The nonprofit behind a national legal push to remove religious exemptions protecting Christian colleges under Title IX has announced it is shutting down amid major internal challenges.

According to The Christian Post, the Religious Exemption Accountability Project (REAP), which represented LGBTQ students seeking to challenge U.S. policy on religious freedom in higher education, will dissolve following financial and operational difficulties compounded by court defeats.

REAP disclosed the decision in an email issued by its board of directors on Sunday. The group cited a significant internal matter that disrupted its ability to function and maintain financial health. The organization will remain incorporated for a limited time to finalize closing procedures and preserve its archive.

Group Formed to Fight Title IX Religious Waivers

Beginning as a campaign for legal advocacy and storytelling, REAP was founded by LGBTQ-identifying students and alumni from Christian campuses. The group eventually grew into a national organization advocating for the rights of LGBTQIA+ students attending religious academic institutions receiving federal aid.

In 2021, REAP filed a lawsuit on behalf of more than 30 LGBTQ students and alumni from over 20 faith-based institutions. Their target was the U.S. Department of Education and the longstanding policy of granting religious colleges exemptions under Title IX, the federal civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs.

One plaintiff, Elizabeth Hunter, shared that she encountered harassment at Bob Jones University in South Carolina due to her sexual orientation. She criticized the campus environment and called the anti-LGBTQ policies outlined in the school’s handbook harsh and frightening.

Council Defends Religious Colleges in Court

Colleges named in REAP’s lawsuit included prominent conservative institutions such as Baylor University, Union University, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Azusa Pacific University. These colleges maintain behavior codes based on religious teachings, including policies banning same-sex relationships.

The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities intervened in the case, defending the religious liberty of member institutions. The council argued that eliminating Title IX religious exemptions would strip faith-based schools of their identity by preventing them from upholding their spiritual doctrines.

“Religious colleges rely on these exemptions to maintain faith-based policies, which students knowingly accept upon enrollment,” CCCU said in a public statement. The group warned that losing these exemptions would pose an existential threat to religious higher education institutions.

Federal Courts Uphold Religious Exemptions

In January 2023, a federal district court ruled against REAP. U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken found that REAP’s legal argument lacked evidence showing Congress had discriminatory intent when it enacted the religious exemption within Title IX in 1972.

Judge Aiken explained that issues relating to sexual and gender minorities were not under congressional consideration when the law was passed. She concluded that the plaintiffs had not provided sufficient evidence for the court to challenge Congress’s legislative intent regarding religious protections.

The legal defeat was reaffirmed in August 2024, when a panel from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the exemption on constitutional grounds. Circuit Judge Milan D. Smith Jr. wrote that the exemption was consistent with the Establishment Clause because it ensures that religious schools are not compelled to act contrary to their spiritual beliefs.

Group Responded With Pledge to Persist

In their response to the 2024 appellate ruling, REAP acknowledged the outcome was disappointing but maintained a firm resolve to continue advocating for LGBTQIA+ students. The organization emphasized that legal setbacks would not deter its mission of exposing harm and calling for systemic change at religious institutions.

“We cannot simply rely on the courts,” REAP stated, urging supporters to keep using multiple strategies in their fight for inclusive campuses. The group emphasized the importance of advocacy and collective organizing in the face of continued legal barriers.

However, less than a year after issuing this statement, REAP decided to close. Alongside the legal challenges, the group admitted to an internal disruption that seriously affected its finances and operations, making future work impossible.

End of an Effort but Not the Cause

Though the legal defeats played a role in REAP’s closure, the organization did not cite them as the main cause. Instead, the decision to dissolve stemmed from internal circumstances, the full details of which remain unreleased.

“While we cannot share all details publicly, we are deeply grateful to the founders, students, alumni, volunteers, donors, and community who believed in this work from day one,” the board said in its farewell message. The group plans to finalize logistics and safeguard important records before ceasing operations completely.

REAP’s closure marks the end of a high-profile legal crusade that drew both national support and opposition. While its efforts to overturn federal protections for religious institutions failed in court, the group elevated the stories and experiences of marginalized students navigating religious campus life.