Family Diversity Projects

What Family Diversity Projects does

Family Diversity Projects is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1995 by Peggy Gillespie and Gigi Kaeser, headquartered in Amherst, Massachusetts. The organization produces traveling photo-text exhibits and books that document and celebrate LGBTQ+ families and other diverse family structures, with a current catalog of eight touring exhibits and four published books. Its exhibits tour nationally and have reached venues in all 50 U.S. states, distributing content through partnerships with educational, community, and faith-based hosts.

The organization's business model is mission-driven and nonprofit in nature, funded primarily through donations and grants rather than commercial sales. It operates with a small team of approximately six employees, executing curatorial content development, exhibit logistics, and book publishing on a lean operational footprint. Distribution of exhibits is tour-based, with hosts underwriting or co-sponsoring showings, while books are sold or distributed to institutional and individual supporters. There is no disclosed proprietary software, technology platform, or digital product line; the core assets are human-curated visual and narrative content.

Family Diversity Projects has no patents, no funding rounds, and no publicly disclosed revenue. Recent programmatic milestones include a Massachusetts State House exhibit in April 2026 and the selection of its publication Authentic Selves as the Unitarian Universalist Association Common Read for 2025, indicating continued mission activity and incremental institutional positioning rather than structural scaling.

Name

Family Diversity Projects

Legal name

Family Diversity Projects

Website

https://familydiv.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Family Diversity Projects is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1995 that produces traveling photo-text exhibits and books celebrating LGBTQ+ and diverse families, reaching all 50 U.S. states with a six-person team.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diversity Education Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)

Keywords

• Traveling diversity exhibits
• Photo-text education exhibits
• Diversity education resources
• LGBTQ family portraits
• DEI curriculum materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Easthampton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Exhibit Rentals: FDP rents traveling photo-text exhibits to schools, colleges, libraries, houses of worship, museums, workplaces, and other venues. Venues pay for shipping and hosting fees to display the exhibits for specified periods.
2. Book Sales: Four exhibits have companion books published by university presses (University of Massachusetts Press, Skinner House Books). Books are sold through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org, and bookstores nationwide. The book 'Love Makes a Family' was named Best Book about Gay and Lesbian Issues by the Association of Independent Publishers.
3. Donations: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, FDP relies heavily on individual donations and foundation grants. Donation tiers range from $100 to $25,000, with donors of $250+ recognized as 'Ambassadors of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion'. Major foundation supporters include The E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, The Arcus Foundation, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Family Diversity Projects creates and rents eight museum-quality traveling photo-text exhibits (each comprising 16-20 framed photographs with personal narratives) to schools, colleges, universities, houses of worship, libraries, museums, workplaces, and conferences across the United States. Four exhibits are also published as books by university presses, and the In Our Family exhibit includes a 200-page curriculum guide. Exhibits address prejudice based on sexual orientation, gender identity, race, national origin, religion, and disability through authentic first-person storytelling and professional photography.

Product overview

Family Diversity Projects operates as a national nonprofit offering eight award-winning traveling photo-text exhibits and companion books. The core offerings include traveling museum-quality exhibits (Authentic Selves, Building Bridges, In Our Family, Love Makes A Family, Of Many Colors, Nothing To Hide, We Have Faith, and The Road to Freedom) that tour venues nationwide. Several exhibits have companion books published by university presses, and the In Our Family exhibit includes a 200-page curriculum/resource guide. The organization also provides a hosting service that ships framed photographs and text materials to educational institutions, houses of worship, libraries, workplaces, museums, and conferences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Exhibits displayed in thousands of venues across all 50 states
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, core and flagship.

• Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE)supportingOthers · 1 January 2024A4TE was founded in 2024 through the merger of NCTE and TLDEF, fighting for transgender legal and political rights. Listed as a partner resource for trans equality advocacy.
• PFLAG NationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPFLAG is an organization of LGBTQ+ people, parents, families, and allies working to create an equitable and inclusive world. PFLAG collaborated with FDP on the Authentic Selves exhibit and book, providing organizational support and endorsement. PFLAG's logo appears on the Partners & Resources page and their brand helps legitimize the exhibit content.
• Family EqualitysupportingOthersFounded in 1979, Family Equality advances equality for the LGBTQ+ community and is listed as a partner organization providing resources to marginalized communities.
• MassEqualitysupportingOthersLeading statewide grassroots advocacy organization in Massachusetts working against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Lambda LegalsupportingOthersNational organization working to achieve full recognition of civil rights of LGBTQ+ people and those living with HIV through impact litigation, education, and public policy work.
• Rainbow RailroadsupportingOthersOrganization providing assistance to LGBTQI individuals facing serious threats to their lives and safety. Helped fund airfare for asylum seekers featured in FDP's Building Bridges exhibit.
• Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion (CLGS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLGS commissioned the online version of the Building Bridges exhibit focusing on LGBTQ asylum-seekers. Their mission to advance well-being of LGBTQ people and transform faith communities aligns with FDP's We Have Faith exhibit.
• Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTLDEF collaborated with FDP and PFLAG National on the Authentic Selves exhibit and book, providing expertise on transgender issues and legal resources.
• Human Rights Campaign (HRC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRC co-sponsored the We Have Faith exhibit. Their Religion and Faith Program Director Sharon Groves provided endorsement of FDP's exhibits as valuable resources for houses of worship.
• Believe Out LoudsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsored the We Have Faith exhibit. Faith-based LGBTQ advocacy organization helping promote the exhibit to faith communities.
• Faith in AmericasupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsored the We Have Faith exhibit, working to reduce faith-based prejudice against LGBTQ people.
• More Light PresbyterianssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsored the We Have Faith exhibit. Presbyterian organization working for full inclusion of LGBTQ people in the church.
• ReconcilingWorkssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsored the We Have Faith exhibit. Lutheran organization advocating for LGBTQ+ inclusion.
• GLAADsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsored the We Have Faith exhibit. GLAAD promotes LGBTQ acceptance through media advocacy.
• Family Equality CouncilsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsored the We Have Faith exhibit (now Family Equality). Organization ensuring everyone has freedom to find, form, and sustain families.
• National Gay and Lesbian Task Force - Institute of Welcoming ResourcessupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsored the We Have Faith exhibit. Organization dedicated to freedom and justice for LGBTQ people.
• LGBT Asylum Support Task Force (Hadwen Park Church)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinistry of Hadwen Park Church supporting LGBTQ asylum seekers. Linked their clients' stories with FDP's Building Bridges project, enabling the creation of LGBTQ asylum-seeker content.
• Big Red Frame (Easthampton, MA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCustom framing shop in Easthampton, MA providing reduced-cost framing at $90 per frame to support FDP's nonprofit mission. Owner John-Pierre Pasche recognized as supporter.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• GLSEN: National education nonprofit focused on creating safe and inclusive K-12 environments for LGBTQ students, providing resources, educator training, and student programs. Directly comparable as a school-distribution-focused LGBTQ+ education organization.
• Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility: NYC-based nonprofit providing K-12 SEL and social-justice curricula and teacher training, including anti-bullying and diversity programs. Comparable as a school-focused educational nonprofit delivering teacher-ready materials on inclusion.
• Welcoming Schools: HRC Foundation program providing K-8 lesson plans, books, and training on LGBTQ+ inclusion, family diversity, and bias. Closely comparable as a school-targeted LGBTQ+ education resource, though distributed digitally rather than as physical exhibits.
• Facing History and Ourselves: Boston-based educational nonprofit that produces curricula, resources, and training on prejudice, identity, and civic participation for schools nationwide. Closely comparable to FDP in mission, educator-focused distribution model, and Massachusetts/education ecosystem roots.
• GroundSpark: Independent educational nonprofit producing film-based curricula (including the Respect for All series) on bias, bullying, and family diversity for K-12 schools. Comparable distribution model — selling/distributing curriculum resources to schools on diversity and family themes.
• Teaching for Change: Nonprofit that provides K-12 teachers with books and resources on equity, social justice, and family diversity. Comparable mission and educator distribution channel to FDP, with book-centered rather than exhibit-centered delivery.
• Learning for Justice: Southern Poverty Law Center's education program (formerly Teaching Tolerance) that provides free K-12 resources on bias, diversity, and social justice. Directly comparable as a free/inexpensive educator resource distributed to schools for classroom use on diversity themes.

Broad incumbents

• PFLAG National: National LGBTQ+ family and ally organization with 400+ local chapters, providing education, advocacy, and support. PFLAG is both a Flagship partner and a peer in the LGBTQ+ education space, distributing its own family-diversity resources through chapters that overlap with FDP's venue network.
• Human Rights Campaign Foundation: Largest U.S. LGBTQ civil rights advocacy organization, whose Welcoming Schools program offers K-8 curricula on LGBTQ+ inclusion. HRC is a Flagship partner of FDP (co-sponsoring We Have Faith), and both compete for the same LGBTQ+ education budgets at schools and workplaces.
• Anti-Defamation League: Large established civil rights organization with a robust education division offering anti-bias curricula, training, and classroom resources for schools and workplaces. Comparable on mission and school-district distribution, though ADL operates at significantly broader scale and scope than FDP.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/familydiversityprojects
• Instagraminstagram.com/familydiversityprojects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/family-diversity-projects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Family Diversity Projects