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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
2025 Pride celebrations go ahead despite corporate exodus
The architects of Pride celebrations across the United States met six-figure challenges this year, owing to a corporate exodus in the spring that diminished their sponsorship funds, which they said would jeopardize future programming. Organizers are contending with serious budget shortfalls as Pride Month begins, and several reported 20% to 30% less corporate support than in past years. The show will go on this summer, they said, but what happens next is less certain. "We're going to make it to the event," said Suzanne Ford, the executive director of San Francisco Pride, who told CBS News five corporate sponsors cut ties with the organization over the course of one overwhelming week in March and several others reduced their funding. "The real question now is, what kind of shape are we going to be in on the other side of Pride? Are we going to be able to keep the doors open?" Corporate partners that backed out of San Francisco Pride this year were historically among its largest and most reliable donors, including Nissan Comcast/Xfinity and Bud Light's parent company, Anheuser-Busch. Along with Target, Bud Light has faced public backlash and boycotts over its Pride advertising in recent years. "That hurt us greatly," Ford said of losing Anheuser-Busch, previously "one of the very largest" sponsors of San Francisco Pride. "Comcast and Nissan have been significant and have been longtime partners. They've been with us for a long time, so it was money that we've counted on." Their retreats meant San Francisco Pride was operating at a loss of about $300,000, which Ford hopes will shrink to about $200,000 once increased donations are factored in from other sponsors, who raised their pledges to narrow the gaps left by the bigger brands. Two large corporate partners, Benefit Cosmetics and La Crema, initially dropped their sponsorship contracts but have since returned as partners, Ford said. Several brands that stepped back from Pride partnerships in San Francisco have done the same in other cities. Anheuser-Busch, known for decades as a supporter of the LGBTQ community, also declined to sponsor the 2025 Pride Festival in its hometown of St. Louis, according to that event's organizers. The company had been one of their leading sponsors for the last 30 years, the organizer's said. Pride Month was originally conceived as a way to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots, which are credited with kick-starting the modern gay rights movement, and it has evolved since then into a multifaceted celebration of the LGBTQ community. Local Pride plans typically involve multiday event rosters with at least one march, parade or festival, which are intermittently known to draw a million or more attendees. Celebrations around Pride grew tremendously over the last decade or so, organizers say, in large part because of an influx of corporate sponsorships cropping up after the U.S. legalized marriage equality in 2015. The upward trend in brand support was so steep for a period of time that some sponsors were accused of exploiting LGBTQ issues for the purpose of turning a profit. That trend looked very different this year, as corporate sponsors around the country either withdrew their support for Pride festivities or significantly scaled it back. Many attributed their decisions to financial strain or internal transitions, according to statements from several companies and organizers who recalled their conversations to CBS News. "Nissan is currently reviewing all marketing and sales spending — including select consumer auto shows, sports properties and other entertainment activations — to maximize both efficiency and breakthrough effectiveness," a Nissan spokesperson said of the brand breaking partnerships with Pride organizers in San Francisco as well as New York City. But organizers and supporters see a pattern in the sponsorship cancellations, which some consider implicit byproducts of the Trump administration's anti-DEI policies and ongoing attacks on transgender Americans. Ron de Harte, the co-president of the Board of Directors at USA Prides, a national network of Pride organizations, said the decline in national brand sponsorships for Pride events is widespread this year. "This is happening with festival and event sponsorships across the board," said de Harte in a statement. "Of course, bad economic times are coupled with the current administration's unfriendly actions toward the LGBTQ communities, so some markets have sponsors who have moved on." As the Capital Pride Alliance organized WorldPride this year in Washington, D.C., it grappled with a litany of complications leading up to this weekend's international gathering. After President Trump took over the Kennedy Center, multiple WorldPride events were either canceled or relocated under new leadership. In addition, the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, a major federal contractor, backed out of its 2025 WorldPride contract in a move that critics thought bent to government pressure. A spokesperson for Capital Pride Alliance said Booz Allen was the only WorldPride sponsor that canceled a finalized contract, but others dropped