The Human Rights Campaign is set to lay off approximately 20 percent of its workforce in a major restructuring effort in what the group’s leadership said is to adapt to the evolving political and financial landscape, The Advocate has exclusively learned.

According to a senior HRC official knowledgeable about the decision-making process, the layoffs, which will take effect on February 12, will impact about 50 employees. By the start of its next fiscal year on April 1, HRC expects to have around 180 staff members. Another senior official said that the decision reflects a need to “operate differently” in response to external political and legislative threats to the LGBTQ+ community and internal budget realities.

HRC views current programming as unsustainable

In recent years, HRC has experienced significant fundraising success, with revenues exceeding expectations, the group said. In fiscal year 2023, a representative said, the organization budgeted to raise $63 million but ultimately brought in $85 million. Since 2017, the person added that HRC has exceeded its fundraising goals. However, the decision to reinvest those surpluses into expanded programming and operating costs has created a financial model that leadership now sees as unsustainable.

According to available financial reports and IRS form 990s, which The Advocatereviewed, HRC’s total revenue in fiscal year 2024 was approximately $75 million, a decrease from the previous year’s $85 million. The organization’s total expenses for the year stood at nearly $89 million, exceeding its revenue and contributing to a net asset decline of over $12 million. As of March 31, 2024, the organization’s net assets totaled $45.7 million, down from $58 million in 2023. HRC’s combined revenue between its main organization and foundation remains over $70 million, according to the official, but leadership determined that current spending levels could not be maintained without restructuring.

The organization’s board has directed its president Kelley Robinson, who has led the organization since 2022, to ensure a balanced budget in response to the shifting financial and political landscape. “The board has charged Kelly with ensuring a balanced budget in the face of a new environment that requires a reset as we ready ourselves for the challenges ahead,” an official explained.

They added, “To avoid layoffs, we explored a range of cost-saving measures, from attrition to aggressively pushing revenue and evaluating program expenses, but ultimately, both strategic and budget reasons” led us to this restructuring.

While the decision is not tied to one factor, HRC officials acknowledged the increasingly hostile political climate as one reason for the shift. “Given the threats ahead of us, any LGBTQ organization or progressive organization that’s not seriously evaluating their strategies and structures is missing the reality of the threats in front of us,” one official said, citing the weaponization of state and federal governments against LGBTQ+ rights, as well as institutions making decisions out of fear that could impact HRC’s work.

In an interview with The Advocate, Robinson acknowledged the gravity of letting employees go but emphasized that HRC’s mission remains unwavering. “Our success has never been determined by the number of staff we have but by the impact that we make in the world,” she said. “We need to stay laser-focused on how we can create change.”

Robinson emphasized that the financial realities coincide with unprecedented challenges to LGBTQ+ rights nationwide. “If I look over the course of the last several years, I think that what we’ve seen is historic challenges to our progress: from 2022, where we saw that spike in anti-LGBTQ legislation, to 2023, when we declared the state of emergency, to this year and last year as we see challenges not only at the state level, challenging electoral outcomes and also historical softening in institutions out of fear from maintaining the progress that we’ve had on our issues,” Robinson told The Advocate. “So as we look at the environment, we realize that things were changing. And for me, I think that any responsible organization right now needs to be thinking about what changes have to be made to address the world as it is today.”

“We’re sharpening our focus…,” says Kelly Robinson

The restructuring will allow HRC to focus on areas where it believes it can have the most significant impact: schools, workplaces, policies, and politics. “We’re sharpening our focus on where we can make the most impact,” Robinson said. “This is about ensuring that we are agile and strategic in this moment.”

Robinson dismissed concerns that the layoffs could weaken HRC’s influence. 

“If it’s our opposition asking that question, I think they do that at their own peril,” she said. “The best thing about being a queer person is that we have a history and a legacy of confronting impossible challenges and coming out the other side.”

