LGBTQ Victory Institute

What LGBTQ Victory Institute does

LGBTQ+ Victory Institute is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 1991 (incorporated 1993), dedicated to building a pipeline of out LGBTQ+ elected and appointed leaders across all levels of government. The organization runs a multi-tiered portfolio of training and leadership development programs — including Candidate & Campaign Training, Public Leadership Summits, Victory Congressional Internship and Fellowship, the Victory Empowerment Fellowship, the David Bohnett Leaders Fellowship at Harvard Kennedy School, the Women Out to Win Fellowship, and the David Mixner Political Appointments Program — plus the annual International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference and an Out for America interactive database tracking known out LGBTQ+ elected officials in the United States.

The business model is donation- and grant-driven rather than commercial. Revenue flows from individual donations, a Corporate Executive Cabinet (Google, Microsoft, AT&T, Walmart, Toyota, AARP, Dow, Turo), foundation grants (David Bohnett Foundation, The Ascend Fund, Tides), government funding (USAID for international programming), and modest program fees such as $450–$775 per Candidate & Campaign Training seat. Reach extends across roughly 14 countries with training delivered through both U.S.-based convenings and in-country partnerships with organizations such as Caribe Afirmativo. The organization's value proposition rests on three structural assets: a network of more than 1,350 out LGBTQ+ elected officials, a proprietary longitudinal dataset on LGBTQ+ political representation, and a 30+ year brand position as the only national organization singularly focused on out LGBTQ+ leadership at every level of government.

In February 2025, Evan Low, a former California State Assemblyman, mayor, and David Bohnett Leaders Fellow, succeeded Annise Parker as President & CEO, marking the most recent leadership transition in a sequence that has tracked the organization's evolution from a domestic candidate-training effort into a globally active leadership pipeline with formal coalition programming for presidential appointments.

Name

LGBTQ Victory Institute

Legal name

LGBTQ+ Victory Institute

Website

https://victoryinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LGBTQ+ Victory Institute is a Washington, D.C. nonprofit that trains, supports, and connects out LGBTQ+ candidates, elected officials, and appointees through campaign bootcamps, fellowships, internships, and an annual international conference, with programming across the U.S. and roughly 14 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Political Leadership Development and Campaign Training Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy Organizations (BPAGAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB)

Keywords

• LGBTQ leadership development
• Campaign training programs
• Political fellowship programs
• Candidate training services
• Elected official support

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, LGBTQ+ Victory Institute primarily generates revenue through donations from individuals, corporate partners, and foundations. EIN: 52-1835268.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

LGBTQ+ Victory Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that recruits, trains, and supports LGBTQ+ individuals to run for public office and serve in appointed leadership roles. Its core offerings include multi-day Candidate & Campaign Trainings, public leadership summits, congressional internships and fellowships, the David Bohnett Leaders Fellowship at Harvard Kennedy School, the David Mixner Political Appointments Program, and convenings such as the annual International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference. The organization also maintains the Out for America database of out LGBTQ+ elected officials and publishes research on LGBTQ+ political participation.