out in various stages of the sponsorship process, including Comcast/Xfinity, Deloitte and Visa. The spokesperson said some brands became "silent partners," which means they donate in the background but avoid the publicity that can come with outright sponsorship. Matt Cheng, the director of corporate sponsorships at Heritage of Pride, the nonprofit that produces New York City Pride events, told CBS News that its corporate partners gave various explanations for decreasing or eliminating support. Economic weariness was among them, he said, along with fear of retaliation. "One of the big ones is the tariffs and economy. A lot of budgets have gotten slashed from a DEI and marketing perspective," he said. "But then the other one is fear of backlash from the federal government." Heritage of Pride lost roughly one-quarter of its sponsorship dollars, or about $750,000, in the last few months. Large companies like Deutsche Bank ramped up their earlier donations to organizations because of the shortfall, and a poll of about 100 individual donors recently gave $10,000 or so, Cheng said. He hoped New York City Pride fundraisers would bring them closer to zero losses. "In addition to reviewing our budget lines to make sure we can afford to put on Pride the way that it typically is put on, our other concern is our year-round programming," he said. More immediately, a 25% budget gap would likely require Heritage of Pride to cut their only two grant programs, both of which support at-risk communities, Cheng added. Like San Francisco, St. Louis and WorldPride in D.C., New York City Pride also lost large sponsors. Nissan and PepsiCo both pulled support from Heritage of Pride after previously being top donors, according to public partnership information released last year and Kevin Kilbride, the media and marketing manager at the nonprofit. Other sponsors have reduced their funding but are still planning to march in the upcoming Manhattan parade, Kilbride said. Target has remained a silent partner of New York City Pride. Kilbride said Target continues to be "a valued partner" and its sponsorship this year was "at a level consistent with years' past." "We are absolutely dedicated to fostering inclusivity for everyone — our team members, our guests, our supply partners, and the more than 2,000 communities we're proud to serve," a Target spokesperson said in a statement. "As we have for many years, we will continue to mark Pride Month by offering an assortment of celebratory products, hosting internal programming to support our incredible team and sponsoring local events in neighborhoods across the country." CBS News contacted Anheuser-Busch, Booz Allen Hamilton, Comcast, Deloitte and PepsiCo but did not receive replies. Musk alleges Trump's name appeared in Epstein files as feud escalates What to know about President Trump's travel ban on nationals from 12 countries Trump says he's disappointed by Musk criticism of budget bill, Musk says he got Trump elected
Malay Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
‘Pinkwashing' no longer in style in Trump's America
WASHINGTON, June 4 — The organizer of this year's San Francisco Pride didn't expect rejection when she contacted sponsors, but amid US President Donald Trump's anti-diversity offensive, several longtime backers have withdrawn their support. 'It was quite frightening,' said Suzanne Ford, executive director of the California-based group which is among America's most influential gay rights organizations. 'In about a week and a half period, several corporations came back and said 'We're not sponsoring this year,'' she told AFP. In total, Ford's group faced a US$300,000 budget hole, with longstanding partnerships suddenly unwilling to fill it ahead of the late June festivities. 'It's disheartening,' Ford said. One of Pride's major partners, the brewer Anheuser-Busch, has withdrawn, according to the organization. The brewing company did not respond to requests from AFP. The lack of sponsorships is 'newsworthy for sure,' noted Eve Keller, co-president of the USA Prides network of nearly 200 march organizations nationwide. Several US companies have opted to stop financially supporting organized events, especially those in June, designated as LGBTQ Pride Month. Pride organizations are reluctant to call them out, however, for fear of cutting ties. 'Some are still talking with us,' Ford said. 'We hope they return.' In some cities where 2025 Pride marches have already occurred, groups proceeded with 'tighter' budgets, according to Keller. 'They just didn't have headliners (or) could not hire the biggest, best band,' she added, although for her, the main focus in 2025 was to ensure the safety of participants. 'Between the lines' In San Francisco, the companies all pointed to 'budgetary reasons' for scaling back their contributions, said Ford. But 'I think you could read between the lines,' she added. 'No one wanted to be on record saying anything, you know, that would hurt them with the administration or with people that support the administration.' Since returning to the White House in January, Republican billionaire Trump has led a crusade against programs promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Companies that implement such policies are threatened with prosecution, and several major brands, including Meta, Target and McDonald's, have either abolished their DEI programs or drastically reduced them. The so-called 'anti-woke' pressure campaign comes as US capital Washington hosts WorldPride, a global event for LGBTQ rights, culminating in a major parade this weekend. June Crenshaw, one of the rally's organizers, estimates she suffered 'about a 20, 25 percent reduction' in business partnership and support. 