIV/AIDS. Therefore, there is a lot unknown about LGBTQ+ nonprofits and their functions. As a certified LGBTQ+ Business Enterprise, IPM Advancement aimed to understand how these organizations operate and identify issues to share with LGBTQ+ organizations, donors, policymakers, and stakeholders.
SOLUTION
IPM Advancement engaged Colton Strawser Consulting to conduct research on LGBTQ+ nonprofits to fill the research gap and shed light on the functioning and impact of these organizations on the LGBTQ+ community. As there was no comprehensive list of available LGBTQ+ nonprofits, Colton Strawser, Ph.D. had to create a strategy for developing a list. Colton utilized Python programming and qualitative analysis to identify keywords related to the LGBTQ+ community within organizational names and mission statements from organizations that e-filed their tax returns in 2018. Nonprofits that did not primarily serve the LGBTQ+ community were removed from the dataset, resulting in 483 identified organizations. Additionally, interviews with individuals who previously or currently worked with LGBTQ+ nonprofits and a survey of nonprofit leaders were conducted to supplement the findings.
OUTCOME
The resulting report, "LGBTQ+ Nonprofit Organizations in the United States: Growth, Trends, Concerns, and the Outlook for Philanthropic Giving," is the first of its kind. The report provides an overview of the current landscape of LGBTQ+ nonprofits in the United States, with a particular focus on their fundraising efforts and expenditure. The report sheds light on the growth of these organizations while also identifying areas for improvement, especially in lobbying and policy agendas.
Russ Phaneuf, Co-founder and Managing Director of IPM Advancement, acknowledged Colton's expertise and invaluable contribution to the report, stating, "Colton's expertise helped us transform an unexplored topic into a powerful benchmarking tool for LGBTQ+ nonprofits. His thoughtfulness and attention to detail made this first-of-its-kind research report an insightful asset for the LGBTQ+ community."
Colton Strawser Consulting thrives on collaborative efforts with its clients to deliver impactful work that addresses both the community's needs and the client's objectives. Jack Padovano, Co-founder and Owner of IPM Advancement, praised Colton's exceptional collaboration, stating, "Colton worked with us to create a report that met all of our needs and surpassed our expectations. He recognized our values as a certified LGBTQ+ Business Enterprise and gave us the opportunity to provide even more support to this community. We are excited to see how LGBTQ+ nonprofits use this data to propel their missions forward."