Despite the growing conservative backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, Robinson said HRC is committed to continuing to engage corporations. Recently, companies like Walmart, McDonald’s, Tractor Supply Co., and others have announced they will no longer report corporate information about their workplace culture to HRC. 

However, Robinson highlighted that HRC’s Corporate Equality Index saw participation from over 1,400 businesses last year. “We just had our Corporate Equality 100 awards in New York, where 600 corporate partners came together to celebrate getting a perfect score,” she said. “There’s still so much allyship and work to be done.”

HRC officials said schools and workplaces will be a primary area of emphasis, ensuring LGBTQ+ people have protections and resources in their daily lives. Policy and politics will also remain central, focusing on defending against harmful legislation while advancing state and federal protections. Additionally, HRC says it is committed to reshaping the national conversation around LGBTQ+ issues by countering anti-LGBTQ+ disinformation and amplifying voices that represent the realities of the community.

“We’re not just responding to threats—we’re transforming them into opportunities for lasting impact,” a senior official said. “This reset is really about strengthening our ability to win on these critical fights and keep our focus where we have the ability to make the most impact.”

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HRC has been a unionized workplace for over 25 years, with employees represented by the Service Employees International Union. The organization notified the union about the impending layoffs and will engage in discussions before finalizing the details.

“We’ve been a proud union shop, and we are providing this time for meaningful discussion with the union, which is a regular part of our process,” an official said.

HRC held an all-staff meeting Tuesday morning to notify employees of the change.

When asked about severance and transition assistance for affected employees, Robinson acknowledged the difficulty of the decision. 

“This is the hardest part,” Robinson said. “We have some of the most dedicated and tenacious staff I’ve had the opportunity to work with.” 

She emphasized that HRC is working closely with its union to ensure that affected employees are treated with dignity and respect. “We are in active conversations with our union to make sure that we are honoring those discussions,” she said.

Representatives for SEIU did not respond to The Advocate’s request for comment.

Despite the staffing reduction, HRC insists that its core mission remains unchanged. “We aren’t going anywhere,” a senior official said. “This is about responsible leadership and positioning ourselves to be in a place of strength for our people—not just today, but in the years ahead.”

HRC also affirmed that its major events, such as the National Dinner and regional fundraising galas, will continue. “Convening community is critical toward building power and strength,” the official said, adding that while there may be some shifts in programming, supporters should not expect a dimming of the lights.

What comes next for the Human Rights Campaign in this new political reality?

HRC leadership said the organization also plans to rethink how it communicates about LGBTQ+ issues, particularly in the face of mounting disinformation.

“We need to make sure that the American people understand that trans people aren’t a thought exercise—that we are in every zip code, every family, every race and region, and we are not going anywhere,” the official said. “But we also need to be strategic about how we amplify these voices in a way that shifts the national conversation.”

HRC is developing new storytelling initiatives to highlight the real-life impacts of anti-LGBTQ+ policies. The effort will include media training for advocates and elevating diverse voices like Daniel Trujillo, a Latino transgender 17-year-old advocate, Emily Shilling, a U.S. Navy commander who has spoken out against anti-trans military bans, and Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, who has provided moral clarity on LGBTQ+ rights from a religious vantage point—most notably when she confronted President Donald Trump about his anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-immigrant policies at the National Prayer Service following his January 20 inauguration. HRC will also engage with allied leaders like Stacey Abrams and partner organizations like the National Urban League.

As the LGBTQ+ community faces unprecedented political attacks, HRC says this restructuring is designed to ensure the organization remains a powerful and effective advocate for years to come.

Robinson, who is pregnant and expecting in the spring, also addressed her upcoming maternity leave, assuring that she has a strong leadership team in place to maintain the organization’s momentum. 

“A movement is bigger than any single person,” she said. “I am proud to have a great chief of staff, a great chief operating officer, and an incredible team here at the Human Rights Campaign that, even while I’m on maternity leave, will be helping to move things forward.”