'So we've had to look at other ways in which to finance programming, etc, really leaning on the community and individual donations,' she said. WorldPride organizers also decided to turn away from their 'long and strong partnership' with the Kennedy Center after President Trump seized the reins of Washington's renowned cultural institution, Crenshaw added. 'Pinkwashing' According to Bob Witeck, a communications consultant on LGBTQ topics for major brands, companies fear that taking part in these events could expose them to 'visible risk' during a sensitive political period and 'put themselves in harm's way needlessly.' But several firms 'are still engaged,' he stressed, including 'through the nonprofits they serve.' San Francisco's Ford noted that 'pinkwashing' – the practice of superficially promoting LGBTQ rights – is no longer fashionable. By contrast, companies are contacting her offering support 'but not wanting any credit,' Ford said. They 'just want to do the right thing.' — AFP
Axios
13-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
SF Pride caught in fallout of anti-DEI backlash
As part of diversity, equity and inclusion walk-backs, many companies are no longer participating in "external events" or pledges, namely Pride parades that will take place across the country in June. Why it matters: This is a major pivot for the once proud corporate America. State of play: Suzanne Ford, executive director of San Francisco Pride, said in March that several longtime corporate sponsors have pulled out of sponsoring this year's event. They include Anheuser-Busch, Comcast and Diageo, amounting to a loss of $300,000 for a $3.2 million event that relies on corporate sponsorships for $2.3 million. Zoom out: Mastercard, Citi, Pepsi, Nissan and PwC similarly withdrew sponsorship of NYC Pride, while Booz Allen Hamilton and Deloitte pulled out of WorldPride Washington, D.C. By the numbers: 39% of corporations are scaling back external Pride Month engagements this year, according to Gravity Research data. This is a sharp increase from last year, when only 9% said they were changing their external Pride engagement. 57% of c ompanies for engaging around LGBTQ+ issues has increased 42% since this time last year, per Gravity Research's estigations. Friction point: The risk for engaging around LGBTQ+ issues has increased 42% since this time last year, per GravityResearch's insights. Roughly 6 in 10 companies cite the Trump administration as the top reason for this change, while conservative activists and conservative policy makers come in second and third. As a result, companies with government contracts are more likely to retreat, says Fabrice Houdart, founder and executive director of the Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors. That's especially true for those in the financial industry, consulting, manufacturing or other "heavy industries that don't really have that pressure to talk to the LGBTQ+ consumer," Houdart said. "You see it with companies like Deloitte, or companies like Goldman Sachs, which are kind of leaving the LGBTQ+ agenda behind." Yes, but: Ford told NPR that individual donations have gone up since the loss of corporate sponsors was announced. What's next: SF Pride is still forging ahead and plans to take over the streets during the last weekend of June.
Business Mayor
28-04-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Corporate sponsors are backing away from LGBTQ+ Pride organizations
Revelers attend the annual LGBTQ+ Capital Pride parade in Washington D.C., U.S., June 8, 2024. Leah Millis | Reuters Companies that were once loud and proud in supporting LGBTQ+ community celebrations are pulling back. LGBTQ+ Pride festivals across the country have faced significant sponsorship challenges this year, with some losing corporate partners that collectively provided six-figure donations. As a result, organizations say they've had to modify their programming, pivot to other funding sources and reconsider their dependencies on corporate dollars. Many companies have cited economic concerns as their impetus to delay or exit partnerships with Pride groups. But LGBTQ+ group leaders also noted an increasingly hostile climate for diversity, equity and inclusion efforts that has prompted some businesses to rethink their support. In turn, Pride organizations are seeking clarity on how much their values still align with those of their corporate contributors. 