Since 2006, the State of the States report by the Equality Federation has documented the strength and sustainability of state-based advocacy organizations that advance equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people.

Over the past seven years, our movement for equality has celebrated wins and sustained losses; we’ve forged ahead, and we’ve stepped back; we’ve thrived, and we’ve faltered. Each year, State of the States has faithfully documented the triumphs and trials as reflected in the capacity of our state-based organizations.

This year, instead of releasing a 30-plus page report, State of the States will consider our movement’s front line leaders through a series of three blog posts.

In Parts 1 and 2, we looked at the individuals who keep our organizations thriving -- our Executive Directors, Staff, and Board Members. For Part 3, we turn and reflect on the success we’ve had over the years -- our growing budgets, lists, and legislative wins -- and see what lies ahead for the future of the LGBT movement.

From hiring staff to printing postcards, we need dollars to create the change we want to see in our communities. Building a strong movement requires the funds to not only get our message out there, but to create successful ballot or legislative initiatives. Although funding is always stretched too thin, the movement’s state-based organizations do a lot with very little to continue making progress.

In the years since we’ve been collecting State of the States data, we’ve seen steady growth in organizations’ budgets, but there is still a need for more funding so all groups can achieve their goals.

• The current estimated total aggregate budget of all Federation members organizations is $22,630,470.
• Since 2006, the median annual budget of state-based organizations has increased by $100,000.
• In 2012, the median budget of organizations is $422,476. Larger organizations, including Empire State Pride Agenda and Equality California, as well as state groups running campaigns, report budgets ranging from $1 to $3 million.

Having the people to staff our organizations, as well as the funds to hire them, is imperative to our movement’s success. But we’re only as strong as our ability to mobilize, engage, and organize our community to make the change we want to see. Without the engagement of our online supporters and generous donors, our organizations can only fight so far for equality.

Over the past seven years, state-based organizations have dramatically grown their grassroots capacity -- partly as a result of the Federation’s providing an online organizing platform.

• In 2006, Federation members had a total of 346,637 online supporters. Currently, state groups reach more than 1.5 million people online.
• In 2006, organizations had 95,118 donors. Currently, Federation members engage 405,208 donors -- an incredible growth of 326%.

From steadily increasing budgets to exciting and incredible growth of our grassroots capacity, we have seen great achievements within our organizations. These internal achievements foster the success we have seen statewide in the LGBT movement over the past seven years.

In collaboration with grassroots activists and national advocates, states have racked up huge wins:

• 16 states and D.C. have extended marriage to same-sex couples, and now 36% of the country’s LGBT population lives in a state with marriage equality.
• 6 states have extended civil unions or domestic partners to couples statewide.
• 17 states and D.C. have employment nondiscrimination laws that protect workers on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity.
• 169 cities, counties, and municipalities have employment nondiscrimination policies protecting LGBT people.
• 19 states and D.C. have a comprehensive safe schools policy protecting LGBT students.
• 15 states and D.C. have expanded hate crimes protections to LGBT people.
• 28 states and D.C. issue new birth certificates to transgender people.

(These figures are from the Movement Advancement Project’s LGBT Equality Maps and are current as of December 16, 2013).

We are making monumental progress at every level of government. We are educating the public -- changing hearts and minds in every community across this country. We are finding and creating allies in surprising places.

And we are winning real protections for people who need them.

Over the past six years, our movement has learned critical lessons about how to win—from the marriage campaigns that won in state legislatures and those that won at the ballot box.

We are now taking those lessons and applying our winning strategies to the states that have yet to secure statewide protections for LGBT people.

While efforts to win marriage continue ahead -- through the courts, state legislatures, and elections -- a new focus of investment has emerged: campaigns to pass statewide nondiscrimination laws.

With more than 160 local ordinances protecting LGBT people from discrimination, momentum is clearly on our side. These local campaigns are providing opportunities to engage in positive, productive public education; to establish facts that make creating a case for further legislation easier; to create political momentum; and to build the capacity of our movement organizations.

This powerful incremental work -- led by state leaders and grassroots activists -- has built a strong foundation for future wins. In partnership with Equality Federation and other national partners, state-based organizations are now in the midst of translating local momentum into statewide campaigns. Soon our movement will celebrate huge victories in states that were believed, for far too long, to be unwinnable.

With continuing momentum for marriage and an elevated commitment to discrimination protections, the next several years in our movement could prove just as historic as the last few. And state leaders will be in the center of it all.

Methodology
The State of the States survey is distributed in the spring of each year to all current Equality Federation member organizations. The survey is sent by email, and responses are collected over several months. The most current data was submitted by 30 organizations, while in prior years, more than 40 members responded. Each year, the survey includes approximately 25 questions, some with multiple responses. Some organizations choose not to complete every question, leaving some answers blank. We report both the mean and median scores to allow for most accurate understanding and use.