The Equi Institute
The Marie Equi Center is a Portland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing culturally and gender-affirming healthcare, harm reduction, recovery, and advocacy services to LGBTQIA2S+ individuals across Oregon's Pacific Northwest. Founded in 2016, it operates a community health, harm reduction, and Trans & Queer Service Center funded primarily through donations and grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Equi Institute does
The Marie Equi Center (formerly The Equi Institute) is a Portland, Oregon-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2016 by Dr. Angela Carter and Katie Cox to provide accessible, culturally competent healthcare and support services to LGBTQIA2S+ individuals in the Pacific Northwest. The organization operates a single service site at 4434 SE 25th Ave., Portland (Mon–Thu 10a–4p), and delivers a suite of programs including the Community Health Program, Harm Reduction and Recovery services, and the Trans & Queer Service Center, all grounded in cultural and gender-affirming care, Health at Every Size, Racial Justice, Disability Justice, and neurodivergent-friendly design principles.
Its product surface is service-oriented rather than technology-oriented: programs include a Community Health Program, Harm Reduction and Recovery (noted internally as "CRM"), the Trans & Queer Service Center, Community Resources, a Service Calendar, an Events Calendar, and Statewide Advocacy initiatives (Data Justice Statewide Needs Assessment, Building Capacity & Power Cohort). Digital infrastructure is a standard Squarespace website with newsletter signup, blog, donations via GiveGuide, and a merchandise line ("Get Equi Gear!") sold through Bonfire. No patents, proprietary technology, APIs, or third-party integrations are disclosed.
The business model is that of a community nonprofit: revenue is generated primarily through donations and charitable contributions (recurring giving via GiveGuide), supplemented by grants and a small earned-revenue merchandise stream. The organization has no disclosed institutional investors, no parent company, no funding rounds, and no enterprise customers. Marketing and outreach rely on the website, newsletter, social media, community events, and volunteer recruitment. Geographic scope is regional, focused on Oregon, with statewide advocacy extending operational reach beyond the Portland service hub.
The Equi Institute firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Equi Institute
- Legal name
- The Marie Equi Center
- Website
- https://equi-institute.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Marie Equi Center is a Portland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing culturally and gender-affirming healthcare, harm reduction, recovery, and advocacy services to LGBTQIA2S+ individuals across Oregon's Pacific Northwest. Founded in 2016, it operates a community health, harm reduction, and Trans & Queer Service Center funded primarily through donations and grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Equi Institute industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Health Services
- NAICS
- Ambulatory Health Care Services (621)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy Organizations (BPAGAFAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Primary Care for Underserved Populations (e.g., migrant, homeless, refugee clinics) (HLAFAGAN), Gender-Affirming Endocrine Care (HLAKADAM)
Keywords
Where The Equi Institute is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Equi Institute business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that relies on donations from the community. Website references donation options and charitable giving through GiveGuide.
- Community Support Services: Provides community health programs, harm reduction, recovery support, and advocacy services primarily funded through grants and donations.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Equi Institute product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Marie Equi Center provides community-based healthcare, harm reduction and recovery services, and trans/queer support services for LGBTQIA2S+ individuals in the Pacific Northwest. Core offerings include a Community Health Program, Harm Reduction and Recovery services, a Trans & Queer Service Center, Community Resources, and Statewide Advocacy initiatives, all delivered from its Portland, Oregon headquarters.
Product overview
The Marie Equi Center (formerly The Equi Institute) is a community health organization offering a suite of interconnected health and support services for the LGBTQIA2S+ community in the Pacific Northwest. The organization operates as a unified service platform encompassing a Community Health Program, Harm Reduction and Recovery services, a Trans & Queer Service Center, Community Resources, a Service Calendar, Events Calendar, and Statewide Advocacy programs. These services are grounded in cultural and gender-affirming health care, Health at Every Size principles, Racial Justice, Economic Equality, and Non-Violent Communication philosophies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Community Health Program (CHP)
Companies that use The Equi Institute
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
The Equi Institute technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Equi Institute partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Equi Institute competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Cascade AIDS Project: Portland, Oregon-based nonprofit providing HIV/AIDS care, housing, and LGBTQ+ community health services. Comparable in geography and overlapping service lines (harm reduction, LGBTQ+ community health), though focused on HIV/AIDS.
- Basic Rights Oregon: Oregon statewide LGBTQ+ advocacy organization that historically led policy work for the community. Adjacent in mission area (statewide LGBTQ+ advocacy), aligning with The Marie Equi Center's advocacy track.
Direct peers
- The Trevor Project: National LGBTQ+ youth advocacy, crisis intervention, and research organization. Comparable in mission focus on LGBTQIA2S+ wellbeing, advocacy orientation, and donor-supported nonprofit funding model.
- Mazzoni Center: Philadelphia-based LGBTQ+ health and wellness center offering primary care, gender-affirming care, and behavioral health. Directly comparable in integrated service model and community-led nonprofit identity.
- Howard Brown Health: Chicago-based LGBTQ+ community health organization providing primary care, gender-affirming care, and harm reduction services. Directly comparable in service mix, community-led identity, and regional scope.
- Whitman-Walker Health: Washington DC-based community health center serving LGBTQ+ communities with primary care, gender-affirming care, and HIV services. Comparable in mission, service breadth, and nonprofit community-health structure.
- Callen-Lorde Community Health Center: New York City-based community health center serving LGBTQ+ communities with primary care, mental health, and gender-affirming services. Closely comparable in mission, integrated service stack, and nonprofit community-health model to The Marie Equi Center.
- Fenway Health: Boston-based community health center specializing in LGBTQIA+ care, including primary care, behavioral health, and gender-affirming services. Directly comparable in mission, integrated service offering, and nonprofit status.
Emerging players
- SAGE (Services & Advocacy for LGBTQ+ Elders): National nonprofit serving LGBTQ+ older adults through advocacy, direct services, and community building. Comparable in advocacy and direct-service mission, with overlapping harm reduction and community care approach.
- Brave Space Alliance: Chicago-based Black-led LGBTQ+ center on the South Side providing community resources, advocacy, and direct services. Comparable in values-based positioning (racial justice, radical queer identity) and community-led service model.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Equi Institute social profiles
Digital presenceThe Equi Institute compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
The Equi Institute financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Equi Institute leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
The Equi Institute funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Equi Institute M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Equi Institute
What does The Equi Institute do?
The Marie Equi Center provides community-based healthcare, harm reduction and recovery services, and trans/queer support services for LGBTQIA2S+ individuals in the Pacific Northwest. Core offerings include a Community Health Program, Harm Reduction and Recovery services, a Trans & Queer Service Center, Community Resources, and Statewide Advocacy initiatives, all delivered from its Portland, Oregon headquarters.
Is The Equi Institute a public or private company?
The Equi Institute is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Equi Institute founded?
The Equi Institute was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Equi Institute based?
The Equi Institute is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Equi Institute make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are community Support Services.
Who are The Equi Institute's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Cascade AIDS Project and Basic Rights Oregon. Direct peers are The Trevor Project, Mazzoni Center, Howard Brown Health, Whitman-Walker Health, Callen-Lorde Community Health Center and Fenway Health. Emerging players are SAGE (Services & Advocacy for LGBTQ+ Elders) and Brave Space Alliance.
Does The Equi Institute have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Equi Institute.
What industry is The Equi Institute in?
The Equi Institute's product category is Community Health Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAFAE, LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy Organizations, with a secondary code of HLAFAGAN, Primary Care for Underserved Populations (e.g., migrant, homeless, refugee clinics). Its NAICS code is 621 and its SIC code is 8300.