NYC Pride Launches Community Fundraising Campaign To Address $750,000 Budget Shortfall

The following is a press release from EDGE OUTreach Partner NYC Pride:

NYC Pride | Heritage of Pride, the nonprofit behind NYC's official LGBTQIA+ Pride events, has launched a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign ahead of Pride Month 2025. The campaign was announced in a new NYC Pride funding update that revealed a $750,000 budget shortfall this year, attributed to dips in corporate sponsorships and related support.

The fundraising campaign seeks to raise $25,000 by June 30, 2025 to help keep NYC Pride free and accessible to the entire LGBTQIA+ community. See the below statement from NYC Pride Co-Chairs Kazz Alexander and Michele Irimia for more:

As we produce some of the largest LGBTQIA+ events in the world, many assume NYC Pride is a large, well-funded organization. In reality, we are a volunteer-rooted, 501(c)3 nonprofit, and we do not receive any city or federal dollars for our annual Pride Month events or year-round programming.

With our current funding model, corporate partners have been our primary funding source for many years. Their support has allowed us to host events that are free and accessible to the entire LGBTQIA+ community.

At the same time, you've likely heard the news that some corporations are reassessing funding for DEAI initiatives, including LGBTQIA+ Pride events. Now that we have finalized all of our partnerships for 2025, we can say we're looking at a $750,000 budget shortfall.

As it stands now, NYC Pride is at roughly 75% of its 2025 fundraising goal. 76 partners are helping bring this year's events to life, with 12 of them coming to the table for the first time. Compared to 70 partners in 2024, the total number of partners showing up for the LGBTQIA+ community increased this year, even with some pulling, scaling back, or reallocating their sponsorship dollars. We're also heartened to see a record number of small, local, and queer-owned businesses engage in a variety of ways this year to help fill that budget gap, including showing up as sponsors, PrideFest vendors, and Patrons of Pride. Among them are Brooklyn Brewery, Mischief Mates, Radiant Light Candles, and the Travel Agency.

But what does a 25% budget gap mean for NYC Pride in 2025? This means more than just fewer floats, vendors, and performers at our events. This means that tangible support for our community is in jeopardy, like our grant programs supporting local LGBTQIA+ nonprofits and our year-round programming to bolster corporate support for queer New Yorkers outside of Pride Month. It also puts at risk our ability to hire a private security firm and de-escalation teams, born from very real community concerns around police presence at our events.

At a time when the LGBTQIA+ community – particularly trans individuals – is facing rising hostility and legislative attacks, this work is more essential than ever.

That's why we're turning to our community and allies, who have always risen up to meet the moment.

We're turning to you – our community needs your support now more than ever.

We're launching a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign, with a goal of $25,000 to help cover production costs, support queer artists, and keep NYC Pride events free and accessible for all.

We need you to help us show that we're here. We're queer. And we're not going anywhere.

Create a fundraiser yourself or join an existing campaign and you'll be entered to win a $500 Macy's gift card: nycpride.org/givenow.

Together, we can protect these safe spaces for our community to gather, march, and celebrate.