Change Champions

The GLBT Historical Society faced financial strain and limited growth, stalled at roughly $750,000 annually—insufficient for expanding archives, exhibitions, and the staffing needed to support its mission.

When Terry Beswick left Castro Country Club to lead the Museum & Archives as Executive Director, he brought us on to help recreate the same breakthrough success we had achieved as partners.

Vision 2020 kicked off raising $1.4M in its first year.

Building on the engagement model developed at Castro Country Club, we consistently launched community-centered events, programs, and merchandise designed to foster participation and long-term sustainability. This approach continues to guide the Museum & Archives’ current team as they move closer to securing a larger home for their ever-growing collection.

Through sustainable programming and consistent community engagement, we created momentum that kept audiences returning for new exhibitions and experiences.

Growth didn’t arrive by chance—it was anticipated, planned, and designed. The annual galas we organized, for instance, emerged as one of the Society’s top revenue-generating events, powered by consistent donor and patron engagement from pre-event outreach through post-event follow-up promoting the following year’s gala.

INSET: Launch of the Society’s new identity

Growth didn’t arrive by chance—it was anticipated, planned, and designed. By 2019, that momentum culminated in a refreshed public-facing identity, built to support long-term growth while honoring the Society’s mission.

The evolution was deliberate, and its impact continues to shape how the Society shows up today, sustaining annual revenues of approximately $1.5M since the PEPE Multimedia–Beswick era.