May 06, 2005  |  By: STEVE KOVAL  | COMMENTS     

When the Human Rights Campaign claims to act on behalf of 650,000 members, the nation’s largest gay rights lobby is hoping people take notice. But the Washington, D.C. based group is probably hoping people don’t take notice of just how those “members” are counted.

Under the decade-long leadership of Elizabeth Birch, HRC’s membership numbers always climbed year-to-year.

Membership figures provided by HRC indicate rapid growth. In 1990, there were only 20,000 members; five years later there were 100,000.

By 2000, 20 years after being founded, HRC had 360,000 members. By 2003, the year Birch left, there were 500,000. Today, under new director Joe Solmonese, HRC claims 650,000 members.

In fact, those totals were guaranteed always to escalate impressively, and never to decline. That’s because HRC counts “members” in a way that will strike many as curious.

HRC membership numbers include the name of every person who has ever once given at least the minimum amount — currently $1 — and provided an address, said spokesperson Steven Fisher this week.

“The GLBT movement is unique. When we come out of the closet, we commit for life,” said Fisher, defending the membership count.

“We’re an advocacy organization and our intent is to be inclusive of everyone and never let our members go uncounted or be invisible,” he said.

HRC’s bylaws provide that “any revenue of $1 or more received by [HRC] from an individual or association, whether as a gift or payment for goods and services delivered by [HRC], shall constitute dues” for a member.

This means that someone who donated a dollar or made a small purchase from the HRC store years ago is considered from that time forward an HRC member, even in death unless HRC specifically learns of the person’s demise.

Over the last quarter century, HRC has confirmed the deaths of approximately 4,000 “members,” and the addresses for another 44,000 are no longer valid and are not included in the total membership figure. Otherwise, it takes a specific request to be deleted from HRC’s membership rolls.

HRC ‘active member’ total stays secret
Another class of HRC supporters, called “active members,” includes those who are current with an annual dues payment of just $5, even though the HRC Web site asks for a minimum payment of $35 to join the organization.

The number of “active members” is much smaller than the number of “members” since “active members” are required to pay dues annually and includes only those who currently have done so. Also, the purchase of an pin or T-shirt from HRC would not qualify a person as an “active member.”

HRC declined to provide any figures on “active members,” currently or historically.

“We do know the current number of ‘active members,’” said Fisher, “but we don’t publish it because our enemies would love to know.”

Fisher claimed the vast majority of the 650,000 members the Human Rights Campaign touts publicly have given $35 or more at some point to the organization.

“Approximately $25 million of HRC’s $30 million in [annual] revenue comes from individuals. More than half of the $25 million came from people who gave less than $1,000 each,” Fisher said. The HRC Web site does not explain how the organization counts its members.

Not a good practice?
HRC’s strategy for boosting its membership numbers raised eyebrows at an umbrella organization for nonprofits.

Lora Pollari-Welbes, director of membership retention and services for the National Council of Nonprofit Associations, said that counting as a current member anyone who has ever given money is not a common practice for nonprofits.

The NCNA, which is also based in Washington, counts 38 statewide nonprofit associations as its members, representing 22,000 nonprofits in total.

“Anecdotally, it doesn’t sound like a good practice, but there may be a reason,” Pollari–Welbes said after hearing about HRC’s method of calculating members.

Dues for membership organizations are usually paid for a year or two years, she said. A 30- to 90-day grace period after the fees become due is the norm, and during this time the individual can still be considered a member, said Pollari-Welbes.

Other gay groups don’t count lapsed members
Other gay rights organizations surveyed do not count members the same way as HRC.

The National Lesbian & Gay Task Force, the country’s other large national gay rights group, has approximately 20,000 members, said Robin Sklar, the organization’s communications director.

Membership in the Task Force is not indefinite; only active dues-paying members are included. A six-month grace period is provided before ...