CenterLink, Inc.

CenterLink helps develop strong, sustainable LGBT community centers and builds a thriving center network that creates healthy, vibrant communities. We strive to support community center organizations through expanding LGBT center organizational capacity, enhancing their infrastructures, increasing their level of professionalism, and increasing local community awareness of the work and importance of centers.

1. Provide relevant and strategic technical assistance according to the needs of centers,
2. Conduct an annual conference for EDs, CEOs, and Board Leaders to network with professional colleagues and access specialized training,
3. Host an annual Executive Director Boot Camp for newer EDs focusing on organizational management, program development, fundraising, board governance, financial management, and diversity,
4. Provide peer leadership development,
5. Provide individual coaching/mentorship for center directors,
6. Assist community center leaders to address economic, civil, and health disparities within our communities
7. Host webinar training series for boards, leadership, and all staff members of centers on a range of professional development topics, as suggested by members through needs assessments,
8. Institutionalize diversity and inclusion training and practices into ongoing capacity-building services to ensure the broadest recruitment and retention of leadership.

CenterLink has a small but motivated staff with decades of experience working in and leading nonprofit organizations. Our board of directors is comprised of center executive directors, foundation and corporate representatives, and community members. Working closely together, these individuals provide the long-term vision of the organization while also ensuring that the organization is adequately funded for the goals it has set. Our CEO holds a certificate from BoardSource for governance training and is a licensed consultant with the Standards For Excellence Institute.

In 2020:

 In collaboration with the Movement Advancement Project, produced the 2020 LGBTQ Community Center Survey Report,
 Virtually hosted the 9th Annual Executive Director Boot Camp, a training for center directors with 1-4 years of experience - 11 executive directors attended,
 Through our YouthLink program, provided technical assistance and support to staff at youth-specific and youth-serving centers, including programming calls and a semi-monthly newsletter,
 Expanded Q Chat Space nationally, working with member center staff to increase program accessibility, and provide real-time, chat-based, professionally facilitated support groups for LGBTQ+ teens who are unable to access in-person programs. This program (a partnership effort with Planned Parenthood and PFLAG) is co-brandable, expanding the program offerings for centers across the country,
 Continued to provide funding for unrestricted grants to centers with small budgets, with a goal of increasing their capacity and sustainability,
 Facilitated in-person and virtual board and staff training at nine organizations across the U.S., with a concentration in strategic planning and board governance,
 Continued to partner with the Johnson Family Foundation on its mental health initiative awarding grants that will increase the variety and quality of mental health services
provided by LGBT community centers and strengthen the overall organizational capacity of these institutions,
 Hosted the 14th Annual Leadership Summit virtually as part of our larger E-Summit. The agenda included tracks on health; leadership; governance; advocacy; fundraising and financial health; mental and physical health; program development; and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Over 700 center leaders, board members, and staff registered for the E-Summit,
 Continued to improve and expand our members-only portal, MyCenterLink, where community center staff and board members can access resources and tools. This year we added a COVID-19 resource page, as well as a Race & Equity resource page,
 Provided quarterly check-in calls with grant recipients, increased resource materials online, and continued our newsletters and programming calls,
 Through LGBT HealthLink, continued to support best practices to reduce health disparities, improve health programming, promote SOGI data collection, and increased linkages between centers and health funding sources
 Conducted member surveys to measure program impact, gaps, and opportunities for the organization, as well as separate surveys for YouthLink and HealthLink,
 Through our ActionLink program (Center Action Network) continued to partner with and work closely alongside national coalitions to mobilize LGBT Centers and their constituents on the continuing federal policy and legislative issues that impact LGBT Centers and the communities that they serve. A strong focus this year was on Get Out the Vote activities and health insurance and Medicaid information campaigns