Cincinnati Pride, the nonprofit organization behind the city’s annual Pride parade and festival, is parting ways with some donors as companies across the country begin to scale back DEI initiatives.
In a March 19 Facebook announcement, the organization said, “we cannot in good conscience continue to collaborate with organizations that work against our mission of providing the Greater Cincinnati LGBTQ+ community with resources to positively impact the lives of all individuals regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression.”
Organizers have stated they will not disclose which corporate sponsors are being cut out in 2025 – last year’s diamond-level sponsors were Procter & Gamble, Delta Airlines and altafiber – but Cincinnati Pride said the decision “means losing tens of thousands of dollars in funding.”
In an effort to recoup the loss, Cincinnati Pride has launched a fundraiser to support the 2025 festival and parade.
“Financial investments from individual donors within our local community will supplement the dollars given to us from corporate sponsorships,” the announcement reads.
As of March 25, Cincinnati Pride has raised $17,768 from 208 donors in an online fundraiser. Their goal is to raise $50,000.
“Your donation will ensure we can continue providing year-round programming for our community, including a free festival and parade for all LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies to attend, and continued financial support to local community organizations through our community grants,” the announcement reads.
Cincinnati Pride is still accepting sponsorships from corporations, but only from those with clear policies that reflect shared values.
“Effective for 2025, Cincinnati Pride seeks partnerships with organizations that are committed to honor and celebrate LGBTQIA+ voices,” reads an updated sponsorship guidelines page on the organization’s website. “These organizations should understand the positive influence of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and society. In support of this, we may request a copy of an organization’s LGBTQIA+ Non-Discrimination Policy.”
The Trump of it all
Companies big and small have started rolling back DEI programs and policies following veiled threats from President Donald Trump.
In an executive order rescinding DEI policies in the federal government, Trump also took aim at the private sector. His order, signed shortly after his January inauguration, calls on companies to end “illegal DEI discrimination and preferences,” claiming DEI policies “violate the text and spirit of our longstanding Federal civil-rights laws.”
Many U.S. companies have already started to scale back DEI efforts, according to Forbes, including:
- Major League Baseball
- Warner Bros. Discovery
- Goldman Sachs
- Bank of America
- JPMorgan Chase
- Coca-Cola
- PepsiCo.
- Deloitte
- Target
Cincinnati Pride is not the only Pride festival to be impacted by the changing corporate culture. San Francisco Pride, one of the world’s largest Pride events, announced it is seeking alternate funding after losing a number of corporate sponsors, according to the publication Them.
“The tone has changed in this country,” Suzanne Ford, the executive director of SF Pride, told KTVU about the $300,000 loss. “Businesses already hedge their bets, and I think people who, this isn’t their hard core value of their corporation, maybe they’re rethinking their investment.”
Cincinnati Pride will be held on Saturday, June 28.
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This article appears in Mar 19 – Apr 2, 2025.
