Corporate America is fleeing from supporting Pride parades nationwide, leaving organizers scrambling for cash as President Trump’s rejection of DEI policies influences the private sector. New York City Pride, expecting two million attendees on June 29, now faces a massive budget shortfall of $750,000 after losing sponsors like PepsiCo and Nissan, forcing them to beg individual donors for money.
Corporate America Abandons Pride Events
New York Pride organizers are desperately launching a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign after losing up to 25% of their corporate sponsors. The parade’s spokesperson Kevin Kilbride admitted they’re trying to fill financial gaps through individual donations as major companies pull their support.
25% of corporate donors pull funding for NYC Pride | Hayden Cunningham, The Post Millenial
Among the companies pulling back are Mastercard, Nissan, and Garnier.
Roughly 25 percent of corporate sponsors have scaled back or withdrawn support for New York City’s annual Pride… pic.twitter.com/a41gKABxE2
— Owen Gregorian (@OwenGregorian) May 26, 2025
This trend isn’t isolated to New York, as Pride celebrations across America face similar financial crises. San Francisco Pride needs to cover a $200,000 budget gap, while Kansas City Pride lost approximately $200,000 – half its annual budget.
Target’s Dramatic Shift Reflects Changing Landscape
Target initially reduced its public involvement with Pride events after facing consumer backlash over its progressive policies. The retail giant later reinstated its parade float but still cited “the evolving external landscape” as reason for curtailing its diversity programs.
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Anheuser-Busch ended its 30-year sponsorship of PrideFest in St. Louis, creating a $150,000 shortfall for organizers. Many corporations have chosen to continue donations anonymously after media coverage of their withdrawals, showing their reluctance to be publicly associated with these events.
The Trump Effect on Corporate Pride Support
Pride organizers directly attribute the sponsorship decline to President Trump’s influence on corporate America’s approach to diversity initiatives. Republican-led states have passed legislation limiting DEI programs and LGBTQ+ activism, creating an environment where corporations are reassessing their brand activism strategies.
“That gap we’re trying to fill with a community fundraising campaign. So in the middle of May, we launched a peer-to-peer campaign so folks can start their own fundraiser online, share it with their friends, and then have folks donate to that,” Kevin Kilbride said.
Some Pride organizations have severed ties with companies like Meta and Target due to their retreat from DEI goals. Despite fundraising efforts, Pride events nationwide have been forced to cancel activities, reduce the number of stages, and cut costs wherever possible to continue their core celebrations.
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