irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $97KELECTORAL: A4TE'S ELECTORAL WORK FOCUSES ON ENDORSING CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE WHO SUPPORT TRANSGENDER RIGHTS AND OPPOSING CANDIDATES WHO WORK AGAINST TRANS EQUALITY.
- #2 $32KGRASSROOTS LOBBYING: THE A4TE EDUCATION FUND ADVANCES TRANSGENDER RIGHTS BY ENGAGING STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES ON ISSUES INCLUDING HEALTH CARE, HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND MILITARY SERVICE. ITS POLICY TEAM PROMOTES THE ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF TRANS-INCLUSIVE POLICIES AND PRACTICES AND EDUCATES POLICYMAKERS AND THE PUBLIC TO PREVENT THE ADVANCEMENT OF HARMFUL MEASURES.
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Electoral Endorsements
Endorses candidates for public office who support transgender rights and opposes those who advance anti-trans legislation. Provides endorsed candidates with campaign support, contributions, and use of organizational branding.
Grassroots Lobbying and Policy Advocacy
Engages federal and state agencies to promote trans-inclusive policies in healthcare, housing, employment, education, and military service, while working to block harmful legislation.
Impact Litigation
Brings precedent-setting legal cases to defend transgender and nonbinary individuals facing discrimination, particularly those with intersecting vulnerabilities related to race, class, and geography. Focuses on expanding legal rights in healthcare, name changes, and protection from violence.
One-on-One Candidate Coaching
Offers personalized coaching for transgender individuals considering or running for public office, led by the Director of Voting and Elections with extensive campaign experience.
Political Candidate Training
Partners with the Victory Institute to provide training for transgender candidates and campaign managers, covering campaign strategy, fundraising, media planning, and voter engagement tailored to trans candidates.
U.S. Transgender Survey
Conducts the largest survey of transgender people in the U.S., collecting data across all 50 states and territories to inform advocacy, policy, and public understanding of trans experiences and discrimination.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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LGBTQ+ Legal and Policy Advocacy 6 activities
- Coalition-based advocacy and public comment campaignsOrganizes and participates in coalitions to submit joint advocacy letters and public comments, such as a coalition of 60 organizations urging Congress to protect trans students, and preparing a public comment portal to oppose the revised Equal Access Rule in partnership with SAGE and other advocacy groups.
- Conducting large-scale research on transgender communitiesConducted the U.S. Transgender Survey, the largest survey of transgender people in the U.S., with 92,329 respondents across all 50 states, D.C., and territories, to document discrimination and inform policymaking and public understanding.
- Guided civic participation and testimony support for trans communitiesProvides comprehensive guides and one-on-one coaching to help transgender individuals and allies testify before school boards, city councils, state legislatures, and other governmental bodies on trans rights issues.
- Legal advocacy and litigation to advance trans rightsFiles lawsuits and amicus briefs to secure legal protections for transgender people, including precedent-setting victories in healthcare coverage, name changes, public restroom access, school facility use, and employment discrimination. Examples include suing Walmart on behalf of a trans employee and securing inclusive healthcare coverage for North Carolina public employees.
- Policy advocacy and lobbying at federal, state, and local levelsEngages in grassroots and direct lobbying by meeting with policymakers, drafting legislation, testifying at hearings, submitting regulatory comments, and mobilizing trans communities and allies to influence policy on issues including healthcare, housing, employment, education, public safety, and military service. Achieved over 100 federal policy changes and helped defeat hundreds of anti-trans state bills.
- Public education and storytelling initiatives to increase trans visibility and acceptanceConducts outreach and public education campaigns such as the Trans Joy campaign, which encourages transgender individuals to share positive personal stories, and empowers trans people, families, and organizations to share their experiences with media, policymakers, and communities.
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Volunteer Engagement and Capacity Support 1 activity
- Capacity building through training and volunteer mobilizationRecruits and trains volunteers for civic engagement activities such as phone banks, rallies, lobby days, and legislative hearings. Facilitates workshops and conference presentations to educate allies and build community leadership.
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Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Support Services 1 activity
- Direct support services for transgender individuals navigating legal and policy systemsProvides tools, knowledge, and one-on-one support to help transgender individuals access legal rights, including name changes, gender marker updates, and overcoming systemic barriers in public systems.
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Labor-Backed Candidate Endorsements & Electoral Support 1 activity
- Support for transgender political candidates and electoral advocacyEndorses pro-trans candidates for public office, provides them with one-on-one campaign coaching, financial contributions, and use of organizational branding. Co-hosts a national training program for trans political candidates in partnership with the Victory Institute.