'For this many companies to be dropping off, I think, points to that we're in a different political environment than we have been maybe in a long, long time,' San Francisco Pride executive director Suzanne Ford told CNBC. Financial challenges Many LGBTQ+ groups consider certain corporations to be longtime partners, but organizers said they often ink one-year deals that are negotiated in the months before the annual Pride celebrations. That leaves them vulnerable if once-reliable companies decide to withhold their dollars, and several organizations said they are facing sponsorship deficits that weigh on budgets and plans for festivals in the summer. Among the largest shortfalls, Seattle Pride and New York City Pride say they have to make up for $350,000 deficits, and San Francisco Pride and Minnesota's Twin Cities Pride say they are each facing a $200,000 cut. Some festivals have named which previous sponsors aren't returning, while others said they are keeping that information private to avoid burning bridges. San Francisco Pride's Ford said Anheuser-Busch , Comcast , Diageo and Nissan have told the organization that they are not sponsoring the festival this year. All were previously longtime partners, Ford said. The companies gave a variety of reasons for the change. A Comcast representative said the company is participating in other Pride events in San Francisco and is supporting Pride parades in California in Oakland, Sacramento and Silicon Valley. A Diageo representative said the company will appear at Pride events across the country through its Smirnoff brand this year. A Nissan spokesperson said in a statement that the automaker will not sponsor any Pride festivals this year as it reviews all marketing and sales spending. Anheuser-Busch didn't respond to a request for comment. Washington, D.C.-based Capital Pride Alliance, which is organizing the biannual, global WorldPride celebration this year, said Comcast and Deloitte had regularly supported the group's Pride festival but declined to do so this year, while Booz Allen Hamilton initially committed to sponsoring the event before later withdrawing. A Booz Allen Hamilton spokesperson said in a statement that the defense giant's sponsorship decisions do not reflect a pullback in support for employees. Ryan Bos, Capital Pride Alliance's executive director, said economic uncertainty, safety and security issues, and fear of losing federal funding have all discouraged companies from returning as sponsors. He highlighted President Donald Trump's executive order ordering government agencies to investigate and sue companies supporting DEI. 'The sad thing is corporations have long been the first to step into our corner,' Bos said, citing companies' support of domestic partner benefits and LGBTQ+ employment programs. 'The fact that some are questioning their commitment now during this uncertain time is very disheartening, hurtful and frustrating for many.' Parade participants are seen marching during the 2024 Kentuckiana Pride Parade on June 15, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. Stephen J. Cohen | Getty Images Ford said the White House's anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and executive orders targeting transgender people have impacted corporate America. 'We've all seen the culture wars playing out as far as how corporations respond, and I think this is part and parcel of that movement,' she said. The White House didn't respond to a CNBC request for comment. Even corporations that are sticking with Pride festivals have reduced their support. Denver Pride's returning sponsors have pared down their contributions by 62% on average, according to Natalie Zanoni, interim CEO of LGBTQ+ organization The Center on Colfax. The center organizes the Denver Pride celebration, which faces a total deficit of $230,000. Festivals are also still in wait-and-see mode. St. Pete Pride president Byron Green-Calisch said several sponsors had asked the Tampa Bay, Florida-area organization if they could discuss sponsorships closer to April rather than the usual period beginning in January. As of late March, St. Pete Pride said it had achieved 55% of its fundraising goal, compared with the usual 80% to 90% at this time of year. Seattle Pride executive director Patti Hearn said the group expects about $400,000 in sponsorships this year, compared with its total budget of $1.5 million. While she said the organization will be able to pull off its planned events this year, it would need to change its programming in the future if its $350,000 deficit became permanent. Corporate sponsors are responsible for 75% of Twin Cities Pride's budget, executive director Andi Otto told CNBC. As a result of sponsorship losses, the Minnesota organization had to cut a performance stage for the upcoming festival and will have to reduce its year-round programming, Otto said. Not all businesses are taking a step back from festival sponsorships. Several groups said Delta Air Lines , among others, remains a strong supporter of their events. Others said small businesses have been steadfast. Read More McDonald's is about to report earnings. Here's what to expect Reevaluating partnerships Pride organizations are also reexamining their relationships with sponsors that have rolled back DEI policies or visible support for their communities, further complicating their financial outlook. Seattle Pride hasn't engaged with previous sponsor Boeing this year, Hearn said, because she had a sense that the aerospace giant didn't align with the organization's values and would decline to return as a festival partner. Boeing reportedly shut down its DEI team in November, according to Bloomberg. The company didn't respond to a CNBC request for comment. Cincinnati Pride development director Jake Hitch said the Ohio group has rejected sponsorships from previous partners this year based on their nondiscrimination policies, involvement in the LGBTQ+ community and support for employees. 