Horizons Research

Research undergirds all Horizons' work, from our strategic grantmaking to our work around fundraising and legacy giving.  As the world's first community foundation that is of, by, and for LGBTQ people, we are committed to serving as a leader in LGBTQ philanthropy, and have conducted, commissioned, and funded a variety of critical research studies. 

Conversion Therapy Online: The Ecosystem In 2023


Produced by Global Project Against Hate and Extremism and funded by Horizons' Global Faith and Equality Fund, this new report exposes how search algorithms continue to preference harmful anti-LGBTQ+ conversion therapy material and providers, especially in non-English languages.

San Francisco Bay Area LGBTQ Community Needs Assessment (2018)


Our SF Bay Area LGBTQ Community Needs Assessment investigated gaps between needs and available services in the Bay Area LGBTQ community, uncovering barriers that prevent community members from accessing needed services. The study also probed deeply into difference in experience across factors like sexual orientation and gender identity as well as intersectional factors such as race, ethnicity, age, income, ability, and geography.

Survey: The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on SF Bay Area LGBTQ Organizations (2020)


To identify the specific effects of the pandemic on nonprofits, Horizons distributed a survey to a sample of organizations on its mailing list in October 2020. We conducted a preliminary analysis of a subset of respondents that included only Bay Area LGBTQ organizations.

It is clear that Bay Area LGBTQ organizations have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Individual and institutional donors alike must step up their support, especially for smaller-budget organizations and those focused on people on color (POC), to fill gaps in revenue resulting from the pandemic.

Deplatforming LGBTQ Hate: Stopping Conversion Therapy Online (2022)

Produced by Global Project Against Hate and Extremism and funded by Horizons' Global Faith and Equality Fund, this research exposes how tech companies, many of which based in the SF Bay Area, have failed to deplatform anti-LGBTQ conversion therapy disinformation and ban providers pushing the discredited practice, even though many claim to do so.


LGBTQ Giving Project (2018)


Together with other foundation leaders, Horizons conducted in-depth research and real-world testing of strategies for LGBTQ nonprofits to increase fundraising. Hundreds of organizations have benefited from this research through trainings, webinars, and more. The main report of this unprecedented project concludes with actionable recommendations for your organization.

National LGBTQ Planned Giving Strategy (2018)

As the leader of the National Task Force on LGBTQ Planned Giving, Horizons released a landmark report on the enormous opportunity for LGBTQ nonprofits in legacy giving, especially in giving by LGBTQ people through their estates.