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Services & Advocacy for Gay Lesbian Bisexual & Transgender Elders Inc

EIN 13-2947657 · New York, NY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair58 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SERVICES AND ADVOCACY FOR GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER ELDERS, INC. (SAGE) IS THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST AND OLDEST ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE LIVES OF LGBTQ+ OLDER ADULTS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS AND ALLIES, SAGE WORKS TO ACHIEVE A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE FOR LGBTQ+ OLDER PEOPLE, SUPPORTS AND ADVOCATES FOR THEIR RIGHTS, FOSTERS A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF AGING IN ALL COMMUNITIES, AND PROMOTES POSITIVE IMAGES OF LGBTQ+ LIFE IN LATER YEARS. WE FULFILL OUR MISSION THROUGH ADVOCACY AND BY PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICES, TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

Income
$21.6 million
Spending
$22.4 million
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
2.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 61%
Employees
143
Volunteers
800
Highest pay
$508,686, chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 58 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 35% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 20% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    25 of 25 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (2)
  1. $16.6 million spent. SERVICES AND PROGRAMS: SAGE OFFERS INNOVATIVE SERVICES AND PROGRAMS FOR LGBTQ+ OLDER PEOPLE AND THEIR PEERS ACROSS NEW YORK CITY AND SOUTH FLORIDA, AND NATIONWIDE THROUGH THE CAPACITY-BUILDING WORK OF OUR SAGECOLLAB MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS. FROM ARTS AND CULTURE TO HOUSING, FINANCIAL WELLNESS, HEALTHY AGING, AND OVERALL WELLBEING, SAGE PROVIDES BOTH IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL PROGRAMS INCLUDING SAGEYOU AND SAGECENTS THAT SUPPORT THOUSANDS OF LGBTQ+ OLDER ADULTS AND THEIR PEERS IN COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY. TO MEET THE NEEDS OF SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES, SAGE OFFERS PROGRAMMING DESIGNED TO SUPPORT TRANSGENDER AND NON-BINARY OLDER ADULTS, VETERANS, AND PEOPLE AGING WITH HIV. THE AGENCY'S FRIENDLY VISITOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, A LIFELINE FOR MANY LGBTQ+ ELDERS IN NEW YORK CITY, ALSO OPERATES IN SOUTH FLORIDA. IN ADDITION, SAGECARE, OUR PREMIER LGBTQ+ CULTURAL COMPETENCY TRAINING PROGRAM EQUIPS AGING-SERVICES PROVIDERS, LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WITH BEST PRACTICES FOR EFFECTIVELY SUPPORTING AND ENGAGING LGBTQ+ OLDER ADULTS AND THEIR PEERS.
  2. $2.0 million spent. PUBLIC OUTREACH: SAGE ADVOCATES AT THE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS FOR PUBLIC POLICIES TO IMPROVE THE AGING EXPERIENCE AND ACCESS TO AGING SERVICES AMONG THE GROWING POPULATION OF LGBTQ+ OLDER PEOPLE AND OLDER PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV. OUR FEDERAL POLICY PROGRAM WORKS TO ENSURE THAT POLICYMAKERS IN CONGRESS AND THE ADMINISTRATION ENACT POLICIES THAT ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF LGBTQ+ OLDER PEOPLE AND OLDER PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV. ADDITIONALLY, SAGE WORKS WITH LGBTQ+ ORGANIZATIONS AND ADVOCATES AROUND THE COUNTRY TO DEVELOP AND ACHIEVE THEIR LOCAL AND STATE POLICY AGENDAS. SAGE BUILDS THE CAPACITY OF COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS NATIONWIDE TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND TO ENGAGE IN POLICY ADVOCACY THAT IMPROVES THE LIVES OF THEIR LOCAL CONSTITUENTS, BUILDING A NATIONAL LGBTQ+ AGING MOVEMENT.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since September 1978.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.