Arcigay
Arcigay is Italy's longest-established LGBTQIA+ nonprofit association (founded 1985, Bologna HQ), operating 74 local branches nationwide to deliver free advocacy, mental health support, HIV prevention, legal aid, youth, and community programs to LGBTQIA+ individuals and families across Italy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersBologna, Italy
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Arcigay does
Arcigay is an Italian nonprofit association (Associazione di Promozione Sociale) founded in 1985 and headquartered in Bologna, recognized as Italy's longest-established and largest LGBTQIA+ rights organization. The association operates a national federation of 74 local committees across Italian cities, delivering free advocacy, mental health, HIV prevention, legal, school-based anti-bullying, workplace diversity, youth, senior, migrant, and transgender-specific services to LGBTQIA+ individuals and their families. Programs include the #beyou Coming Out Desk and Brave Space Online Help Desk (corporate-funded psychological counseling), the #SoQuelloCheFaccio HIV prevention campaign, ProTEST rapid HIV testing, SchoolMates school resources, StayAPP! mobile youth tool, Youth Pride Camp, Agorà youth gatherings, Onda Pride national mobilization, InfoTrans, Arcigay Migranet, Rete Trans Nazionale, Rete Donne Transfemminista, Work & Diversity, the Giuridico legal service, and the LGBTQIA+ Political Observatory, supported by a content library of manuals and research reports.
The organization is governed by a National Secretariat, National Council, and Guarantee Bodies, with Gabriele Piazzoni serving as Secretary General. Arcigay holds formal membership in international and Italian civil society coalitions including ILGA World, ILGA Europe, IGLYO, TGEU, AIDS Action Europe, Pride 7, ARCI, CILD, Forum Terzo Settore, and the Consiglio Nazionale Giovani, anchoring both transnational advocacy and domestic third-sector standing. Revenue is generated entirely through a diversified nonprofit model — annual membership fees (tesseramento), individual donations, the Italian 5x1000 tax designation mechanism, corporate donations and sponsorships (notably Sephora for Brave Space and NIVEA Creme for #beyou), and institutional/project funding such as the Waldensian Church Otto per Mille. The technology stack supporting donations and operations includes PayPal, Stripe (via the Lunda/Estratos donation suite), Twilio, Google Analytics, Action Network CRM, and standard social widgets; the organization does not operate a unified software product and provides all beneficiary services free of charge.
Arcigay firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Arcigay
- Legal name
- Arcigay
- Website
- https://arcigay.it
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Arcigay is Italy's longest-established LGBTQIA+ nonprofit association (founded 1985, Bologna HQ), operating 74 local branches nationwide to deliver free advocacy, mental health support, HIV prevention, legal aid, youth, and community programs to LGBTQIA+ individuals and families across Italy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Arcigay industry classification
Industry- Product category
- LGBTQIA+ Advocacy and Community Services
- NAICS
- Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB)
Keywords
Where Arcigay is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bologna
- HQ country
- Italy
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Arcigay business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Membership fees (Tesseramento): Annual membership fees collected from individual supporters. Members receive a card and access to national and local member benefits and conventions.
- Individual donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals, including via the website donation system. Donations may be made by bank transfer, debit/credit card, prepaid cards, or checks.
- 5x1000 (tax designation): Italian taxpayers can designate 5 per thousand of their income tax to Arcigay via the national 5x1000 mechanism.
- Corporate donations and sponsorships: Companies donate to Arcigay; examples include Sephora (funding Brave Space psychological support service) and NIVEA Creme (funding the Coming Out Desk #beyou). Arcigay offers corporate partnership opportunities.
- Project and institutional funding: Arcigay receives funding for specific programs, including from the Waldensian Church (Otto per Mille) for campaigns such as the #HoQualcosaDaDirvi Coming Out Day campaign.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | No service fees — Arcigay is a nonprofit association offering free services to LGBTQIA+ individuals |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Arcigay product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Arcigay is Italy's leading LGBTQIA+ nonprofit association (APS), founded in 1985 and headquartered in Bologna. It provides free advocacy, health, education, and community support programs across 74 Italian cities, including psychological counseling (Coming Out Desk, Brave Space), HIV prevention and testing, anti-discrimination legal aid, youth programs, workplace diversity training, trans and migrant services, and Pride events. All programs are free to beneficiaries and funded through membership fees, individual and corporate donations, and institutional grants.