Product overview

LGBTQ+ Victory Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a pipeline of LGBTQ+ leaders through public service. The organization operates a multi-faceted portfolio of leadership development programs including training programs (Candidate & Campaign Training, Public Leadership Summits, Virtual Events & Webinars), fellowship and internship programs (Victory Congressional Internship, Victory Congressional Fellowship, Victory Empowerment Fellowship, David Bohnett Leaders Fellowship, David Mixner Political Appointments Program, Women Out to Win Fellowship), support services (Coming Out Project), and convenings (International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference). The organization also maintains technology platforms including the Out for America interactive map database of LGBTQ+ elected officials and the Pride & Progress historical timeline. Core programs are complemented by research publications and global programming in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Candidate & Campaign Training A four-day non-partisan intensive bootcamp-style training that provides LGBTQ+ candidates, campaign staff, and community leaders with skills, tools, and realistic campaign scenarios to run successful campaigns. Held in cities including Denver, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles with tiered pricing ($450 shared room, $775 private room).
• LGBTQ+ Public Leadership Summits Free half-day summits held in cities nationwide that engage participants in collaborative workshops on running for office as an out LGBTQ+ individual, with networking opportunities with local elected officials.
• Virtual Events & Webinars Virtual programming including Time2Run webinars and Candidate & Campaign Training information sessions that provide tools to assess readiness to run for office and elevate campaign strategy.
• International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference Annual three-day conference bringing together hundreds of LGBTQ+ elected officials, leaders, and advocates for networking, skills building, and strategizing on equality issues. The largest gathering of LGBTQ+ elected officials worldwide, with 700+ attendees.
• Victory Congressional Internship Semester-based internship program bringing outstanding LGBTQ+ college students to Washington, DC for an intensive leadership program including an 8-10 week Congressional internship with members of the Congressional Equality Caucus. Includes free housing, a living wage stipend equal to $15/hour, airfare/transportation, academic credit, and conference travel.
• Victory Congressional Fellowship A 10-month intensive fellowship bringing one outstanding LGBTQ+ young professional to Washington, DC to support the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, with educational and leadership development programming and a $39,000 living stipend over 10 months.
• Victory Empowerment Fellowship A six-month fellowship for LGBTQ+ leaders of color and/or transgender leaders providing campaign skills training, policy-making power development, mentorship from out LGBTQ+ elected officials, and access to the International LGBTQ+ Leadership Conference.
• David Bohnett Leaders Fellowship An intensive three-week Executive Education program at Harvard Kennedy School for senior-level LGBTQ+ executives working with state and local governments, designed to hone leadership skills and further public leadership potential.
• David Mixner Political Appointments Program A coalition program working to support presidential administrations in ensuring qualified LGBTQ+ people are included in federal government across all agencies and levels, serving as a talent bank for political appointments. Led in partnership with over 30 LGBTQ+ and social justice organizations.
• Coming Out Project Support program for out LGBTQ+ elected officials who come out while in office, providing resources and connection to the network of out LGBTQ+ officials.
• Women Out to Win Fellowship A six-month advanced campaign training fellowship for LGBTQ+ women addressing challenges specific to women candidates, including imposter syndrome, safety concerns, and fundraising through personalized coaching and mentorship.
• Out for America Map The largest and most comprehensive interactive database of known out LGBTQ+ elected officials in the United States, updated daily and filterable by state, position level, party affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, and race/ethnicity.
• Global Programs International programming working with in-country partners to train LGBTQ+ public leaders, collaborate with political parties and institutions for greater inclusion, and conduct research on LGBTQ+ political participation in countries including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, India, Mexico, Peru, South Africa, and others.
• Research Reports Annual research publications including the Out for America report (census of LGBTQ+ elected officials), the When We Run survey, and thematic reports on LGBTQ+ political participation, mental health, and political violence targeting LGBTQ+ candidates.
• Pride & Progress An online timeline documenting groundbreaking moments in LGBTQ+ politics since the 1950s, from the first LGBTQ+ person to run for office to the presidential candidacy of Pete Buttigieg, including the LGBTQ+ Political Hall of Fame.

Quantifiable outcome

• LGBTQ+ representation grew 198% since 2017 (448 to 1,334 officials)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered headline, partner, core and regional.

