CenterLink

Background

CenterLink is a member-based coalition that supports and advocates for over 375 LGBT community centers. It acts as a hub, providing resources, training, and advocacy for these centers so that they can “address the social, cultural, health, and political advocacy needs of the LGBTQ community members across the country.” ^{3  1}

CenterLink was established in 1994 as the National Association of LGBT Community Centers with over 30 centers participating. In 2004, the Association hired its first executive director, and in 2008, it changed its name to CenterLink. ^{4  5}

Work Areas

CenterLink provides technical assistance and training, regional and national networking opportunities for LGBT community center leaders, and services that help build the capacity of the centers to meet the needs of their LGBT constituencies. It also advocates for LGBT community centers through coalition building, organizing, and social activism. ^{6  1}

CenterLink publishes a portal restricted to CenterLink members with resources and information to support LGBT community center leaders in developing and improving their organizations. It also publishes e-newsletters for its members. ⁷

Its annual leadership summit provides opportunities for LGBT community center leaders, staff, and board members to network and attend educational sessions on pertinent topics and issues. ⁸

Can’t Cancel Pride is an annual benefit event that recognizes “people and organizations for their contributions to advancing LGBTQ+ equality.” It is hosted by Proctor & Gamble and iHeartMedia, and has raised more than $17 million for its six partner organizations: the National Black Justice Collective, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), OutRight Action International, the Trevor Project, SAGE, and CenterLink. ^{9  10}

Advocacy

ActionLink is a CenterLink program that focuses on LGBT advocacy to encourage organizing around LGBT-interest issues at the local, state, and national levels. It offers Pride in Action alerts to inform and engage members, and encourages members to get involved. ¹¹ Through its 2025 Get Out The LGBTQ+ Vote Toolkit, the group provides voting resources and information for transgender and other LGBT voters. ¹²

In 2022, the Southern Poverty Law Center and three other law offices filed a federal lawsuit challenging Florida’s Parental Rights in Education legislation. Several students and their parents, as well as CenterLink, were identified as plaintiffs. The bill requires schools to prioritize parental rights in student welfare decisions and restricts early-grade instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity. In 2024, a settlement was reached that resolved some disputes, but the law remained in effect. ^{13  14  15}

In July 2025, CenterLink joined with over 600 organizations in delivering a statement to the U.S. Congress titled “Solidarity with Targeted Nonprofits.” It opposed Congressional inquiries into nonprofits as politically motivated. ¹⁶ Other signers of the statement include the AFL-CIO, the Alliance for a Just Society, the Center for Progressive Reform, the Civil Liberties Defense Center, the Climate Justice Alliance, the Democracy Defenders Fund, Funders for Justice, Indivisible, the League of Conservation Voters, the National Abortion Federation, the National Institute for Reproductive Health, People Power United, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the Service Employees International Union, the Solidaire Network, and the Transgender Law Center. ¹⁷

Partner and Member Organizations

The major national partners and funders that help sustain CenterLink’s mission of supporting LGBT community centers include the Equality Federation, Give Out Day, GLAAD, the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA), Mama Dragons, PFLAG, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Safe Space Alliance, SAGE, and USA Prides. ¹⁸

Give Out Day is the only national day of giving for LGBT nonprofits, raising funds through a 24-hour online campaign hosted by the Horizons Foundation. ^{19  20} The IGLTA is a network of LGBT-focused tourism businesses. ²¹ Mama Dragons educates and supports mothers to advocate for their LGBT children. ²² The Safe Space Alliance helps people locate and create safe spaces for LGBT communities. ²³ SAGE provides advocacy and services for LGBT elders. ²⁴ USA Prides supports Pride organizers throughout the United States. ²⁵

CenterLink also publishes the LGBTQ Community Center Member Directory, with member centers in the United States listed by state and additional member centers in Australia, Canada, Colombia, and Mexico. ²⁶

Funding

In 2024, CenterLink’s total revenues were $2,863,693. It received $183,455 in government grants. ²⁷

In addition to its funding partners, donors to CenterLink include the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the Born This Way Foundation, Lgbt Charities, the Trevor Project, the National LGBTQ Task Force, Our Fund, Panorama Global, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the Pride Foundation, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Tides Foundation, and ImpactAssets Inc. ²

Since the mid-2010s, CenterLink has provided over $7.5 million in pass-through funding to its member LGBT community centers. In 2024, CenterLink awarded $1,272,108 to 46 member organizations. Grantees included the I Am Human Foundation, the LGBT Community Network, the Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation, the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the Rainbow Rose Center, and LGBT centers in New Jersey, Wyoming, Colorado, Texas, California, North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, Alabama, Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois, Indiana, Utah, Nebraska, Florida, Delaware, South Carolina, Virginia, Montana, and Washington, D.C. Most grants were awarded to deliver services, expand reach, and build long-term capacity. ^{28  5}

Leadership

Denise Spivak is CEO of CenterLink. She is also a board member of the National Human Services Assembly and the Pride Center. Spivak joined CenterLink in 2011 as a senior director, and later became a deputy director. In 2019, she became the interim CEO and then the full-time CEO in May 2020. ²⁹