Product overview
Arcigay is an Italian LGBTQIA+ non-profit association offering a broad portfolio of advocacy, health, education, and community support programs rather than a unified software product. Core services include the #beyou Coming Out Desk (free psychological support service funded by NIVEA Creme) and the Brave Space Online Help Desk (psychological counseling for abuse/discrimination victims funded by Sephora). Health programs include the #SoQuelloCheFaccio HIV prevention campaign (covering PrEP, TasP, PEP, testing, and the Sexperts peer-educator program), ProTEST rapid HIV testing, Healthy Peers information service, Silver Rainbow for older LGBTQIA+ individuals, and Rainbow Bonds. Community programs span Onda Pride pride events, SchoolMates school resources, StayAPP! mobile support, Youth Pride Camp, Agorà youth gatherings, #MaQualeGender anti-discrimination campaigns, Lottomarzo visibility campaigns, InfoTrans, Arcigay Migranet for LGBTQIA+ migrants, Rete Trans Nazionale and Rete Donne Transfemminista networks, Work & Diversity employment programs, Giuridico legal services, the LGBTQIA+ Political Observatory, and the Mappa CAD anti-discrimination center locator. Arcigay also publishes manuals and guides, data and research reports, and provides training programs (external in-house and internal FISC). The organization operates via a national website with membership, donation, and communication tools, and is present in 74 Italian cities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- #beyou Coming Out Desk Free online psychological support service dedicated to LGBTQIA+ people, their families, and friends navigating the coming-out process, with five psychologists available 25 hours per week.
- Brave Space Online Help Desk Free online psychological counseling service for LGBTQIA+ people who are victims of abuse, discrimination, and bullying, providing 500 hours of counseling.
- ProTEST Rapid HIV Testing
- Sexperts
- Healthy Peers (Info HIV e IST)
- Silver Rainbow
- Rainbow Bonds
- Onda Pride
- SchoolMates
- StayAPP!
- Youth Pride Camp
- Agorà
- InfoTrans
- Arcigay Migranet
- Rete Trans Nazionale
- Rete Donne Transfemminista
- Work & Diversity
- Giuridico (Legal Service)
- LGBTQIA+ Political Observatory
- Mappa CAD (National Anti-Discrimination Centers Map)
- Manuals and Guides
- Data and Research Reports
- Membership (Tesseramento)
- Training Programs (Formazione)
Quantifiable outcome
- Arcigay organizes the annual Onda Pride, with multiple simultaneous Pride events across Italy each year.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Arcigay
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Arcigay technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration11 records
Arcigay partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.
- SephoramajorSephora funded the Brave Space program, enabling Arcigay to launch a free online psychological counseling service for LGBTQIA+ people who are victims of abuse, discrimination, and bullying. The program offers 500 hours of counseling available until December 31, 2026 or until hours are exhausted.
- NIVEA CrememajorNIVEA Creme funded the Coming Out Desk #beyou, a free psychological support service. NIVEA's donation is not connected to product purchase volumes. The service operates approximately 25 hours per week with five psychologists, available from May 11, 2026 to November 30, 2026.
- ARCIcoreArcigay is a member organization of ARCI, one of Italy's largest cultural and recreational associations, sharing similar civic and social mission.
- CILD (Coalizione Italiana Libertà e Diritti Civili)coreArcigay is a member of CILD, the Italian Coalition for Civil Liberties and Rights, a network of Italian civil society organizations working on human rights issues.
- Forum Terzo SettorecoreArcigay is a member of the Forum Terzo Settore (Third Sector Forum), Italy's largest network of third sector organizations.
- Consiglio Nazionale GiovanicoreArcigay is a member of the Consiglio Nazionale Giovani (National Youth Council), representing Italian youth organizations at national and European level.
- ILGA (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association)coreArcigay is a member of ILGA World, the global federation of national LGBTQIA+ organizations, providing international solidarity and resources.
- ILGA EuropecoreArcigay is a member of ILGA Europe, the European regional branch of ILGA, supporting European advocacy and policy coordination.