• GoogleheadlineGTM or Marketing PartnerGoogle is a presenting sponsor for 2026 Candidate & Campaign Trainings and 2026 LGBTQ+ Public Leadership Summits, providing financial support for LGBTQ+ leadership development programs.
• MicrosoftpartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate Executive Cabinet member supporting LGBTQ+ public leadership pipeline through corporate sponsorship.
• AT&TpartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate Executive Cabinet member providing support for LGBTQ+ leadership programs.
• WalmartpartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate Executive Cabinet member supporting LGBTQ+ public leadership initiatives.
• ToyotapartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate Executive Cabinet member providing corporate sponsorship.
• AARPpartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate Executive Cabinet member supporting LGBTQ+ leadership development.
• DowpartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate Executive Cabinet member providing support for programs.
• TuropartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate Executive Cabinet member supporting LGBTQ+ public leadership.
• Coalition of 30+ LGBTQ+ OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe David Mixner Political Appointments Program is led by Victory Institute in partnership with over 30 LGBTQ+ and social justice organizations to support presidential administrations in ensuring LGBTQ+ representation in government.
• Caribe AfirmativocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Victory Institute to hold the 4th LGBTI Political Leaders of the Americas conference in Bogota, Colombia with 400+ attendees from 42 countries.
• Harvard Kennedy SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration since 2002 sending LGBTQ+ fellows to the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program for leadership development.
• Congressional LGBT Equality CaucuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVictory Congressional Internship places students with Equality Caucus members; Victory Congressional Fellowship supports the Caucus Executive Director.
• One ColoradoregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner organization for Denver Candidate & Campaign Training 2026.
• Rocky Mountain Equality Action FundregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner for Denver Candidate & Campaign Training 2026 hosting support.
• Biden-Harris AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVictory Institute worked with the administration to field candidates for appointed positions, resulting in over 14% of appointees identifying as LGBTQ+ as of January 2022.
• Obama AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented 3,000+ vetted resumes to Obama transition team; Obama appointed 300+ out LGBTQ+ people, exceeding all prior administrations combined.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Human Rights Campaign: The largest U.S. LGBTQ+ civil-rights advocacy organization, lobbying and litigating on federal and state policy. Overlaps with Victory Institute's policy-advocacy dimension and shares corporate funder and donor base but operates with a much broader lobbying and public-education portfolio rather than candidate training.
• National LGBTQ Task Force: Long-standing LGBTQ+ advocacy and policy organization focused on movement-building, racial justice, and faith organizing. Operates in an adjacent advocacy space with overlapping donor and movement-ally networks, but its core work centers on policy campaigns rather than direct candidate training.
• GLAAD: Major LGBTQ+ media-advocacy nonprofit focused on cultural change through representation in media, press, and entertainment. Sits in the same advocacy and donor ecosystem and shares corporate sponsor relationships but differs sharply in core mission (media vs. candidate development).
• PFLAG National: Largest LGBTQ+ family-ally organization with a national network of chapters supporting LGBTQ+ people and their families. Shares the LGBTQ+ advocacy and education space and a community-building GTM motion, but its primary focus is family support rather than candidate training.

Direct peers

• LGBTQ+ Victory Fund: Sister 501(c)(4) organization historically sharing the Victory brand and leadership pipeline, focused on electing pro-equality LGBTQ+ candidates to public office. Directly comparable in mission and candidate-recruitment target market; complements Victory Institute's training focus with campaign spending and endorsements.
• Point Foundation: National LGBTQ+ scholarship and leadership-development nonprofit funding high-achieving LGBTQ+ students through scholarships, mentorship, and leadership programming. Directly comparable in mission to train and develop LGBTQ+ leaders, with overlapping fellowship-style programs and alumni networks.
• Out & Equal: LGBTQ+ workplace-advocacy organization focused on LGBTQ+ employee leadership, executive education, and corporate LGBTQ+ affinity programs. Comparable in training and convening model (Leadership Forums, fellowships) and in courting the same corporate executive cabinet-style funders.

Emerging players

• Center for Black Equity: Organization supporting Black LGBTQ+ communities through Black Pride events, leadership programming, and HIV services. Comparable in mission focus on increasing LGBTQ+ leaders of color — a segment where Victory Institute's officials-of-color pipeline grew 420.7% — and complements the Empowerment Fellowship's audience.
• Lambda Legal: National legal organization advancing LGBTQ+ civil rights through impact litigation and education. Sits in the same broader movement ecosystem with overlapping corporate and foundation funders and partner-coalition relationships (e.g., the David Mixner Appointments coalition), but is litigation rather than candidate-training focused.
• Movement Advancement Project: Think tank producing research and policy analysis on LGBTQ+ issues, including frequent State of the Movement reports. Overlaps with Victory Institute's Out for America and When We Run research outputs and shares foundation funders, but is research-only and does not run candidate training.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/VictoryInst
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCgR0lsngTvlA7DblbhLXmnA
• Facebookfacebook.com/victoryinst
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/victoryinst
• Instagraminstagram.com/victoryinstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LGBTQ Victory Institute