Scoop: Sponsors drop out of Columbus Pride
As Stonewall Columbus prepares for its annual Pride March, Festival and Resource Fair, some businesses will be missing from its sponsor list — including Anheuser-Busch, a longtime partner dating back to the 1980s.
Why it matters: Once-proud corporate America is pivoting. The impacts of diversity, equity and inclusion rollbacks nationwide are being felt locally, involving businesses big and small.
By the numbers: The Columbus sponsor losses total over $100,000, or about a fifth of the budget needed to put on next month's Pride events, executive director Densil R. Porteous tells Axios.
A $276,000 grant from the Franklin County Commission awarded in February will fill the gap.
The latest: An official 2025 sponsor list will likely be posted on Stonewall's website within the next week.
Porteous confirmed Anheuser-Busch, Nissan, Lowe's and Walmart— all of which supported Pride events in 2024 — are not sponsors this year.
Organizers were optimistic earlier in 2025 that companies would continue their support.
Some smaller businesses are also withdrawing due to the political climate, Porteous says.
Between the lines: Anheuser-Busch and the others have publicly scaled back their DEI commitments in the past year amid pressure from the federal government.
What they're saying: Porteous called Anheuser-Busch's departure "a little bit heartbreaking."
But he noted that corporate moves don't necessarily reflect how a company's local employees feel about the LGBTQ+ community — and associates of any company are still welcome at Pride, representing themselves.
Anheuser-Busch did not return an email from Axios seeking comment.
The big picture: Stonewall Columbus is a year-round community center that relies on partners for support beyond just one-time parade advertisers, and many are sticking around.
What we're watching: Organizers still expect 700,000 people to attend festivities over the June 13-14 weekend, themed "United in Power."
The current climate — including anti-LGBTQ+ policies at the state and federal level — is a reminder of why Pride events originally started after the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, Porteous says.
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