Cedar Rapids Pride prepares for 2025 season of LGBTQ celebrations amid national withdrawal of sponsorships

CEDAR RAPIDS — This summer, annual “Pride” parades and events celebrating LGBTQ rights and equality across the country have been facing new roadblocks.

Amid the sudden retreat of support from corporations to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, Pride organizers across the country have seen a large withdrawal of the sponsorships they many relied on in the past to fund colorful celebrations.

Several of the country’s largest LGBTQ Pride celebrations have lost major sponsors amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars, in some cases. Some organizers said promised funds were scaled back. Others said longtime corporate partners have abandoned them altogether — even after decades of support.

Corey Jacobson, president of CR Pride, speaks to the local impact of these national trends, how the nonprofit is faring, and changes for this year’s celebrations.

Q: There are a lot of changes happening in government, laws, court rulings and general social acceptance affecting LGBTQ people. What does the landscape look like for CR Pride right now?

A: “We adapt.

“Obviously, we've been very fortunate. We have only seen a very small decline in sponsorship dollars this year.

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“We have had some sponsors that have said now, based off of government contracts that they have and other things, they are not sure what funding looks like in years ahead. But this year, we've only seen a small decrease, and we've been able to make up a majority of that through an increase in individual donors.

“We've held some fundraisers outside of that as well that have brought in revenue that we haven't seen in the past. So from a funding level, we're in a strong financial position, even with everything that's going on out there.”

Q: What portion of CR pride funding was coming from corporate sponsors?

A: “A high majority of our budget (60%) is through corporate sponsorship.

“This year we’ve seen an increase in individual donors, and that includes people coming to fundraisers that we have. We saw significantly higher turnout at a drag dinner fundraiser, and we sold that out.

“We’ve had people reaching out saying, hey, where do I donate $25.”

Q: Does it feel like the current environment has given individuals a sense of urgency to step up and help their community?

A: “Yeah. I think people didn't know what to expect. And with everything that's been going on, I think people are trying to find (places) here that still support everyone.”

Q: How do things look now for CR Pride compared to a year ago?

A: “Overall, thing are OK.

“We've had, as a board, some tough conversations about how we continue to provide a safe and secure event, increasing our partnerships with private security, CRPD, reaching out to other organizations in the area, especially LGBTQ (ones,) other groups that put on Pride to see how they're handling things this year.”

Q: CR Pride has grown substantially in recent years. You launched your first parade in 2022. This year’s parade is going to be “walking style.” What prompted that change?

A: “Early in the year, when we were looking at our finances and how we move forward in 2025, we hadn't had commitments from (many) sponsors. It was quiet.

“We had to make some decisions at the time, and one of them was we have the parade this year, knowing the costs that are associated with the parade. (A parade) was just something that we did not, at the time, feel … would be a good steward of the finances we have.

“So we came up with this new parade to have it on the actual day of the festival. We had a community feedback survey earlier this year, and in that survey, most of the individuals wanted the parade on the same day as the festival.

“This was the way to make it happen, to have this walking style parade that would go through the same areas that already have street closures, the police and security would already be there, so there wouldn't be any added expenses. This was the happy medium for this year.

“We really hope that, next year, we can go back to the parade that Cedar Rapids and our friends in the surrounding areas have really gotten to know over the last couple of years.”

Q: Is there anything that excites you about this year’s CR Pride lineup?

A: “One thing that we really tried to focus on is listening to what the community tells us in that survey. What they told us is that they want local entertainment with some bigger names, so we're really excited to be able to have a lot of local entertainers this year.

“Everyone that's performing the day of the festival is from the Cedar Rapids metro area, with the exception of a band we have coming from Des Moines that performed at Capital City Pride as well.

“I'm really excited that we continue to be able to offer the kids zone in a separate area. We're expanding that a little bit this year, and overall, just feeling really good about what we're able to do this year, knowing at the beginning of the year there were all of the unknowns.”

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Q: Is physical safety a bigger concern this year than it used to be?

A: “We talk about physical safety every year and making sure, in our partnership with CRPD, that we have the right amount of staff. We definitely have the right amount of staff for the footprint that we have.

“We also have private security to help escort performers to and from the stage and keep people from getting too close to the stage this year.

“We did that two years ago. We didn't have that last year, but we thought we'd bring that back this year.

“I don't think people attending the festival this year will notice any more security than they've seen in the years past, but we did have a long conversation about it, and we feel good about where we've landed.”

Q: Are there any other challenges you’ve been thinking about with the planning that goes into CR Pride?

A: “(I have been) realizing the impact that we have on the community with how small of an organization as we are.

“This organization has grown so much over the past five years, and it shows the need for what we do in the community to provide that safe space for them to gather, to provide community, to provide a place to be your authentic self, and to celebrate.”

Q: Do you feel like the political environment has emboldened CR Pride to be more visible to support the community?

A: “One thing we received comments about (in our survey) was (doing) better letting people know what’s going on in the community. So we try to better utilize our social media, our website, for when there are things going on that people might want to participate in.

“We are definitely trying to work with our other marginalized communities to cross-promote their events. Last week was Juneteenth, and we helped promote Juneteenth on our website. Anything we can do to elevate everyone's voices together only emboldens Cedar Rapids.

“We had a lot of people earlier this month reaching out to us asking why the city of Cedar Rapids wasn't flying the Pride flag. And so we pushed positively on social media. People reached out to the city, and the city is now raising the pride flag.

“So I definitely think we're being a little bit more vocal about our community, but also letting our community share their stories. We've held several panel discussions this year, one around transgender issues, and then the other around how to be a better ally. And those have been highly attended.

“We're doing what we can here to make sure that everyone knows that even (with) everything that's going on within the country and within this state, that here in Cedar Rapids, this is a safe and accepting place for everyone, and you're welcome here.

“Like the city says, ‘Welcome is our language.’ ”

Q: What are your hopes for the future of CR Pride as the LGBTQ community persists? Do you think that the community will find new ways to thrive, despite the challenges today?

A: “Absolutely.

“One thing that I've been very privileged and honored to do in my role over the last six years is to get to know our local community members and hear their stories, and use my voice to share their stories.

“I think as long as we continue to stay positive and share our stories, and advocate and explain and educate, things will get better again. I have no doubt that, as we move through these troubled times together — now more than ever — that community is important.

“CR Pride will always be here to give you a place to have a community — whether it be at the Pride festival, at an event we have, or just grabbing coffee (in the) morning.

“We're always going to be here to make sure that you have the community that you need.”

Comments: Features reporter Elijah Decious can be reached at (319) 398-8340 or elijah.decious@thegazette.com.