THE CENTER ON COLFAX

"They jump in and they figure it out"

The Center on Colfax has been empowering, enriching and advancing the LGBTQ+ community in Denver and Colorado since 1977. The Center’s extensive range of programs include HIV/STI screenings; social support; peer support groups; a LGBTQ History Project; consulting services to advance inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility; programs for LGBTQ+ individuals with disabilities and older adults; a safe, brave space for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults; culturally responsive mental health services; legal resources; and a welcoming, affirming community for transgender and gender diverse individuals. Today, the dream of five like-minded pioneers in the 1970s has evolved into one of the oldest and largest LGBT centers in the U.S.

Victoria Long, Vice President for Finance & Administration, was introduced to YPTC during the pandemic when she attended a series of programs to help organizations apply for PPP loans. “I liked what I saw and how welcoming everybody was,” she recalls. Meanwhile, the Center was facing two significant needs. Few accounting firms in Denver were familiar with the software program they were using. And the Center was getting ready to host Denver PrideFest, a 2-1/2-day extravaganza that attracts 500,000 people, generates 60% of the Center’s annual revenue, and quadruples its accounting transactions.

Long was immediately impressed with how quickly YPTC was able to help. “They jump in and they figure it out,” she says. “They assimilate into your situation.” When the associates assigned to the Center couldn’t solve a problem, they found immediate solutions by asking within the YPTC network.

“The answers came back pretty quickly and that made my life easier. The depth of their experience and expertise across all accounting platforms was just amazing to me,” she recalls. YPTC helped migrate the Center’s accounting systems into new, easier software and trained staff on using it.

“I was drowning and I needed help. It’s turned out to be a really powerful relationship for the Center,” she adds. “They cross the t’s and dot the i’s. I have great confidence in what YPTC has done with our financials. They help us do what we need to do in our community. I’m grateful that we have a partner who helped us navigate the pandemic and come out pretty strong, and who still helps us do things right as we continue to grow and help as many people as we can to live their best lives.”