'With everything happening politically and in 2025 that is consistently coming against our community, we thought, what better time to really reset our expectations and align with our community on what they want to see?' Hitch said. Twin Cities Pride dropped Target , which had sponsored its festival for over 15 years, after looking into the retailer's DEI policy changes announced in late January. Changes to its supplier diversity commitment, community representation principles and participation in external DEI surveys concerned Otto enough for him to refuse the $50,000 sponsorship offer, he said. 'It did not feel right for my community to accept that money,' Otto said. Target didn't respond to a CNBC request for comment. Pride Month merchandise is displayed at a Target store on May 31, 2023 in San Francisco, California. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images San Francisco Pride's Ford said the group no longer has a relationship with previous sponsor Meta , in part due to its changes to fact-checking policy but also because Meta staffers who had previously worked with SF Pride had left the company in the past couple of years. A Meta spokesperson said in a statement that since 2024, the company has allowed local employee resource groups to make their own decisions on Pride sponsorships. Some organizations have maintained productive relationships with corporations that have modified their DEI efforts, although understanding the policy changes can present its own challenge. Dave Wait, chairperson of Detroit's Motor City Pride, said some community members were spreading misinformation on social media about a sponsor shutting down its LGBTQ+ health care services, and that Motor City Pride had to clear it up with the company before signing the sponsorship deal for this year. Twin Cities Pride's Otto said although festival sponsor 3M has removed several DEI-related pages from its website, the industrial giant explained to the organization that it was only changing the language, not the substance of its DEI policies. 3M did not respond to a CNBC request for comment. Lowe's had sponsored Charlotte Pride's festival and parade in North Carolina for nine years, but in August the home retailer ended its support for parades amid other DEI policy reversals. Lowe's has pivoted to funding the LGBTQ+ group's job fair and scholarship and internship programs, Charlotte Pride managing director Meredith Thompson told CNBC. Some community members spoke out against the decision to continue working with Lowe's, Thompson said, but she didn't hesitate to do so because of their previous relationship. 'My attitude is, we need our corporate sponsors and we meet them where they are,' Thompson said. Lowe's did not respond to a CNBC request for comment. Some national corporations that have curtailed DEI efforts are still showing up as sponsors through local affiliates and operators. McDonald's , which retired numerous diversity goals in January, has regional operators sponsoring WorldPride and Charlotte Pride. And although Anheuser-Busch is not sponsoring San Francisco Pride or Pride St. Louis this year, Bud Light distributor Adams Beverages is returning as a sponsor for Charlotte Pride. Diversifying funding While LGBTQ+ organizations have long debated the role that corporations should play in Pride celebrations, this year has amplified the idea that Pride groups should rely less on businesses. Several groups have turned to grassroots campaigns. Twin Cities Pride started a crowdfunding effort to help compensate for dropping Target, and it eventually raised over $110,000. Stonewall Columbus has received $8,500 in donations, Cincinnati Pride has netted over $43,000 and San Francisco Pride has fundraised $35,000, all through crowdfunding. Green-Calisch of St. Pete Pride said the group will focus more on community donations moving forward and will also increase its year-round presence so that donors understand the work that the organization does beyond Pride Month. 'We are the people. This is about people power and being able to use your dollar to advocate,' Green-Calisch said. Local governments have also grown more involved in some festivals. Stonewall Columbus executive director Densil Porteous said the Ohio-based group has received increased support from Franklin County, Columbus' home county, to help make up for the organization's $96,000 sponsorship deficit. Pride Northwest executive director Debra Porta said the group is 'very intentional' about not overly depending on corporate sponsors for Portland Pride, with its top sponsorship level totaling just $15,000. Other festivals offer sponsorship packages with costs that stretch well beyond $100,000. Pride groups say that above all they're focused on their communities, not sponsors. Although some festivals have ticketed programs or charge for entry, many organizations stress the importance of making Pride as accessible as possible. 'We never want to put the burden back on our community, because this is supposed to be their celebration,' Twin Cities Pride's Otto said. Disclosure: Comcast owns NBCUniversal, the parent company of CNBC.
