TurnOut’s mission is to mobilize communities to power queer and trans movements

Whether you are a new volunteer exploring service for the first time or you are looking to sharpen your leadership skills on a nonprofit board, TurnOut is here to help every step of the way.

 
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Individual Volunteering

Do you want to volunteer to support an LGBTQ+ cause but don’t know where to start?

For those of us who want to get involved in supporting queer causes, we often have a hard time finding the right organization and connecting with the right people. That's where TurnOut comes in.

Whether your passion is supporting homeless queer youth, LGBTQ+ elders, mental health, queer history, queer arts, or so much more, TurnOut helps you volunteer with over 100 queer nonprofits and we provide the resources, training, and support volunteers need to maximize your impact.

Connect with thousands of other volunteers who are passionate about queer causes; learn the history of queer and trans community organizing; and meet the activists who are working on the frontlines of today’s most urgent social justice issues—all while making a real difference for the LGBTQ+ causes you care about.

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Group Volunteering

TurnOut works with high school groups, college groups, and corporate employee groups to provide meaningful service opportunities within the LGBTQ+ community.

Our goal is to offer high-quality service opportunities that make a lasting difference, engaging with real activists, real community members, and real organizations to make a real impact.

Participants deepen their understanding of the most urgent issues facing our communities today while building morale, bonding with teammates, and learning ways to stay engaged in service after the experience is over.

For those who wish to build their leadership skills, we also offer a strong leadership development program, providing a pathway to board service with our nonprofit partners through our Queer Board Match program.

  • “The ability to work with so many different organizations in the city gave me exposure to types of community service work that I didn’t even know I enjoyed. I am so thankful that TurnOut gave me this experience that allowed me to see my city and my community in a completely new light.”

    - Adam Arega, High School Participant

  • “TurnOut has been a valuable partner for Pinwheels (Pinterest’s LGBTQ+ community). Pinwheels is constantly looking for opportunities to participate in and give back to our local community. TurnOut has been a trusted partner for us in this regard and has successfully matched us with a variety of different organizations in the Bay Area. We really enjoy working with them!”

    - Pinterest

  • “Being queer/two-spirit and incorporating myself in a counseling field, I wanted to hear the history and know about the activism in the city. It was good to come in contact with those things and make connections which is ultimately better than hearing lectures.”

    - Margarita Herrera, Graduate Student Participant

Supporting Nonprofits

Every nonprofit should have a strong, passionate, and skilled volunteer base, but many don’t have the time to do proper volunteer recruitment, training, or management.

As part of TurnOut’s work to support volunteerism in the LGBTQ+ community, we work with nonprofits to provide high-quality volunteer programs to LGBTQ-focused events and nonprofits. Whether you need volunteer management for a one-off event or a year-round volunteer engagement program, TurnOut offers services that create a high-quality experience for your volunteers and maximize the impact for your organization.

  • “The team at TurnOut have been a major asset to our organization and a complete joy to work with. TurnOut has helped Oakland Pride recruit, train, manage, and deploy volunteers with ease and has taken a huge responsibility off of our already overextended team. It is my hope that Oakland Pride and TurnOut continue to work together for years to come because I know that both our organization and our volunteers will continue to benefit from the work and relationships built.”

    - Carlos Uribe, Co-Chair of Oakland Pride

  • “It’s been amazing connecting with TurnOut. They’ve helped us with one of our biggest activity, our anniversary event, and our biggest grant that we’ve gotten from a community organization.”

    - Joe Hawkins, Executive Director of the Oakland LGBTQ+ Center

  • “San Francisco Pride is a huge event with many moving parts, and it would be impossible without volunteer power. TurnOut was instrumental in recruiting and managing volunteers, and ensuring that people enjoyed their experience. Their commitment to building community is something that we align with, and their flexibility in navigating the current pandemic is nothing short of inspiring. We love TurnOut!”

    - Fred Lopez, Executive Director, SF Pride

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Skills-based Volunteering

Many small queer and trans organizations do not have a dedicated grant writer or translator, which means that oftentimes those important tasks fall upon busy staff members. 

TurnOut has multiple skills-based teams that are available to help nonprofits achieve their goals. Our teams of experienced grant writers, Spanish translators, and more can support your nonprofit.

“TurnOut’s pro-bono grant writers have been god-sent for a growing organization such as ours, in securing funds during COVID. In helping us raise over $41K, we were able to serve the dire needs of trans, gender nonconforming, and intersex individuals. The experience and expertise in submitting the grants and guiding us through the process was priceless and par excellence."

- Anjali Rimi, Executive Director of Parivar Bay Area

Volunteer Testimonials

We invited our volunteers to submit a video with a few words about TurnOut. Here is what they had to say.