2021
Annual Report

In the second year of the pandemic, GALA continued to adapt and find new ways to deliver value to members. Overall, the data and trends were positive.

406 Members

406

65% Language Services Company
18%
University
17% Client Organization

GALA Members worldwide

Hover over Touch the map to see where our members are located

Member Value

Whether supplying, buying, developing, or studying language services and technologies, GALA members look to the association for quality education, networking, and a sense of community. We deliver up-to-date content, premier networking events, and visibility opportunities on a global scale.

Member Retention Rate

Staying power: GALA reached record retention rates of 87% for industry and 90% for academic members.

Knowledge

106

articles and blog posts


400+

responses to GALA Pulse Surveys

At the beginning of 2020, GALA launched Pulse Surveys to help LSCs benchmark their performance and feel solidarity with peers during challenging and uncertain times. After two full years, we released a trend analysis on metrics of demand, revenues, human resources, and outlooks using the survey results. With market changes continuing, GALA will continue to track economic indicators to support members.


40%

growth in content readership compared to 2020


2,950

registrations for webinars led by industry experts


Webinar quality ratings

Content quality is better than ever, with 96% satifaction overall


Global talent networking sessions

GALA’s newly launched Global Talent Networking Events provide student members with an opportunity to connect with students at other universities while learning from industry professionals. From speed mentoring to industry Q&A panels, attendees had direct access to professionals while building their professional network.

Networking

Hover over the chairs Touch the chairs to see the networking statistics.

2

conferences

384

conference attendees

167

unique orgs attended conferences

46

unique countries attended conferences

13

Networking sessions

95%

conference satisafction for 2021

32

SIG meetings

1,128

SIG registrants

Influence

GALA is a community and a platform where people learn, share, and inspire one another. We are independent, not-for-profit, and global, making us a trustworthy source of information and an excellent vehicle for visibility.

In 2021, GALA’s reach continued to grow and we added more industry visibility opportunities.

Governance

In 2021 the GALA board conducted a governance audit and determined that the association and its members would be better served through the creation and operation of board subcommittees (Executive Committees) and member-driven committees focused on specific areas of need (Operational Committees).

We convened a Governance Committee and a Finance Committee, and in late 2021, launched a Standards Committee, Member Programs Committee, and MarCom Committee. The latter three committees are comprised of members and will focus on driving activities and engagement in those topic areas.

Now more than ever, cybersecurity is a critical issue impacting governance and operations. In 2021 we conducted a cybersecurity audit that included addressing vulnerabilities identified by our cybersecurity insurer, a thorough review of our privacy policy and data management practices, and additional staff training on cybersecurity best practices.

Financials

Hover over Touch the charts to see financial details

Income

Expenses

As we did in 2020, we again leveraged assistance from the US Small Business Administration and obtained a Payroll Protection Program loan that was 100% forgiven. We still have proceeds from an Economic Impact Disaster Loan which will require repayment beginning late 2022. Pending results from the annual conference, we hope to pay off that loan in full before the end of the year.

In March 2022, we learned that GALA qualified for an Employee Retention Tax Credit of $109,000 which is not reflected in the revenues chart, above. We will file an amended tax return and, once funds are received, revise our 2021 financial statements to reflect this additional income.

Despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic, GALA has weathered the storm well. We wisely leveraged government assistance and with cautious stewardship, steered GALA through the loss of GALA’s annual conference, a key revenue generator. We have nearly rebuilt our reserves to pre-pandemic levels, are quite stable, and have optimism about GALA’s future.