Calgary Outlink

What Calgary Outlink does

Calgary Outlink is a community-based nonprofit organization founded in 1984 and headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It operates as Calgary's Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity, providing peer support, community groups, mentorship, educational resources, and advocacy for 2SLGBTQ+ individuals and their allies. Core services include the You Matter peer support line (launched September 2022, accessible via phone, text, and chat), drop-in peer support at the 750 11 Street SW office, peer-led community groups (Grabba Java, Between Men, Colleqtive), a structured mentorship program, and a comprehensive online resource directory covering 2SLGBTQ+ organizations, health services, and rights/financial guides. The organization does not operate proprietary technology systems; service delivery is volunteer-powered and human-mediated through in-person and virtual channels.

Revenue is generated through three streams: individual donations and membership contributions (recommended $20 annual donation with no one turned away for inability to pay), government and community foundation grants (Government of Canada, Government of Alberta, Calgary Chinook Fund, The Calgary Foundation, Canadian Women's Foundation, AGLC, Enchanté Network, and others), and a nascent fee-for-service program ('Hire Us') delivering workshops, training, community consultations, and speaking engagements to schools, workplaces, and community groups. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and operates with a small staff team of 1-10 employees, supplemented by an extensive volunteer network. Calgary Outlink is a confirmed tenant in the Calgary Rainbow Room, Calgary's first dedicated 2SLGBTQIA+ community centre scheduled to open June 29, 2026.

Name

Calgary Outlink

Legal name

Calgary Outlink

Website

https://calgaryoutlink.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Calgary Outlink is a community-based nonprofit founded in 1984 that provides peer support, community groups, mentorship, and educational resources for 2SLGBTQ+ individuals and allies in Calgary, Alberta. Services are volunteer-powered and funded by donations, government and foundation grants, and fee-for-service workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

LGBTQ+ Community Support Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Volunteerism, Service-Learning & Community Service (EDALAHAG)

Keywords

• Community support services
• Peer support programs
• LGBTQ+ community resources
• Education workshops training
• Nonprofit community organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: One-time and monthly donations from community members and supporters. Tax receipts provided for donations of $20 or more.
2. Membership fees: Membership is a recommended $20 donation, with no one turned away for lack of funds. Voting rights at AGM for Calgary residents 18+.
3. Workshop and training services: 'Hire Us' program providing workshops, training, community consultations, and speaking engagements to schools, workplaces, and community groups for a fee.
4. Government and foundation grants: Funding from government and community foundations including Calgary Chinook Fund, The Calgary Foundation, Government of Canada, Canadian Women's Foundation, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Calgary Outlink is a registered Calgary-based nonprofit charity that provides peer support, mentorship, community groups, and an online resource directory for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and allies. Through its "Hire Us" program, the organization also delivers fee-for-service workshops, trainings, consultations, and speaking engagements to schools, workplaces, and community organizations across Calgary.

Product overview

Calgary Outlink is a community-based nonprofit organization offering a unified set of peer support, community connection, and educational services for 2SLGBTQ+ individuals and allies. The core offerings include peer support services (You Matter peer support line, drop-in support, and mentorship program), community groups (Grabba Java, Between Men, Colleqtive, and others), an online resource directory, and fee-for-service offerings (workshops/training, community consultations, and speaking engagements). Additional programs include membership, the YYC Queer Collective interagency group, and various downloadable guides on financial planning and rights for LGBTQ+ individuals. The organization does not operate a software platform but provides in-person and virtual community services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Peer Support Services One-on-one peer support delivered by trained volunteers for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals seeking confidential, affirming listening and guidance.
• Community Groups Facilitated in-person and virtual peer-led groups where 2SLGBTQIA+ community members build connection, share experiences, and reduce isolation.
• Mentorship Program Volunteer-driven mentorship pairing 2SLGBTQIA+ community members with mentors to support goal setting, skill-building, and personal development.
• You Matter: 2SLGBTQ+ Peer Support and Resource Line

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Calgary Rainbow Room (End of the Rainbow Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 June 2026Calgary Outlink is a confirmed tenant in Calgary's first 2SLGBTQIA+ community centre, the Calgary Rainbow Room, opening June 29. The centre will serve as a hub offering peer-support groups, sexual health education, tax clinics, refugee services, and connections to community organizations.
• Owl's Nest BookscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue for Queereads YYC book club. Provides meeting space, Zoom account, and 10% discount on books while the group maintains full freedom to choose reading materials.
• Calgary PridecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization hosting Pride Parade and Festival during Labour Day weekend. Outlink participates in Pride programming and events.
• Centre for SexualitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner51-year community organization delivering programs for healthy sexuality across the lifespan. Partner in 2SLGBTQ+ education and health programming.
• Stonewall RecoveryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCanada's first 2SLGBTQ+ addiction treatment facility, offering online recovery programs nationally.
• Skipping StoneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization providing welcoming space for trans, non-binary, and gender diverse individuals.
• Freddie (PurposeMed)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVirtual sexual health clinic providing PrEP, DoxyPEP, and HIV care in five provinces including Alberta.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Skipping Stone: Calgary-based organization providing welcoming space and supports for trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse individuals. Direct overlap with Outlink's trans-affirming community groups and Calgary Rainbow Room anchor partnership.
• Calgary Pride: Producer of Calgary's annual Pride Parade and Festival and a confirmed Outlink partner. Comparable governance and grant-funded nonprofit model serving the same 2SLGBTQ+ community, with a more event-centric delivery model.
• QMUNITY: British Columbia's 2SLGBTQ+ resource centre in Vancouver operating peer support, drop-in groups, counselling, and education/training services. Mirrors Outlink's mix of community hub, peer-led programs, and institutional training.
• Centre for Sexuality: Calgary-based 51-year community organization delivering healthy sexuality education and 2SLGBTQ+ programs across the lifespan. Sits in Outlink's immediate partner network and competes for overlapping grant and training dollars in the same city.
• Stonewall Recovery Centre: Canada's first 2SLGBTQ+ addiction treatment facility offering online recovery programs nationally. Outlink partner with overlapping community AND mental-health service scope.
• Rainbow Resource Centre: Winnipeg-based 2SLGBTQ+ community organization delivering peer support, community groups, youth and elder programs, and education. Strong peer comparable given similar mid-sized-city Canadian context and grant-funded operating model.
• Center on Halsted: Chicago's LGBTQ community centre offering community programs, youth and senior services, and training. Useful comparable for Outlink's planned Rainbow Room footprint expansion and elder (Rainbow Elders) programming.
• The 519: Toronto's 2SLGBTQ+ community centre offering peer support, community groups, mentorship, and Training for Change workshops for workplaces and schools. Closest direct analog to Calgary Outlink's combined community-services-plus-'Hire Us' model, just at a larger city scale.
• LGBT Center NYC (The Center): New York City 2SLGBTQ+ community centre operating peer support groups, community programming, and cultural services. Same integrated community-hub model as Outlink, at far larger scale and in a different country.

Broad incumbents

• Freddie (PurposeMed): Virtual sexual health clinic serving 2SLGBTQ+ patients in Alberta and other provinces with PrEP, DoxyPEP, and HIV care. Outlink partner but a broader, scaled healthcare provider rather than a community-services pure play.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/YYCOutlink
• Facebookfacebook.com/CalgaryOutlink
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/calgary-outlink

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Calgary Outlink