irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $680KTHE TRANS HEALTH PROJECT TAKES A COMPREHENSIVE, SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO EXPANDING ACCESS TO TRANSGENDER-RELATED HEALTH CARE BY EDUCATING AFFECTED INDIVIDUALS ABOUT THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS; CULTIVATING A ROBUST MOVEMENT TO ACHIEVE HEALTH CARE EQUITY; EXPANDING ENFORCEMENT OF EXISTING LEGAL PROTECTIONS; AND DRIVING CLINICAL POLICY CHANGES AMONG INSURANCE CARRIERS.
- #2 $475KTHE NAME CHANGE PROJECT PROVIDES PRO BONO LEGAL NAME CHANGE SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME TRANSGENDER AND NON-BINARY PEOPLE THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH SOME OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS LAW FIRMS AND CORPORATE LAW DEPARTMENTS. FOR MANY TRANSGENDER PEOPLE, SECURING A LEGAL NAME CHANGE IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARDS ENSURING THEIR LEGAL IDENTITIES MATCH THEIR AUTHENTIC SELVES. TLDEF PROVIDES ITS CLIENTS WITH ACCESS TO PRO BONO LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO NAVIGATE THE PROCESS AND SUCCESSFULLY SECURE A LEGAL NAME CHANGE.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Impact Litigation
Brings precedent-setting legal cases to defend transgender and nonbinary individuals facing discrimination, particularly those with intersecting vulnerabilities such as race, class, and incarceration status.
Name Change Project
Provides pro bono legal name change services to low-income transgender and nonbinary individuals through partnerships with major law firms and corporate legal departments in multiple states.
Public Education Program
Conducts "Know Your Rights" workshops, corporate trainings, and continuing legal education to build legal competency and empower transgender and nonbinary people.
Trans Health Project
Expands access to transgender-related healthcare by educating individuals about legal rights, advocating for policy changes, and supporting enforcement of existing protections.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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LGBTQ+ Legal and Policy Advocacy 4 activities
- Advocates for transgender inclusion in federal, state, and local policymakingEngages in policy advocacy, drafts legislation, testifies before government bodies, submits regulatory comments, and mobilizes community opposition to anti-trans policies, including efforts to protect the Equal Access Rule and advance inclusive education and identification policies.
- Conducts impact litigation on precedent-setting transgender rights casesTakes on a limited number of high-impact legal cases focused on advancing rights for transgender and nonbinary individuals facing systemic discrimination, including victories related to healthcare coverage, name changes, prison safety, and public restroom access.
- Expands access to transgender-related healthcare through legal and policy advocacyAdvocates for enforcement of legal protections and influences clinical policies at insurance carriers to improve access to transgender-related health care, supported by legal education and advocacy efforts.
- Provides testimony preparation resources for trans rights advocacyOffers comprehensive guides, storytelling prompts, and safety tips to help transgender individuals and allies effectively testify before school boards, city councils, and state legislatures in support of trans rights.
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Political Leadership Training for Underrepresented Groups 2 activities
- Recruits and trains volunteers for civic engagementOrganizes volunteer opportunities including phone banks, rallies, lobby days, and legislative hearings, and recruits and trains transgender individuals for political participation.
- Supports transgender political candidates through training and coachingCo-hosts a national training program for transgender political candidates with the Victory Institute and provides one-on-one coaching for trans individuals running for office, led by the Director of Voting and Elections.
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LGBTQ+ Cultural Competency & Community Education 1 activity
- Conducts public education and professional training programsDelivers "Know Your Rights" workshops, corporate trainings, continuing legal education, and conference presentations to educate allies, attorneys, and business leaders on transgender rights and build professional competency.
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Civic Engagement and Voter Mobilization 1 activity
- Operates voter engagement and ballot access programs for transgender individualsRuns the Transform the Vote campaign to register transgender voters, provide voter protection guides, and help individuals overcome barriers related to name and gender marker discrepancies on ID, ensuring participation in elections at all levels.