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Civic Engagement and Voter Mobilization 1 activity
- Transgender voter engagement and voting rights protectionImplements the Transform the Vote campaign to support voter registration and ballot access for transgender and nonbinary individuals, including producing and distributing voter protection guides and providing education to overcome voting barriers.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$8.18M
Contributions & grants$7.90M97%
Program service revenue$47K1%
Investment income$171K2%
Other revenue$62K
expenses
Total expenses$7.23M
Program expenses66%
Admin / overhead21%
Fundraising13%
Salaries & benefits$4.59M
Grants paid out$410K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$7.70M
Cash$2.62M
Investments$2.66M
Liabilities$795K
Net assets$6.91M
Liquid reserves8.8 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +99.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 9
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RODRIGO HENG-LEHTINEN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 39 | $217K |
| JAMALEA WESTERHOLD | CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER | 39 | $200K |
| JACOB MCCLAIN | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 39 | $187K |
| COLTON BOYD | CHIEF EQUITY & OPERATIONS OFFICER | 39 | $178K |
| OLIVIA HUNT | CHIEF OFFICER OF STRATEGIC PROGRAMS | 39 | $156K |
| SYBASTIAN SMITH | CHIEF MOBILIZATION OFFICER | 39 | $154K |
| MONICA THOMAS | CHIEF COMMUNITY EDUCATION OFFICER | 39 | $152K |
| ANDREA MARRA | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 39 | $93K |
| MAXWELL SCALES | CHIEF OPERATIONS AND EQUITY OFFICER | 39 | $54K |
board members · 10
- ADDISON RADCLIFFE — DIRECTOR
- ANDREA JENKINS — DIRECTOR
- DANIELLE MORRIS — TREASURER
- DECLAN PETERSON — DIRECTOR
- DOLPH GOLDENBURG — DIRECTOR
- JAY L AUSTIN — PRESIDENT
- KATE TRAUB — GENERAL COUNSEL & SECRETARY
- KRISTEN VIERREGGER — DIRECTOR
- LEVI KATZ — DIRECTOR
- SHANNON BROWNING — VICE CHAIR
relationships · 22
Who they work with
- Alex del Rosario Partner — Co-author of a guide on testifying for trans rights
- American Civil Liberties Union Partner — Coalition signatory on a letter urging Congress to protect trans students.
- Board of Advocates for Trans Equality Partner — Provides strategic direction, financial oversight, and governance in partnership with senior leadership.
- Government entities at all levels Partner — Engages with federal, state, and local government bodies to advocate for trans inclusion in policy and legal processes.
- Human Rights Campaign Partner — Coalition signatory on 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 signatory on a letter urging Congress to protect trans students.
- Lambda Legal Partner — Cosued with TLDEF on behalf of transgender public employees in North Carolina
- NCTE Action Fund Network — Shares a newsletter subscription platform and organizational alignment under the broader NCTE ecosystem.
- Name Change Project Partner — Brings litigation cases on behalf of clients referred through the Name Change Project.
- National Center for Trans Equality Partner — Former organization that merged with the Trans Legal Defense & Education Fund to form Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) in July 2024.
- National Center for Transgender Equality Network — Former independent organization merged into A4TE, contributing decades of policy advocacy experience.
- National Center for Transgender Equality Network — Founded in 2003 as the original organization that evolved into A4TE's current advocacy work.
- National Education Association Partner — Coalition signatory on a letter urging Congress to protect trans students.
- National Women's Law Center Action Fund Partner — Coalition signatory on a letter urging Congress to protect trans students.
- Services & Advocacy for LGBTQ+ Elders Partner — Coalition partner in launching a public comment portal opposing the revised Equal Access Rule.
- Tekla Taylor Partner — Co-author of a guide on testifying for trans rights
- The Trevor Project Partner — Coalition signatory on 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 Partner — Former organization that merged with the National Center for Trans Equality to form Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) in July 2024.
- Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund Network — Former independent organization merged into A4TE, contributing legal and educational programming.
- Victory Institute Partner — Co-hosts a national training program for trans political candidates.
strategies · 4
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.
- Integrated Advocacy and Legal Strategymethodology: integrated_advocacy_legalBy combining policy advocacy, civic engagement, and impact litigation under a unified strategy, the organization amplifies systemic change, because complementary legal and political tools create reinforcing pathways for trans rights advancement.
- Intersectional Systems Changemethodology: intersectional_analysisBy grounding advocacy and organizing in an intersectional analysis of transmisogyny, racism, and classism, the organization addresses root causes of inequity, because trans justice cannot be achieved without confronting overlapping systems of oppression.
- Story-Based Advocacy for Public Understandingmethodology: story_based_advocacyBy guiding trans individuals and families to share personal stories in media, legislative, and community settings, the organization shifts public perception and influences policy, because narrative empathy builds support more effectively than data alone.
- Trans-Led Advocacy and Lived Experience in Policymethodology: trans_led_advocacyBy centering trans voices and lived experiences in policy, legal, and political decision-making spaces, the organization produces more equitable and representative outcomes, because those most impacted by systemic exclusion are best positioned to shape effective solutions.