Creating inclusive and supportive work environments for the LGBTQIA+ community is a crucial step towards fostering diversity and equity in the workforce for all. In this blog post, we highlight ten remarkable organizations that support the LGBTQIA+ community with workforce development opportunities, including mentorships, leadership development, job opportunities, skills training, and more. Check out the list below and happy Pride!
TransTech Social Enterprises
Founded by legendary actress and activist Angelica Ross in 2014, TransTech Social was formed to “empower, educate, and employ the LGBTQ+ community through accessible education programs, inclusive events, and equitable employment opportunities that teach practical career-ready skills.”
They offer a variety of programs, centering transgender and gender-nonconforming people:
- TransTech GROW is a 10-week program with weekly training sessions on resume writing, interview prep, salary negotiation, and more.
- TransTech Summit is a free annual virtual event with presentations on marketing and advertising, tech in Hollywood, health and wellness, design and coding, social justice, and more.
TransTech also has monthly virtual workshops for member skillsharing, a Discord server, and a learning library.
Out & Equal
Out & Equal promotes LGBTQ+ workplace equality through partnerships with Fortune 1000 companies, an annual Workplace Summit conference, and global programs. They work closely with executives, HR and D&I professionals, and LGBTQ+ employee resource group leaders to champion and implement effective diversity and inclusion best practices.
One key initiative is supporting LGBTQ+ leaders at all career stages. Out & Equal offers a variety of leadership development programs, such as the Diverse Leaders Fellowship in partnership with Bank of America, the Transgender/Nonbinary Executive Leadership Circle in partnership with JP Morgan Chase, Leadership U for Humanity in partnership with Korn Ferry, and the Executive Forum.
Maven Youth
Maven Youth works with LGBTQ+ youth (ages 14-24) to provide them with opportunities to explore careers in the tech sector and build skills. They do this through summer camps, virtual workshops, leadership retreats, mentorships, internships, and apprenticeships. Their programs have an amazing 99% retention rate and they pride themselves on “having LGBT+ youth co-design and co-facilitate equity-centered programs.”
LGBTQ+ Victory Institute
The LGBTQ+ Victory Institute is on a mission to train and ensure the success of LGBTQ+ candidates and campaign workers in public service around the world. They offer four-day non-partisan Candidate & Campaign Trainings and one-day intensive Victory Leadership Summits that both support skill-building for LGBTQ+ public service leaders.
The LGBTQ+ Victory Institute also hosts several internship and fellowship programs for students, emerging leaders, and executives including:
- Victory Congressional Internship
- Victory Empowerment Fellowship
- Victory Congressional Fellowship
- Bohnett Leaders Fellowship
- Presidential Appointments Initiative
- Women Out to Win
Reaching Out
Reaching Out works to connect and uplift the LGBTQ+ MBA community. They host an annual conference as well as other networking and learning events throughout the year. Reaching Out also created the ROMBA LGBTQ+ Fellowship program in partnership with 70+ business school programs with the goal of developing LGBTQ+ business leaders. Fellows receive at minimum a $20,000 scholarship, leadership training, and access to a kick-off retreat to meet their program peers.
Out in Tech
Out in Tech is a community of 50,000 LGBTQ+ tech leaders around the world. They “envision a tech industry where LGBTQ+ people are empowered, well represented, and have full agency, from intern to CEO.” Their Out in Tech U program equips young tech professionals with the skills and confidence needed to be a leader in the industry through training, mentorship, and community partnerships.
National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
The NGLCC is “the only national advocacy organization dedicated to expanding economic opportunities for the LGBTQ business community.” They are also the certifying body for Certified LGBT Business Enterprise® (Certified LGBTBE®) companies, which is recognized by over ⅓ of the Fortune 500 companies.
The NGLCC offers several programs and initiatives to support LGBTQ+ businesses and entrepreneurs including a mentorship program that matches Certified LGBT Business Enterprise® (Certified LGBTBE®) applicants with other LGBTQ+ business owners and corporate representatives to support their growth and success.
StartOut
In their own words: “StartOut accelerates the growth of the LGBTQ+ community to drive its economic empowerment, building a world where every LGBTQ+ entrepreneur has equal access to lead, succeed, and shape the workforce of the future.”
Their Growth Lab is an accelerator for startups founded or co-founded by LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. They host virtual cohorts twice a year, during which entrepreneurs will have access to mentorship, free legal consultation, weekly lunch and learns, and more. 65 companies have graduated so far, raising $763M in funding.
OutLEADERSHIP
The world’s first LGBTQ+ B-Corporation, OutLEADERSHIP convenes, connects and develops LGBTQ+ and Ally leaders around the world “to advocate for inclusion for all people at every level, from employee to executive to CEO.” They have three main talent programs that develop LGBTQ+ leaders:
- OutNEXT is for emerging leaders, who go through a curriculum of learning modules, breakout sessions, networking and mentorship opportunities, and a social impact challenge
- OutQUORUM, sponsored by KPMG, seeks to prepare LGBTQ+ candidates for corporate boards
- OutWOMEN+ is a global network of LGBTQ+ women executives that seeks to connect an uplift women leaders in business
Build Out Alliance
Build Out Alliance “promotes and advocates for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community within the building design and construction industry.” Their mission is to make the industry more welcoming to LGBTQ+ individuals so that they can work openly, safely, and with pride.
Build Out Alliance’s initiatives include raising visibility, mentorship, networking, leadership development, and community outreach. Through events like panel discussions, lectures, career building workshops, happy hours, office tours, and more, LGBTQ+ professionals are able to support each other and grow in their careers.
This list is by no means exhaustive or ranked. If you know of another organization that should be on this list, please let us know at ellen@symba.io! Send over a blurb of the organization, info about the work they do, and provide a link to their website.
