US Democrats’ LGBT campaign group faces possible closure due to funding crisis
The National Stonewall Democrats, the main political LGBT lobbying organisation that’s affiliated with the Democratic Party, may close its doors unless it raises $30,000 (£18,600) before the end of the year.
The group’s Executive Director Jerame Davis sent out an email on Wednesday asking for donations to help resolve a budget deficit of more than $30,000.
Mr Davis said: “It’s no secret that we’ve struggled with fundraising over the past few years, but today we are at a crossroads and we’re turning to you – our members and supporters.”
He also told the Washington Blade that the organisation’s most-recent budget was between $130,000 (£80,600) and $140,000 (£86,800) compared from its 2008 budget of nearly $700,000 (£434,420).
Though Mr Davis says his group appeared debt-free by the end of July, it spent about $20,000 (£12,400) at this year’s Democratic National Convention.
Mr Davis is currently the only full-time staffer and says he has cut the budget to about $10,000 (£6,200) a month.
The National Stonewall Democrats was founded in 1999 by gay Massachusetts congressman Barney Frank.
The 72-year-old, who married his partner in July, is retiring from the US Congress after serving for more than 30 years in January 2013.