- IGLYO (International Gay and Lesbian Youth Organization)coreArcigay is a member of IGLYO, the European LGBTQIA+ youth organization, participating in youth-focused international programs and exchanges.
- TGEU (Transgender Europe)coreArcigay is a member of TGEU, the European trans rights organization, supporting trans-specific advocacy and programs.
- AIDS Action EuropecoreArcigay is a member of AIDS Action Europe, a network of NGOs working on HIV/AIDS across Europe.
- Pride 7coreArcigay is a member of Pride 7, a European network of Pride organizations coordinating Pride events across the continent.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Arcigay competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ArciLesbica: Italian lesbian association operating within the ARCI federation, focusing on women's/LBT+ communities — comparable niche community-led advocacy model within the same national civil society landscape.
- Famiglie Arcobaleno: Italian association for LGBTQIA+ families and parents, addressing a specific segment that overlaps with Arcigay's broader community mission while serving as a complementary peer in the Italian LGBTQIA+ civil society ecosystem.
- Circolo Mario Mieli: Long-standing Italian LGBTQIA+ organization based in Rome providing direct community services, advocacy, and HIV prevention — operates as a comparable Italian LGBTQIA+ nonprofit with overlapping programmatic scope.
- Equality Italia: Italian LGBTQIA+ advocacy organization focused on legal rights and anti-discrimination, offering a more policy/advocacy-leaning complement to Arcigay's broader service portfolio within the same national market.
Broad incumbents
- Stonewall (UK): UK-based LGBTQIA+ rights charity with similar advocacy, workplace inclusion, and community programs — operates as a larger, more established international peer whose corporate partnership playbook Arcigay emulates.
- GLAAD: US-based LGBTQIA+ media advocacy organization — comparable mission around representation, anti-discrimination, and media campaigns with significantly larger scale and corporate fundraising infrastructure.
- ILGA World: International federation of national LGBTQIA+ organizations of which Arcigay is a member — comparable mission and constituency but operating at global federation scale rather than single-country delivery.
Regional players
- ARCI: Italy's largest cultural and recreational association, of which Arcigay is a member — operates a comparable nationwide nonprofit association model with member dues, local branches, and civic mission overlap.
Others
- CILD (Coalizione Italiana Libertà e Diritti Civili): Italian coalition of civil liberties organizations including Arcigay — comparable mission around civil rights advocacy and similar nonprofit/coalition operating model in the Italian third sector.
- Forum Terzo Settore: Italy's largest network of third-sector organizations of which Arcigay is a member — comparable Italian nonprofit federation ecosystem and institutional advocacy infrastructure.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Arcigay social profiles
Digital presenceArcigay financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Arcigay leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Arcigay funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Arcigay 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 Arcigay
What does Arcigay do?
Arcigay is Italy's leading LGBTQIA+ nonprofit association (APS), founded in 1985 and headquartered in Bologna. It provides free advocacy, health, education, and community support programs across 74 Italian cities, including psychological counseling (Coming Out Desk, Brave Space), HIV prevention and testing, anti-discrimination legal aid, youth programs, workplace diversity training, trans and migrant services, and Pride events. All programs are free to beneficiaries and funded through membership fees, individual and corporate donations, and institutional grants.
Is Arcigay a public or private company?
Arcigay is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Arcigay founded?
Arcigay was founded in 1985. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Arcigay based?
Arcigay is headquartered in Bologna, Italy, in the Europe region.
How does Arcigay make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Membership fees (Tesseramento) is the primary driver. The others are individual donations, 5x1000 (tax designation), corporate donations and sponsorships and project and institutional funding.
Who are Arcigay's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ArciLesbica, Famiglie Arcobaleno, Circolo Mario Mieli and Equality Italia. Broad incumbents are Stonewall (UK), GLAAD and ILGA World. ARCI is listed as a regional player. Others are CILD (Coalizione Italiana Libertà e Diritti Civili) and Forum Terzo Settore.
Does Arcigay have an API?
No public API is recorded for Arcigay.
What industry is Arcigay in?
Arcigay's product category is LGBTQIA+ Advocacy and Community Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAFAB, Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations. Its NAICS code is 813311 and its SIC code is 8300.