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Pro Bono Legal Representation and Support 1 activity
- Provides pro bono legal name change servicesOffers free legal assistance to low-income transgender and nonbinary individuals to change their names, operating in multiple states including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin through partnerships with major law firms and corporate legal departments.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Conducts the U.S. Trans SurveyAdministers the largest survey on transgender lives in the United States, collecting data from over 92,000 respondents in 2022 to inform advocacy, policy, and public understanding.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.13M
Contributions & grants$2.13M100%
Program service revenue$9K0%
Investment income$13K1%
Other revenue$-26K
expenses
Total expenses$6.14M
Program expenses82%
Admin / overhead13%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$3.11M
Grants paid out$2.25M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$0
Cash$3.23M
Investments$0
Liabilities$514K
Net assets$0
Liquid reserves6.3 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -42.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 7
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANDREA MARRA | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $343K |
| MAXWELL SCALES | DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $189K |
| Z GABRIEL ARKLES | CO-INTERIM LEGAL DIRECTOR | 40 | $159K |
| EZRA CUKOR | CO-INTERIM LEGAL DIRECTOR | 40 | $147K |
| JONATHAN ADAMS | DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS | 40 | $143K |
| ALANA JOCHUM | DIRECTOR OF POLICY | 40 | $140K |
| SUE LEE TROUTMAN | DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT | 40 | $137K |
board members · 4
- ANDREA JENKINS — DIRECTOR
- DOLPH GOLDENBURG — TREASURER
- JAY AUSTIN — CHAIR
- KATE TRAUB — SECRETARY
relationships · 22
Who they work with
- A4TE Partner — Co-published a guide on testifying for trans rights.
- Advocates for Trans Equality Partner — Collaborates with Advocates for Trans Equality on organizing work and volunteer engagement.
- American Civil Liberties Union Partner — Coalition partner in submitting a letter urging Congress to protect trans students.
- Corporate Law Departments Partner — Partners with corporate legal departments to deliver pro bono legal name change services to low-income transgender and nonbinary clients.
- Human Rights Campaign Partner — Coalition partner in submitting a letter urging Congress to protect trans students.
- LGBTQI+ organizational partners Partner — Collaborates with LGBTQI+ organizations to educate transgender people on voting rights and ballot access.
- Lambda Legal Partner — Coalition partner in submitting a letter urging Congress to protect trans students.
- Lambda Legal Partner — Cosued with TLDEF on behalf of transgender public employees in North Carolina to secure inclusive healthcare coverage.
- Name Change Project Partner — Brings litigation cases on behalf of clients referred through the Name Change Project.
- National Center for Trans Equality Network — Merger partner in the formation of Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE).
- National Center for Transgender Equality Partner — Collaborated on early organizing efforts including national lobby days; referenced as predecessor organization in founding narrative.
- National Center for Transgender Equality Partner — TLDEF and NCTE merged to form A4TE, combining decades of advocacy experience.
- National Education Association Partner — Coalition partner in submitting a letter urging Congress to protect trans students.
- National Women's Law Center Action Fund Partner — Coalition partner in submitting a letter urging Congress to protect trans students.
- Prestigious Law Firms Partner — Collaborates with prestigious law firms to provide pro bono legal representation for name change services.
- Services & Advocacy for LGBTQ+ Elders Partner — Coalition partner in launching a public comment portal opposing the rollback of the Equal Access Rule.
- The Trevor Project Partner — Coalition partner in submitting a letter urging Congress to protect trans students.
- Trans Health Project Partner — Brings litigation cases on behalf of clients referred through the Trans Health Project.
- Trans Legal Defense & Education Fund Network — Merger partner in the formation of Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE).
- Victory Institute Partner — Partner organization co-hosting a national training program for trans political candidates.
- community leaders Partner — Collaborates with community leaders to expand reach and support transgender voter registration through the Transform the Vote campaign.
- local organizations Partner — Collaborates with local organizations to expand reach and support transgender voter registration through the Transform the Vote campaign.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Impact Litigation for Precedent-Setting Changemethodology: impact_litigationBy strategically selecting legal cases involving transgender and nonbinary individuals facing intersecting systemic barriers, broad legal reform is achieved through court rulings that set binding precedents.
- Integrated Legal and Health Advocacymethodology: integrated_health_advocacyBy combining legal action, education, and direct engagement with insurers, healthcare access improves because structural barriers are challenged across multiple leverage points simultaneously.
- Intersectional Organizing for Structural Equitymethodology: intersectional organizingBy grounding advocacy in an analysis of interconnected systems like racism, classism, and transmisogyny, the organization produces more durable change because it addresses root causes affecting the most marginalized transgender people.
- Pro Bono Legal Network Expansionmethodology: pro_bono_legal_networkBy partnering with major law firms and corporate legal departments, low-income transgender individuals gain access to critical legal name change services, because leveraging existing professional infrastructure scales service delivery without increasing direct costs.
- Trans-Led Systemic Advocacymethodology: trans-led advocacyBy centering transgender voices in policy, litigation, and political advocacy, systemic change is achieved because lived experience ensures authentic, impactful representation that shifts institutions toward inclusion.