National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)

Background

Since its founding in 2003, the NGLCC has achieved a number of symbolic and practical objectives, from collaborations with the New York City Stock Exchange and the Obama administration to successfully lobbying Congress and numerous Fortune 500 corporations. During the Trump administration, the chamber advocated for the proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would have barred discrimination against LGBT individuals in hiring. In 2017, the organization changed its name from the “National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce” to the “National LGBT Chamber of Commerce” to emphasize its backing of the bisexual and transgender causes, though it has retained its original acronym for branding purposes. ¹

The NGLCC has received taxpayer funding in the form of grant money from the United States Agency for International Development to establish similar LGBT “chambers of commerce” across the so-called Global South, including in the Caribbean, Latin America, South Africa, and India. Under President Barack Obama, the chamber also successfully pushed federal agencies to make nearly $14 billion worth of taxpayer-funded contracts available to its corporate partners. ¹

Initiatives and Impact

Within the NGLCC, there are councils devoted to specific industry segments, such as the pharmaceutical and marketing industries. The chamber also has special initiatives for LGBT racial minorities and for transgender individuals. ²

Notable corporate associates of the NGLCC include global beverage giant Anheuser-Busch, which announced a partnership with the chamber after a controversial pro-LGBT marketing campaign in 2023, and delivery service GrubHub, which funds the chamber’s grant program. ^{3 4} Major municipal partners of the NGLCC include Los Angeles, California, which the chamber successfully pressured to recognize LGBT businesses as eligible for preferential minority treatment in 2019, and New York City, which did the same in 2021. ^{5 6}

One of the most consequential projects run by the NGLCC has been the LGBT Business Enterprise (LGBTBE) certification, which indicates that a company has met the organization’s criteria for support of LGBT causes. Certification grants access to the Chamber’s network of partner corporations and government agencies. The NGLCC claims that LGBTBE status, with its accompanying increase in revenue from LGBT and supportive customers, leads to companies staying in business for more than twice as long as the average small business. ⁷ The chamber has also helped its corporate partners access government contracts, especially under the Obama administration, when the NGLCC reached agreements with several federal agencies including the Departments of Labor, Commerce, Transportation, and Agriculture. ¹

In 2011, in partnership with several sexual, racial, and other minority economic cooperation institutions, the NGLCC launched the National Business Inclusion Consortium (NBIC), an advocacy network for corporate institutions friendly to left-of-center activism. The NBIC claims to represent businesses generating a total of more than $9 trillion worth of annual consumer spending. The consortium also recognizes corporations for implementing company policies favoring racial, sexual, and other minority groups. ⁸

In 2016, the NGLCC endorsed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for President, and in 2020, the chamber endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden. ⁹

Leadership

Justin Nelson is the co-founder and president of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. He claims to be a regular advisor to White House staff and to members of Congress, and he promotes the chamber’s agenda to corporations at conferences and other events. Nelson was previously a lobbyist for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and an aide in the United States Senate. ¹⁰

Chance E. Mitchell is the co-founder and chief executive officer of the NGLCC. He is a long-time e-commerce senior manager and has also provided information technology consulting services to the legal industry. ¹¹

Carol Attak is the chair of the NGLCC board of directors. She is the senior manager of global supplier diversity and sustainability at BMO Harris Bank. She also managed the supplier diversity program at the information technology giant Accenture. In 2012, she was recognized by President Barack Obama for her work and activism. ¹²

Funding

In 2020, the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce received just over $6 million in total revenue and held more than $3.2 million in net assets. ¹³ The chamber has received notable grants from international beverage corporation Anheuser-Busch and food delivery company GrubHub. ^{14 15}