Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Out Center

EIN 80-0341856 · Benton Harbor, MI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood81 out of 100GovernanceFair55 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY FOR RESPECT, UNDERSTANDING AND NONDISCRIMINATION TO LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER (LGBTQ+)PEOPLE, THEIR FAMILIES AND ALLIED PERSONS IN SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN.

Income
$316,714
Spending
$310,248
Spent on programs
64%
Reserves
6.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 90%
Employees
3
Volunteers
24

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    64% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Independent check of accounts

    12 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

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

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 (1)
  1. $199,481 spent. CREATING AND SUPPORTING SAFE SPACES: SCHOOLS: OUTCENTER WORKED WITH 6 AREA SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES TO SUPPORT EXISTING AND DEVELOPING LGBTQ+ STUDENT-LED CLUBS, OR GSAS, AND PROVIDED GUIDANCE TO 3 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ON GENDER AFFIRMING PRACTICES AND POLICIES. WORKSHOPS AND TRAININGS: OUTCENTER PRESENTED 11 WORKSHOPS TO 130 ATTENDEES ACROSS A DIVERSE ARRAY OF AUDIENCES THROUGHOUT SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN. THESE WORKSHOPS ADDRESSED HEALTHCARE DISPARITIES, CULTURAL COMPETENCY PRACTICES, SAFETY, AND COMPETENT SEX ED. ADVISORY: OUTCENTER REGULARLY ADVISED 15 ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMITTEES ON INCLUSIVE POLICIES AND PRACTICES. PUBLIC EDUCATION: TOWN HALLS: OUTCENTER LAUNCHED A NEW TOWN HALL PROGRAM, HOSTING ITS FIRST TWO EVENTS IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER COVERING THE TOPICS OF LGBTQ+ HEALTHCARE ACCESS AND HOW TO BUILD LEGAL RESILIENCE. ONLINE ENGAGEMENT: OUTCENTERS WEBSITE RECEIVED 13,000 UNIQUE VISITORS IN 2025 ALONG WITH MORE THAN 296,000 SOCIAL MEDIA VIEWS. NO SILLY QUESTIONS: NO SILLY QUESTIONS IS A SHORT-FORM EDUCATIONAL VIDEO SERIES SHARED ONLINE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA. IN 2025 WE CREATED 19 VIDEOS WHICH HAVE MORE THAN 15,000 COMBINED VIEWS. COMMUNITY EVENTS: PRIDE MONTH EVENTS: OUTCENTER HOSTED 19 PRIDE MONTH EVENTS IN 10 CITIES AND TOWNSHIPS ACROSS SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN. PRIDEFEST ATTENDANCE: OUTCENTER HOSTED MORE THAN 2,200 PEOPLE AT OUR THREE PRIDEFEST EVENTS IN 2025, WITH 80 UNIQUE VENDORS BETWEEN THE THREE EVENTS. COMMUNITY EVENTS: OUTCENTER HOSTED AND PROMOTED 18 REGULARLY SCHEDULED COMMUNITY EVENTS INCLUDING BOOK CLUBS, WALKING/HIKING GROUPS, AND SOCIAL EVENTS. CREATING AND SUPPORTING SAFE SPACES: SCHOOLS: OUTCENTER WORKED WITH 6 AREA SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES TO SUPPORT EXISTING AND DEVELOPING LGBTQ+ STUDENT-LED CLUBS, OR GSAS, AND PROVIDED GUIDANCE TO 3 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ON GENDER AFFIRMING PRACTICES AND POLICIES. WORKSHOPS AND TRAININGS: OUTCENTER PRESENTED 11 WORKSHOPS TO 130 ATTENDEES ACROSS A DIVERSE ARRAY OF AUDIENCES THROUGHOUT SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN. THESE WORKSHOPS ADDRESSED HEALTHCARE DISPARITIES, CULTURAL COMPETENCY PRACTICES, SAFETY, AND COMPETENT SEX ED. ADVISORY: OUTCENTER REGULARLY ADVISED 15 ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMITTEES ON INCLUSIVE POLICIES AND PRACTICES. PUBLIC EDUCATION: TOWN HALLS: OUTCENTER LAUNCHED A NEW TOWN HALL PROGRAM, HOSTING ITS FIRST TWO EVENTS IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER COVERING THE TOPICS OF LGBTQ+ HEALTHCARE ACCESS AND HOW TO BUILD LEGAL RESILIENCE. ONLINE ENGAGEMENT: OUTCENTERS WEBSITE RECEIVED 13,000 UNIQUE VISITORS IN 2025 ALONG WITH MORE THAN 296,000 SOCIAL MEDIA VIEWS. NO SILLY QUESTIONS: NO SILLY QUESTIONS IS A SHORT-FORM EDUCATIONAL VIDEO SERIES SHARED ONLINE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA. IN 2025 WE CREATED 19 VIDEOS WHICH HAVE MORE THAN 15,000 COMBINED VIEWS. COMMUNITY EVENTS: PRIDE MONTH EVENTS: OUTCENTER HOSTED 19 PRIDE MONTH EVENTS IN 10 CITIES AND TOWNSHIPS ACROSS SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN. PRIDEFEST ATTENDANCE: OUTCENTER HOSTED MORE THAN 2,200 PEOPLE AT OUR THREE PRIDEFEST EVENTS IN 2025, WITH 80 UNIQUE VENDORS BETWEEN THE THREE EVENTS. COMMUNITY EVENTS: OUTCENTER HOSTED AND PROMOTED 18 REGULARLY SCHEDULED COMMUNITY EVENTS INCLUDING BOOK CLUBS, WALKING/HIKING GROUPS, AND SOCIAL EVENTS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 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 March 2010.

    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.