CNBC
27-04-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Corporate sponsors are backing away from LGBTQ+ Pride organizations
Companies that were once loud and proud in supporting LGBTQ+ community celebrations are pulling back. LGBTQ+ Pride festivals across the country have faced significant sponsorship challenges this year, with some losing corporate partners that collectively provided six-figure donations. As a result, organizations say they've had to modify their programming, pivot to other funding sources and reconsider their dependencies on corporate dollars. Many companies have cited economic concerns as their impetus to delay or exit partnerships with Pride groups. But LGBTQ+ group leaders also noted an increasingly hostile climate for diversity, equity and inclusion efforts that has prompted some businesses to rethink their support. In turn, Pride organizations are seeking clarity on how much their values still align with those of their corporate contributors. "For this many companies to be dropping off, I think, points to that we're in a different political environment than we have been maybe in a long, long time," San Francisco Pride executive director Suzanne Ford told CNBC. Many LGBTQ+ groups consider certain corporations to be longtime partners, but organizers said they often ink one-year deals that are negotiated in the months before the annual Pride celebrations. That leaves them vulnerable if once-reliable companies decide to withhold their dollars, and several organizations said they are facing sponsorship deficits that weigh on budgets and plans for festivals in the summer. Among the largest shortfalls, Seattle Pride and New York City Pride say they have to make up for $350,000 deficits, and San Francisco Pride and Minnesota's Twin Cities Pride say they are each facing a $200,000 cut. Some festivals have named which previous sponsors aren't returning, while others said they are keeping that information private to avoid burning bridges. San Francisco Pride's Ford said Anheuser-Busch, Comcast, Diageo and Nissan have told the organization that they are not sponsoring the festival this year. All were previously longtime partners, Ford said. The companies gave a variety of reasons for the change. A Comcast representative said the company is participating in other Pride events in San Francisco and is supporting Pride parades in California in Oakland, Sacramento and Silicon Valley. A Diageo representative said the company will appear at Pride events across the country through its Smirnoff brand this year. A Nissan spokesperson said in a statement that the automaker will not sponsor any Pride festivals this year as it reviews all marketing and sales spending. Anheuser-Busch didn't respond to a request for comment. Washington, D.C.-based Capital Pride Alliance, which is organizing the biannual, global WorldPride celebration this year, said Comcast and Deloitte had regularly supported the group's Pride festival but declined to do so this year, while Booz Allen Hamilton initially committed to sponsoring the event before later withdrawing. A Booz Allen Hamilton spokesperson said in a statement that the defense giant's sponsorship decisions do not reflect a pullback in support for employees. Ryan Bos, Capital Pride Alliance's executive director, said economic uncertainty, safety and security issues, and fear of losing federal funding have all discouraged companies from returning as sponsors. He highlighted President Donald Trump's executive order ordering government agencies to investigate and sue companies supporting DEI. "The sad thing is corporations have long been the first to step into our corner," Bos said, citing companies' support of domestic partner benefits and LGBTQ+ employment programs. "The fact that some are questioning their commitment now during this uncertain time is very disheartening, hurtful and frustrating for many." Ford said the White House's anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and executive orders targeting transgender people have impacted corporate America. "We've all seen the culture wars playing out as far as how corporations respond, and I think this is part and parcel of that movement," she said. The White House didn't respond to a CNBC request for comment. Even corporations that are sticking with Pride festivals have reduced their support. Denver Pride's returning sponsors have pared down their contributions by 62% on average, according to Natalie Zanoni, interim CEO of LGBTQ+ organization The Center on Colfax. The center organizes the Denver Pride celebration, which faces a total deficit of $230,000. Festivals are also still in wait-and-see mode. St. Pete Pride president Byron Green-Calisch said several sponsors had asked the Tampa Bay, Florida-area organization if they could discuss sponsorships closer to April rather than the usual period beginning in January. As of late March, St. Pete Pride said it had achieved 55% of its fundraising goal, compared with the usual 80% to 90% at this time of year. Seattle Pride executive director Patti Hearn said the group expects about $400,000 in sponsorships this year, compared with its total budget of $1.5 million. While she said the organization will be able to pull off its planned events this year, it would need to change its programming in the future if its $350,000 deficit became permanent. Corporate sponsors are responsible for 75% of Twin Cities Pride's budget, executive director Andi Otto told CNBC. As a result of sponsorship losses, the Minnesota organization had to cut a performance stage for the upcoming festival and will have to reduce its year-round programming, Otto said. Not all businesses are taking a step back from festival sponsorships. Several groups said Delta Air Lines, among