Equality Forum
Equality Forum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1993, that advances LGBT civil rights through annual LGBT History Month programming, a national civil rights summit, government-approved historic markers, documentary films, and advocacy initiatives, serving the LGBT community, allies, educators, and corporate partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersPhiladelphia, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Equality Forum does
Equality Forum is a Philadelphia-area 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 1993 by Malcolm Lazin, that advances LGBT civil rights through coordinated educational programming, historic preservation, and documentary film production. The organization's flagship offering is LGBT History Month, an annual October celebration that profiles 31 LGBT Icons daily with curated videos, biographies, and downloadable educational resources, accessible through a dedicated web platform (lgbthistorymonth.com) that links over 500 collaborating organizations. The Annual LGBT Civil Rights Summit — the largest of its kind nationally — convenes panel discussions, awards ceremonies, and historic marker dedications, while the LGBT Historic Markers Program applies for and oversees the installation of 13+ government-approved markers across Philadelphia, more than any other city worldwide.
The organization's product portfolio also includes three award-winning documentary films (JIM IN BOLD, Gay Pioneers, Saint of 9/11), an Off-Broadway theater production (217 Boxes of Dr. Henry Anonymous), and a suite of advocacy initiatives including the Fortune 500 Non-Discrimination Project (reporting 97% corporate compliance), Project 1138 (federal marital benefits awareness), and the National COVID-19 Remembrance. Revenue derives from individual donations, corporate sponsorships, documentary DVD sales ($25 individual / $100 institutional), and event ticketing ($100 per LGBT Champion Awards ticket). Distribution channels include the Equality Forum Store (e-commerce), Comcast Xfinity On Demand, the organization's owned digital properties, and partnerships with educational institutions and advocacy organizations nationally and internationally.
Equality Forum firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Equality Forum
- Legal name
- Equality Forum
- Website
- https://equalityforum.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Equality Forum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1993, that advances LGBT civil rights through annual LGBT History Month programming, a national civil rights summit, government-approved historic markers, documentary films, and advocacy initiatives, serving the LGBT community, allies, educators, and corporate partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Equality Forum industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit LGBT Civil Rights Advocacy and Education
- NAICS
- Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Historical Sites (71212)
- akta.pro primary industry
- LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy Organizations (BPAGAFAE)
Keywords
Where Equality Forum is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Philadelphia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Equality Forum business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Sponsorships: Equality Forum is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that exists through the generous support of its donors and corporate sponsors
- Documentary and Merchandise Sales: Sale of documentary DVDs (individual $25, institutional $100) and related merchandise through the Equality Forum Store
- Event Tickets: Revenue from event attendance including LGBT Champion Awards ($100 tickets) and VIP receptions
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Individual DVD purchases |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Institutional/Screening Copy |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | LGBT Champion Awards Ticket |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Equality Forum product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Equality Forum coordinates LGBT History Month (31 Icons celebrated daily each October with videos, biographies, and classroom resources), produces award-winning documentary films (JIM IN BOLD, Gay Pioneers, Saint of 9/11), oversees the installation of government-approved LGBT historic markers in Philadelphia, and hosts the nation's largest annual national and international LGBT civil rights summit. The nonprofit operates a documentary DVD store and stages an Off-Broadway play, all supported by donations and corporate sponsorships.
Product overview
Equality Forum is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization that advances LGBT civil rights through multiple coordinated programs. Its core offerings include LGBT History Month (celebrating 31 icons daily in October), an annual national/international LGBT civil rights summit, and a historic markers program. The organization produces documentary films (JIM IN BOLD, Gay Pioneers, Saint of 9/11) and theater productions (217 Boxes of Dr. Henry Anonymous). Additional initiatives include the Marriage Recognition legal effort, Project 1138 awareness campaign, Fortune 500 Non-Discrimination Project, Identifying the LGBT Vote initiative, National COVID-19 Remembrance, and National LGBT 50th Anniversary Celebration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- LGBT History Month An annual October celebration featuring 31 LGBT Icons daily with videos, biographies, downloadable images, and educational materials for students, educators, and the media, archived in a searchable database.
- LGBT Historic Markers Program A program that applies for and oversees the installation of government-approved LGBT historic markers throughout Philadelphia, commemorating important persons and seminal events in the LGBT civil rights movement.
- Documentary Films Award-winning documentary productions including JIM IN BOLD (about homophobia's impact on LGBTQ youth), Gay Pioneers (chronicling the start of the LGBT civil rights movement at Independence Hall), and Saint of 9/11 (about Father Mychal Judge).
- 217 Boxes of Dr. Henry Anonymous An Off-Broadway play about Dr. John Fryer, a gay psychiatrist who challenged the designation of homosexuality as a mental illness at the 1972 American Psychiatric Association convention.
- Annual LGBT Civil Rights Summit The nation's largest annual national and international LGBT civil rights summit featuring panel discussions, art exhibits, parties, programs, special events, and awards presentations.
