Community rallies to save Florida’s largest Pride celebration as law sparks corporate sponsors’ retreat

As Florida restricts public funding for diversity celebrations, St. Pete Pride leaders say their event needs community support to cover a financial shortfall.

The 24-year-old St. Petersburg organization just launched a fundraising drive, hoping to raise $289,000 by the end of November. The organization said it needs that money to cover outstanding expenses from this year.

“Declining corporate sponsorships, rising event costs, and years of carrying expenses from one Pride season into the next have put the organization in a difficult financial position,” St. Pete Pride President Trent Brock wrote in an email.

Related: 83 Photos of Power and Diversity at St. Pete's Pride in Florida

“With approximately 300,000 people attending Pride Weekend this year, we’re hopeful our community can come together to help. If just 4% of attendees donated $25, we'd reach our goal. But without this support, St. Pete Pride as our community knows it could be at risk in 2027.”

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Like many Pride events across the country, St. Pete Pride has seen a dramatic decline in corporate sponsorships.

“I want to be clear that sponsorships naturally ebb and flow. Businesses evolve, budgets change, leadership transitions happen, and priorities shift. We don’t expect every company to sponsor St Pete Pride every year or contribute the same amount year after year. We understand those realities and value the relationships we’ve built with our corporate partners,” Brock told The Advocate. “But what we experienced in 2026 was different. It was our largest decline in sponsorship support, and I don’t believe that’s a coincidence.”

The fundraising push has already drawn a substantial matching pledge. Scott Simon, a dancer who regularly performs at Bradley’s on 7th in Tampa, pledged to match up to $25,000 donated to St. Pete Pride through this Friday. In a social media video encouraging donations, he said the first Pride he ever attended was St. Pete Pride in 2023, and he doesn’t want the most recent event to be the last one.

Related: Ron DeSantis signs law that could strip Florida of Pride celebrations

“Now I work three jobs, and I work hard for every single dollar that I make,” Simon said in his video. “I'm giving back to this community as aggressively as I can because I believe in the power of this organization, the importance of community and sharing joy, and also because I know this organization spends every dollar it gets judiciously, with Pride costing less than $5 per attendee. If you care about pride, take a stand. In life, you never want to utter the words ‘I should have.’ These events cannot be taken for granted.”

Simon told The Advocate he is disappointed by corporate sponsors’ retreat. “As we have seen, politics swing year by year,” he said. “Great companies and brands are built by sticking to principles and not chasing each cycle’s swing.”

But he said individuals can help offset the decline in corporate support.

“For individuals, now is an especially important time to give. The reality is that many sponsors have backed away given the environment, and this is an opportunity for the community to stand up for itself,” he said. “We need to stand strong to hold our ground and make up for shortfalls elsewhere. Being a part of a community means working together and even sacrificing a bit for one another. I’ve seen firsthand how powerful this community can be.”

Brock said politicians have complicated the funding landscape for Pride.

Related: Florida Republicans pass bill empowering Ron DeSantis to oust local officials who support LGBTQ+ Pride

“The increasingly hostile anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric coming out of Washington, D.C., and Tallahassee has created an environment where businesses are becoming hesitant to publicly support our community,” he said.

Brock also pointed to a Florida law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis targeting local government diversity initiatives, saying public funding for St. Pete Pride has dried up. That legislation allows individuals to sue local governments that spend public dollars on diversity, equity, or inclusion programs.

“I view SB 1134 as a direct attack on the LGBTQ+ community and the progress we’ve spent decades fighting for. By restricting how local governments can support and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, Florida is creating barriers to the very partnerships that help make communities like ours welcoming and inclusive. Even beyond the law’s specific restrictions, the message it sends is deeply concerning. It creates fear and uncertainty around supporting LGBTQ+ organizations, and that chilling effect is exactly what we’re experiencing,” Brock said.

“The LGBTQ+ community represents a significant consumer base, and we’re paying attention to which businesses stand alongside us, especially when doing so isn’t politically convenient. Allyship means more when it requires courage.”