others, remains a strong supporter of their events. Others said small businesses have been steadfast. Pride organizations are also reexamining their relationships with sponsors that have rolled back DEI policies or visible support for their communities, further complicating their financial outlook. Seattle Pride hasn't engaged with previous sponsor Boeing this year, Hearn said, because she had a sense that the aerospace giant didn't align with the organization's values and would decline to return as a festival partner. Boeing reportedly shut down its DEI team in November, according to Bloomberg. The company didn't respond to a CNBC request for comment. Cincinnati Pride development director Jake Hitch said the Ohio group has rejected sponsorships from previous partners this year based on their nondiscrimination policies, involvement in the LGBTQ+ community and support for employees. "With everything happening politically and in 2025 that is consistently coming against our community, we thought, what better time to really reset our expectations and align with our community on what they want to see?" Hitch said. Twin Cities Pride dropped Target, which had sponsored its festival for over 15 years, after looking into the retailer's DEI policy changes announced in late January. Changes to its supplier diversity commitment, community representation principles and participation in external DEI surveys concerned Otto enough for him to refuse the $50,000 sponsorship offer, he said. "It did not feel right for my community to accept that money," Otto said. Target didn't respond to a CNBC request for comment. San Francisco Pride's Ford said the group no longer has a relationship with previous sponsor Meta, in part due to its changes to fact-checking policy but also because Meta staffers who had previously worked with SF Pride had left the company in the past couple of years. A Meta spokesperson said in a statement that since 2024, the company has allowed local employee resource groups to make their own decisions on Pride sponsorships. Some organizations have maintained productive relationships with corporations that have modified their DEI efforts, although understanding the policy changes can present its own challenge. Dave Wait, chairperson of Detroit's Motor City Pride, said some community members were spreading misinformation on social media about a sponsor shutting down its LGBTQ+ health care services, and that Motor City Pride had to clear it up with the company before signing the sponsorship deal for this year. Twin Cities Pride's Otto said although festival sponsor 3M has removed several DEI-related pages from its website, the industrial giant explained to the organization that it was only changing the language, not the substance of its DEI policies. 3M did not respond to a CNBC request for comment. Lowe's had sponsored Charlotte Pride's festival and parade in North Carolina for nine years, but in August the home retailer ended its support for parades amid other DEI policy reversals. Lowe's has pivoted to funding the LGBTQ+ group's job fair and scholarship and internship programs, Charlotte Pride managing director Meredith Thompson told CNBC. Some community members spoke out against the decision to continue working with Lowe's, Thompson said, but she didn't hesitate to do so because of their previous relationship. "My attitude is, we need our corporate sponsors and we meet them where they are," Thompson said. Lowe's did not respond to a CNBC request for comment. Some national corporations that have curtailed DEI efforts are still showing up as sponsors through local affiliates and operators. McDonald's, which retired numerous diversity goals in January, has regional operators sponsoring WorldPride and Charlotte Pride. And although Anheuser-Busch is not sponsoring San Francisco Pride or Pride St. Louis this year, Bud Light distributor Adams Beverages is returning as a sponsor for Charlotte Pride. While LGBTQ+ organizations have long debated the role that corporations should play in Pride celebrations, this year has amplified the idea that Pride groups should rely less on businesses. Several groups have turned to grassroots campaigns. Twin Cities Pride started a crowdfunding effort to help compensate for dropping Target, and it eventually raised over $110,000. Stonewall Columbus has received $8,500 in donations, Cincinnati Pride has netted over $43,000 and San Francisco Pride has fundraised $35,000, all through crowdfunding. Green-Calisch of St. Pete Pride said the group will focus more on community donations moving forward and will also increase its year-round presence so that donors understand the work that the organization does beyond Pride Month. "We are the people. This is about people power and being able to use your dollar to advocate," Green-Calisch said. Local governments have also grown more involved in some festivals. Stonewall Columbus executive director Densil Porteous said the Ohio-based group has received increased support from Franklin County, Columbus' home county, to help make up for the organization's $96,000 sponsorship deficit. Pride Northwest executive director Debra Porta said the group is "very intentional" about not overly depending on corporate sponsors for Portland Pride, with its top sponsorship level totaling just $15,000. Other festivals offer sponsorship packages with costs that stretch well beyond $100,000. Pride groups say that above all they're focused on their communities, not sponsors. Although some festivals have ticketed programs or charge for entry, many organizations stress the importance of making Pride as accessible as possible. "We never want to put the burden back on our community, because this is supposed to be their celebration," Twin Cities Pride's Otto said.
