NATIONAL CENTER FOR EQUALITY AND INNOVATION
You are Never Alone!
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Nearly a quarter million LGBT+ youth are either ejected or runaway from home every year. Many are from rural areas that have little or no resources for these youth. The Youth SafePoint Rural Initiative is a national program that offers assistance, supportive resources, and tangible help to rural lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBT+) youth, between the ages of 14 and 20 years of age, who have little to no access to resources, are or may become homeless, or may be experiencing life-threatening issues.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Talking Circle Workshop
This workshop creates a safe environment which provides a framework for using the diversity of views and talents present in the group to create better decisions and strengthen community. This workshop offers new possibilities for a better understanding of oneself, others, and the issues at hand. The circle is place where participants may speak from their heart without judgment.
The vision we have created for our LGBTQ+ Talking Circle program is one that celebrates diversity and envisions a society that embraces everyone, including those of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Our talking circle is a tool that provides a framework for using the diversity of views and talents present in the group, to create better decisions and strengthen community by reaching high-level synergy. The circle format offers new possibilities for better understanding of self, others and the issues at hand. The circle improves communication and collaboration between team members and relationships with others. We welcome the participation and support of all who share in, and hope to realize this vision.
Who Attends the LGBTQ+ Talking Circles?
Anyone! From all ages, gender, religions, and sexual identities. At a typical LGBTQ+ Talking Circle, you may find parents, aunts, uncles, siblings and other family members and friends of LGBTQ+ persons. Many people who attend our meetings are themselves LGBTQ+.
What is a Talking Circle?
A Talking Circle is an ancient tool used for better decision making and strengthening a community or individual. It is a method of collaborative learning built on the ancient wisdom and traditions of the Natives, which uses the group process for developing direct, honest, and effective communication, using the "circle" format.
What Do You Do at a Talking Circle?
The essence of a Talking Circle is simply a casual discussion of important issues, may choose to participate –or not, in voicing your thoughts on important issues. You may ask questions or simply attend for support. Many times our Talking Circles facilitators’ speakers and experts regarding issues in the LGBTQ+ community. Most importantly, participation in this event does not imply an individual’s sexual orientation. In the Circle, a specially chosen object, frequently a talking stick, an Eagle Feather, a Stone or a Crystal, is passed around to each person and in turn speaks his or her truth. They spiritually empower the holder of the object to speak her, his or their heart-felt truth as an offering to the circle. While this may encourage individuals to speak from the most undefended place in one's self, you may choose to pass your turn to speak if you choose.
SafePoint CarePAK Program
The SafePoint CarePAK program is a national program designed to assist homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two-spirit, queer, and questioning (LGBT+) youth with clothing, food, daily living essentials, and services. It also creates supportive partnerships and resources for LGBT+ Youth Shelters, LGBT+ Community centers, or any company, firm, office, or clinic providing help to LGBT+ youth.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Total number of clients experiencing homelessness
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Young adults, Adolescents, LGBTQ people
Type of Metric
Context - describing the issue we work on
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
This metric shows our impact of providing resources to LGBT+ youth who were either ejected or runaway from home.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our vision hopes to find the world an accepting place for all of your youth, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity. We see a future where no child or youth ever has to experience homelessness or feel alone or isolated. We want to create the social change necessary for this this future through community education and continually support for LGBT+ youth in need.
Our Organization's values are our goals:
1. Provide tangible and essential services to the LGBT+ youth, especially those who are homeless and those who may become homeless; and do it with humility, dignity, and confidentiality.
2. Impact the social, political, and institutional landscapes by providing strong leadership for an effective national advocacy and service oriented agenda for LGBT+ youth. These efforts will be advanced trough community partnerships and resource networks across the nation.
3. Empower LGBT+ youth with information and resources so they may have alternate avenues to safe and stable environments in which to grow.
4. Embrace diversity and inclusion by recognizing the value of individuals of different backgrounds and what they bring to help us and those in need.
5. Develop community, individual, institutional, and industry partnerships that will help champion our mission.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
By developing and offering our forecasted services to the individuals of mostly marginalized sexual orientation and gender identity we can strive to improve the quality of life, by providing safe areas to socialize, gain knowledge of our community, and know that there is support for each and every individual who comes to the National Center for Equality and Innovation. While this type of organization may be prevalent in large cities, they are not located in smaller communities which will make accessibility for those individuals in need of our services more easily attainable.
• The National Center for Equality and Innovation; this type of organization has been limited nationally in areas that are not as progressive with changing societal norms.
• Offering young individuals as well as young adults a chance to build a stronger future, one in which they believe in themselves, and where they have the leadership and character to make a difference in their own lives and the lives of others should be a goal for our LGBTQ+ community.
• By creating the National Center for Equality and Innovation we can offer the LGBTQ+ community opportunities to strengthen self-esteem through interactive participation in educational and recreational programming.
• These centers (National Center for Equality and Innovation) can provide supportive environments wherein adults, children and young adults can safely explore opportunities for growth and acceptance.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We continue to develop networks of LGBT+ youth resources throughout the rural areas of the United States.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
It has been extraordinarily difficult over the past three years (2019, 2020,2021) with our society facing the major pandemic of Covid. It has made it very difficult in all aspects of our organization. Progress on outreach has been slowed significantly, however it has given our organization time to develop and expand our networks h offering access LGBT+ youth resources in rural areas.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EQUALITY AND INNOVATION
Board of directorsas of 08/02/2023
Matthew Hansley
National Center for Equality and Innovation
Term: 2014 -
Jeff Pagliei
National Center for Equality and Innovation
Term: 2014 -
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data