Equality Florida Institute, Inc.

Since 1997, EQFL's goal has been to uproot bigotry and fight for equality for the estimated one million lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Florida. Indeed, we fight for freedom for all Floridians to live without fear of violence, harm to their family, being fired from a job or refused service because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. In this way, our programs improve the quality of life for all Floridians, but those most directly benefited are LGBT people of all races, ethnicities, ages, and income levels. In today's hostile political climate, it is more important than ever to confront anti-LGBT messaging across the board. EQFLI cannot let the voices of hate win out against our community. Over the next five years, our focus is on strategic expansion of our programs, so that we can continue our fight for equality, especially for the most vulnerable members of the LGBT community. Under our watch more than 150 local pro-LGBT policies have been implemented in Florida. Nearly 60% of the population now lives in municipalities with sexual orientation and gender identity protections. Our priority to end anti-LGBT bullying has resulted in FL protecting more students than any other state except CA and NY. Our work to pass hate crimes laws helped make FL 4th in the nation in the number of people protected by hate crimes laws. Our access to the LGBT community is unparalleled, and we have created relationships that are the envy of other progressive organizations in our state. Because of our significant resources and membership numbers, we have the capacity to promote our programs and effect meaningful change on a scale that far surpasses the reach of any other LGBT organization currently operating in Florida.

EQFL serves primarily as an organization that educates the public and advocates for Florida's LGBT community, rather than as a direct-service organization. Full equality will not come through legislation alone, but also through education and public opinion; therefore, we provide leadership trainings, volunteer opportunities, and sponsorship opportunities to engage and grow the LGBT and straight-ally community. EQFLI is firmly committed to a foundation of intersectionality within all of our programs. We fight discrimination by empowering vulnerable populations while challenging interwoven systems of oppression including anti-LGBT bigotry, ageism, classism, sexism, racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia. We are especially sensitive to the fact that transgender people of color, especially women, face enormously increased levels of harassment, discrimination, and violence. We will not leave these members of our community behind. Our focus on intersectionality has led to diverse funding opportunities. For example, we have just received a grant from the Gill Foundation to launch a new program focusing on intersectional work, especially with people of color and faith communities. This funding will allow us to deepen our engagement with communities of color; ensure that our strategic plan fully incorporates the priorities of LGBT people of color throughout our state, using our Transgender Inclusion Program as a model; and identify and engage supportive and persuadable faith leaders, particularly Black and Latino clergy, to counter the phony ""religious freedom"" arguments used to justify discriminatory laws. A recent grant from the Contigo Fund will allow us to expand our efforts on behalf of the extremely vulnerable population of LGBT Hispanic and black youth by working with Central Florida school districts to implement inclusive, supportive programs, policies, and procedures for LGBT students. Other current program initiatives focus on promoting transgender inclusion, reaching out to the business community, working with school districts to provide supportive programs and policies for LGBT students, organizing with faith-based partners, and educating about local policies that ensure LGBT inclusive antidiscrimination protections in employment, housing, and public accommodations. We are proud to report that our Equality Means Business program has become a model replicated in a number of states, particularly in the South. We have signed trademark agreements allowing four other states to replicate the programs and we are mentoring many others. Our Transgender Inclusion Program is also a national model and our Safe and Healthy Schools Initiative is being developed with a goal of sharing the model across the South. Our success with these programs speaks first to the urgency of the need among those we serve, and also to the ability of our programs to serve as an effective agent of change, in a strategic and sustainable way.

EQFL has a long history of achievement, effective governance, strong financial management, and stable, diverse funding base. We are committed to transparency in all of our financial and administrative operations and practices, and we ensure that our audited financial statements and tax form 990 from previous years are available to the public. Gold rated by the leading charity ranking websites, EQFLI has successfully turned the tide on some of the worst anti-gay legislation and policy in the United States. EQFLI is one of the three largest state-level LGBT advocacy organizations in the country, and we have gained national recognition as one of the most effective. EQFLI is uniquely situated to create change locally and statewide. We have built powerful coalitions that include 65 of Florida's largest employers and 1,300 small and medium businesses. We also benefit from the support of 700 faith leaders, a talented statewide group of transgender advocates, and an unprecedented level of bipartisan support in our state capital. EQFLI's leaders inspire others to fight on behalf of those whom discrimination has marginalized and oppressed. They lead with authenticity and compassion, by maintaining a steadfast focus on social justice and the inherent dignity of all human beings. Their integrity is demonstrated by their accomplishments: Nadine Smith, CEO, co-founded Equality Florida in 1997. Nadine was one of four national co-chairs of the 1993 March on Washington. She was part of the historic oval office meeting between President Clinton and gay community leaders. She served on the founding board of the International Gay and Lesbian Youth Organization. She is a Florida Chamber Foundation Trustee, board member for Green Florida, and served on President Obama's National Finance Committee. In 2013, she was named one of the state's "Most Powerful and Influential Women" by the Florida Diversity Council. She was given the League of Women Voter's Woman of Distinction Award earlier this year. She serves on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Florida Advisory Committee. Stratton Pollitzer, Deputy Director, co-founded Equality Florida in 1997. A Political Science graduate of Emory University, Stratton spearheaded numerous community based campaigns responding to far right political attacks and building support for antidiscrimination ordinances, safe schools policies, and domestic partnership laws. Stratton is a regular contributor to major television, print, and radio outlets throughout the state. Stratton served on the board of directors and as Vice-Chair of the Equality Federation from 2004-2006. He has raised over ten million dollars for LGBT organizations and political campaigns. Gina Duncan, Transgender Inclusion Director was recently featured on the cover of Florida Trend magazine, Florida's largest business monthly magazine; she has also been featured several times writing blogs for the Huffington Post.

Florida is in many ways a barometer of things to come on the national level; holding the line for LGBT justice in Florida is critical to the success of our southern neighbors, and to our allies nationwide. Our state is widely considered to have the best chance in the country of passing the next statewide ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation/gender identity. Last year we became the first state in the South to hear such a bill (it deadlocked in committee on a 5-5 tie). Just this month, in a coalition effort powered by our business allies, Jacksonville passed a Human Rights Ordinance that protects one million more Floridians from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The same effort had failed five years ago in a 17-2 vote, but this year with 700 businesses helping lead the way it passed 12-6. Continuing to forge strong ties with the business community through our EMB program and transgender inclusion efforts is essential to our future success, especially as we face a growing backlash from right wing extremist groups (a majority of which are based in South Florida) who seek to block our progress. We are guided by our commitment to social justice, integrity, human dignity, and respect for diversity. We strive to manifest this commitment in our work on behalf of the LGBT community, and in our solidarity with other oppressed groups. We maintain relationships with hundreds of elected officials, media outlets, and community leaders. We have a long and valuable history of partnering with school districts, healthcare facilities, and government agencies to improve our communities and change discriminatory political climates.