- Fortune 500 Non-Discrimination Project A collaborative project tracking and advocating for corporate nondiscrimination policies, reporting that 97% of Fortune 500 companies include sexual orientation protection in workplace policies.
- Project 1138 A campaign launched in 2004 to increase public awareness of the 1,138 federal marital protections and benefits denied to same-sex couples.
- Marriage Recognition Initiative Coordinated the federal lawsuit Palladino v. Corbett challenging the constitutionality of DOMA and Pennsylvania's ban on same-sex marriage recognition.
Quantifiable outcome
- 97% of Fortune 500 companies now include sexual orientation protections due in part to Equality Forum's Fortune 500 Project outreach
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Equality Forum
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Equality Forum technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Equality Forum partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Comcast NBCUniversalflagshipLead sponsor of Equality Forum 2016; donated $1.5 million in airtime for public service announcement broadcast; documentaries featured on Xfinity On Demand LGBT Film & TV Collection
- WHYY (PBS Affiliate)coreCoproduced Gay Pioneers documentary film about the start of the LGBT civil rights movement
- Victory FundcoreCollaboration on Elected Officials Panel at Equality Forum 2016; co-sponsored event with Victory Fund
- Ballard Spahr LLPminorSponsor for Equality Forum 2016 Elected Officials Panel
- Mel HeifetzminorIndividual sponsor for National Politics Panel at Equality Forum 2016
- Tribeca Film FestivalcoreWorld premiere venue for Saint of 9/11 documentary in 2006
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Equality Forum competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Lambda Legal: National legal organization advancing LGBT civil rights through impact litigation. Closely comparable to Equality Forum's Marriage Recognition legal initiative (Palladino v. Corbett) and Project 1138 awareness campaign, both involving federal protections.
- GLAAD: National LGBT media advocacy organization that monitors representation and produces cultural campaigns. Comparable to Equality Forum's media/PR-driven advocacy and educational content production around LGBT history and icons.
- National Center for Transgender Equality: National transgender-focused policy and advocacy organization. Comparable in combining federal policy advocacy, public education, and survey/research outputs with Equality Forum's broad LGBT civil rights work.
- PFLAG: National family and ally LGBT advocacy organization with chapters, education programs, and events. Comparable in its community-driven educational programming and grassroots engagement model, though focused on families and allies rather than history/events.
- National Center for Lesbian Rights: National legal advocacy organization focused on lesbian and LGBT civil rights through litigation and policy. Comparable to Equality Forum on the legal-advocacy dimension, particularly its Marriage Recognition initiative.
- Human Rights Campaign: Largest U.S. LGBT civil rights advocacy organization, operating lobbying, electoral, and public education programs. Directly comparable to Equality Forum's civil rights advocacy and educational programming, with a much larger scale.
- Movement Advancement Project: Research and policy nonprofit producing data-driven resources on LGBT issues. Comparable to Equality Forum's research-oriented initiatives such as "Identifying the LGBT Vote" and policy-tracking programs.
- Out & Equal: Workplace equality nonprofit that partners with Fortune 500 companies on LGBT inclusion. Directly comparable to Equality Forum's Fortune 500 Non-Discrimination Project and corporate-facing programming.
Emerging players
- SAGE: Advocacy and services organization for LGBT elders. Comparable as a mission-driven advocacy nonprofit, but with a narrower demographic focus that creates partial rather than direct overlap with Equality Forum's broader civil rights programming.
- Freedom for All Americans: Coalition-based bipartisan campaign for LGBT nondiscrimination protections. Comparable to Equality Forum's Project 1138 awareness and nondiscrimination policy work, though focused more narrowly on legislative campaigns.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Equality Forum social profiles
Digital presenceEquality Forum financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Equality Forum leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Equality Forum funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Equality Forum 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 Equality Forum
What does Equality Forum do?
Equality Forum coordinates LGBT History Month (31 Icons celebrated daily each October with videos, biographies, and classroom resources), produces award-winning documentary films (JIM IN BOLD, Gay Pioneers, Saint of 9/11), oversees the installation of government-approved LGBT historic markers in Philadelphia, and hosts the nation's largest annual national and international LGBT civil rights summit. The nonprofit operates a documentary DVD store and stages an Off-Broadway play, all supported by donations and corporate sponsorships.
Is Equality Forum a public or private company?
Equality Forum is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Equality Forum founded?
Equality Forum was founded in 1993. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Equality Forum based?
Equality Forum is headquartered in Philadelphia, United States, in the North America region.
How does Equality Forum make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Sponsorships are the primary driver. The others are documentary and Merchandise Sales and event Tickets.
Who are Equality Forum's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Lambda Legal, GLAAD, National Center for Transgender Equality, PFLAG, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Human Rights Campaign, Movement Advancement Project and Out & Equal. Emerging players are SAGE and Freedom for All Americans.
Does Equality Forum have an API?
No public API is recorded for Equality Forum.
What industry is Equality Forum in?
Equality Forum's product category is Nonprofit LGBT Civil Rights Advocacy and Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAFAE, LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy Organizations. Its NAICS code is 8133.