{{ context.variables.year }} Black Tie Dinner Beneficiaries

Each year, the Black Tie Dinner Board of Directors selects up to twenty North Texas beneficiaries and one National beneficiary, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, to receive proceeds from that year's dinner. To date, Black Tie Dinner has distributed over $26 million for our beneficiaries.

Beneficiary Distribution

The Black Tie Dinner is a celebration of and for those who do so much for the North Texas LGBTQ community. Each year a portion of the net proceeds of Black Tie Dinner are distributed among the local beneficiaries and the other half to our national beneficiary, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. There are two primary factors that define the distribution variance to local beneficiaries are affiliations.

Local Beneficiaries are required to fill a minimum number of tables at the Dinner. This is tracked through Table Affiliations. A single table may be affiliated with up to two local Beneficiaries. In the case of tables affiliated by a sponsor, a portion of that sponsor's net cash contribution is applied directly to the affiliated beneficiaries during the distribution calculation.

Local Beneficiaries are required to sell a minimum number of raffle tickets during the course of the year. This is tracked through Raffle Affiliations. Once a Beneficiary's requirement has been met, a portion of the funds from any additional affiliated tickets is applied directly to that Beneficiary during the distribution calculation.

Local Beneficiaries are required to procure a minimum value of items for the Black Tie Dinner Silent Auction during the course of the year. Once a Beneficiary's requirement has been met, a portion of the proceeds received from any additional donated items is applied directly to that Beneficiary during the distribution calculation.

Beneficiary Qualifications

Each year, Black Tie Dinner announces a call for applications, encouraging eligible organizations to apply. Up to twenty local beneficiaries may be selected to receive proceeds from that year's dinner. Simply meeting criteria for eligibility, however, does not guarantee that an organization will be selected. Applicants are evaluated through a structured selection process.

In a review process, the Black Tie Dinner Board of Directors rates each applicant on financial soundness and organizational health and stability as well as service to the North Texas LGBTQ community, including the quality and impact of its programs, services, and activities. In addition, the board considers the applicant’s ability to meet the requirements of Black Tie Dinner participation and, for past beneficiaries, how well they had previously met expectations.

  • Eligibility Criteria
  • General Requirements
  • Full and First-Year Beneficiary Requirements
  • The applicant must have current federal tax-exempt status as determined by the IRS
  • The applicant must provide significant service to the North Texas LGBTQ community
  • The applicant must use a majority of its funds for direct programs, services, or activities

In order to maintain beneficiary status, each beneficiary must meet the following requirements:

  1. Support and promote Black Tie Dinner in the public arena whenever possible
  2. Assign a Black Tie Dinner liaison within the organization
  3. Attend certain Black Tie Dinner events throughout the year (see timeline for dates):
    • Beneficiary Orientation Meeting 
    • Black Tie Dinner Weekend
    • Black Tie Dinner Wrap Party, where beneficiaries receive their distribution 

Beginning in 1982, the Black Tie Dinner beneficiaries were largely focused on the health care issues relating to the AIDS crisis, and discrimination of the LGBTQ community. 39 years later, there is much work still to be done, and many smaller segments of the LGBTQ community that need the support of Black Tie Dinner, not just financially, but to also help shine our light on their vision.

Beginning in 2017, Black Tie Dinner offered a “First-Year Beneficiary” program that allows new organizations to participate in the Black Tie Dinner with fewer requirements in their first year (i.e., fewer tables, raffle tickets, auction items to contribute, and volunteer hours). In accordance with these decreased requirements, the organization’s share of the financial distribution will be proportionally less.

*Beneficiaries applying for the first time can apply as a Full Beneficiary if they are able to meet all requirements.

Full Beneficiary Requirements

  1. Have a minimum of 4 Black Tie Dinner tables sold and affiliated to the organization
  2. Place a 2/3rd page 4-color ad in our Dinner Journal at the retail price of $800
  3. Purchase a Black Tie Dinner raffle pop-up banner for exclusive use by the beneficiary at the prevailing retail price 
  4. Sell a minimum of 25 Black Tie Dinner raffle tickets at a cost of $100 each 
  5. Provide a minimum of 50 volunteer hours 
  6. Provide Silent Auction items worth a minimum retail value of $2,000

First-Year Beneficiary

  1. Have a minimum of 2 Black Tie Dinner tables sold and affiliated to the organization
  2. Place a 1/2 page 4-color ad in our Dinner Journal at the retail price of $400
  3. Purchase a Black Tie Dinner raffle pop-up banner for exclusive use by the beneficiary at the prevailing retail price
  4. Sell a minimum of 15 Black Tie Dinner raffle tickets at a cost of $100 each 
  5. Provide a minimum of 25 volunteer hours 
  6. Provide Silent Auction items worth a minimum retail value of $1,000

Additional Requirements
  1. Each First-Year Beneficiary must designate a representative who will attend a beneficiary orientation meeting with the Community Relations Committee following selection.
  2. Each First-Year Beneficiary is required to have its designated representative participate in a bimonthly conference call. In months without a conference call, the designated representative will be required to have a face-to-face meeting with a member of the Community Relations Committee. These requirements will permit the Community Relations Committee to assess and assist the First-Year Beneficiary as needed.
  3. First-Year Beneficiaries are requested to attend a minimum of one site visit, with one or more Black Tie Dinner Board members, to another Black Tie Dinner beneficiary. This request is to help build community among the beneficiaries.