For more than a year, LGBTQI and allied movement organizations have navigated the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. For many organizations, this has meant shifting operations to a virtual format, offering programs online, and identifying and obtaining pandemic financial relief, all while continuing to serve LGBTQI people and advocating on their behalf. During the pandemic, MAP has frequently surveyed organizations, and reports released in September 2020 and January 2021 show the flexibility, creativity, and continued resilience of LGBTQI and allied organizations during 2020. Throughout 2021, MAP is continuing to survey organizations. This report presents the results from our first quarterly pulse survey of 2021, summarizing organizations’ experiences and reflections on 2020 and offering a first look at how organizations are doing in early 2021.
The 2021 Q1 survey shows that, while nearly all organizations reported negative impacts from the pandemic, 76% also reported positive impacts, such as shifting to remote work and reaching more people through online programs. However, the most commonly mentioned negative impact was the toll of the pandemic on staff’s mental health, highlighting the ongoing need to prioritize staff well-being such as through expanded benefits, pay, and sustainable workloads.
