Years of advocacy and community organizing. And a rich history of LGBTQ+ services and programs.

Our Mission

Working independently and in collaboration, we facilitate connection, advocacy, education, research and programs to ensure LGBTQ+ people and communities thrive in Boulder County and beyond.

Our Vision

We envision a world where LGBTQ+ people and communities thrive in an inclusive, equitable, just and connected world.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

“For all of us, it starts with awareness. It may feel uncomfortable and scary to interrupt racism, in ourselves and in others, but we must do it in order to achieve our vision of an equitable society where all of our diversity is celebrated. We are continually learning how to be better advocates so that we can together build a more vibrant, just world.” - Out Boulder County In Solidarity With Black Lives Statement, June 9, 2020.

During 2020, Out Boulder County (OBC) leveraged an equity lens to examine how it supports its mission of serving diverse LGBTQ+ communities. In January, 2020, OBC received a generous grant from the Colorado Health Foundation for internal DEI work, including an assessment of those served by OBC, the Staff and Board of Directors, operational processes, and documentation systems. 

Actions and accountability are OBC’s core DEI values. In year I of our new DEI journey,  we established baselines for our diversity data and in year II OBC will set DEI goals with a focus on measuring and reporting our progress toward accomplishing those goals. Below we present our actions to date, and plans for the future to increase our diversity, equity and inclusion. 

The Diverse Communities We Serve

For the third year in a row, OBC delivered direct services to a larger number of diverse community members. In 2020, 25% of the individuals we reached through our programs identified as a race other than white; 46% identified as transgender; 80% identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or an orientation other than heterosexual.

Our Staff Reflects Our Diverse Community

Key to OBC’s achievement of our mission is a staff that reflects our diverse community. OBC’s growing staff of 10 is a diverse mix of people; all are LGBTQ+ and 5 are people of color. OBC is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Policies that support our inclusion goals include our Mission Statement and our Non-Discrimination Statement.

Accountability Rests with Our Board of Directors

The OBC Board of Directors is responsible for strategic direction and the financial health of the organization. In 2020, the Board focused on internal DEI activities utilizing  the Denver Foundation grant. In May, the Board distributed a Request for Proposals to perform several activities for the organization through an equity lens: a document and process review, bias prevention tools and techniques, an equity framework to be adopted throughout the organization, and an assessment of training needs.

After a nationwide search and selection process, OBC selected Point b(e), a firm known locally for their work with other non-profit organizations. Point b(e) deeply engaged with the organization through Board meetings, interviews, and committee meetings. Their recommendations reflected a professional assessment of the organization’s documents, communication processes and approaches, Board structure and committees, and general operating procedures. They shared tools, terms, and concepts that have brought greater inclusion skills and accountability to each member of the organization.

In September, Point b(e) skillfully delivered a powerful anti-bias training to the Board. The day-long session included important equity-building communication techniques such as bystander/upstander training, “stepping up vs stepping back,” “calling in vs calling out,” how to respond to a DEI-related incident as a leader, among others. Point b(e) then built similar skill capacity among staff in two subsequent training sessions. These skills have created an observable shift toward greater inclusion.

To ensure accountability, the Board then created a “DEI Implementation Coordinator” role to ensure the recommendations from Point b(e) would be woven into its operating procedures. Every committee of the Board has taken specific, measurable actions to ensure equity and inclusion. Below are listed some key activities. We share these in the hopes others will be inspired to bring these approaches to their own organization.

1. Based on Board priorities for 2020-2021, the OBC Board application was revised to reflect critical skills the Board needs. The Skills Matrix will assist us to build a diverse pipeline of prospective Board members. This guards against common biases that arise in the recruiting process, and the harmful and exclusionary practices that result if bias is not mitigated.

2. OBC has shifted to “community-based fundraising.” This approach enables Board members to participate in group-oriented fundraising events to achieve targets, regardless of their personal ability to give. Community-based fundraising is also more inclusive of the size and type of community donations. For example, in-kind donations are valued equally with financial donations.

3. Many Boards have a diversity committee and hold an annual diversity training. However, these efforts are often siloed and occasional, and thus less effective. OBC prefers an approach to DEI where 1) each member of the organization is held accountable, and 2) learning on DEI topics happens at every opportunity. For example, during its monthly meeting, the Board holds an “Inclusion Minute.” During this segment, a Board member is expected to present an article they read and its relevance to Board operations. These discussions will build over the months, making our annual fall training event in 2021 even more effective in advancing the organization’s DEI work. 

These changes have been codified in onboarding and operating documents so that those joining the organization will understand OBC’s values of DEI actions and accountability. Currently, our 11-member Board spans the range of sexual orientations, including heterosexual allies. Two members are trans and three are people of color. Board member ages range from the 30s to the 60s. Members reside throughout Boulder County and are employed in both the public and private sectors. Learn more about our Board on the website. And, please contact OBC if you are interested in joining the Board.

We appreciate the ongoing support as we continue this culture change process. Moving forward, we commit to providing updates on our efforts and progress to achieve our DEI goals. 

In 1994, several LGBTQ+ community organizations in the City of Boulder collaborated on a series of events to celebrate Gay Pride.

Our History

This collective was called Boulder Pride. As the LGBTQ+ community grew, so did the need for the organization to broaden its purpose. After becoming a state tax-exempt organization in 1998, Boulder Pride received a grant from the Gill Foundation to secure a community center and offer services to the LGBTQ+ community of Boulder County. The Community Center, now known as “Pridehouse,” opened its doors officially in 2004 and began offering programming to LGBTQ+ people in Boulder County.

Despite the year-round nature of Boulder Pride’s work, the organization remained too exclusively associated (in the public’s mind) with the annual Pridefest block party. Better publicity was called for and as a result, in September 2010, the organization changed its name to Out Boulder. The new name better reflected the broad range of events, programs, and services that the organization facilitates beyond the original Pridefest.

In April of 2016, Out Boulder changed it's name to Out Boulder County.

Through the consistent and dedicated efforts of board, staff and community, Out Boulder County has steadily grown being able to provide a broader array of services and programs to our community. With over 150 active, engaged volunteers, we are truly a community-driven organization. We look forward to working together with you!