SPOKANE, Wash. – Spokane Pride is gearing up for its annual parade and festival under the leadership of Executive Director Matthew Danielson, but failed corporate sponsorship caused some initial stress.
Despite an initial funding shortfall, the event remains on track. Danielson expressed his determination to make the event a success. “We’re going to do pride, we’re going to go big,” he said.
However, he acknowledged the challenges posed by unexpected funding cuts. The event, which costs $150,000 to organize, faced a $60,000 loss, representing 40% of its operational budget.
“It got to the point where I was going to ask some of the entertainers to volunteer,” Danielson said. The lost funding came primarily from large corporate donations.
Danielson noted that the companies did not provide much explanation for withdrawing their support. “They don’t really have to tell you, so they don’t often give you that information,” he said, speculating that “some combination of DEI stuff and the tariffs” might be to blame.
NonStop Local conducted research and identified Verizon, Walmart, and Anheuser-Busch as major contributors absent from this year’s sponsor list. Attempts to contact these companies for comment were unsuccessful.
Despite the financial setback, local community organizations rallied to fill the gap. “We had the Episcopal dioceses just write us a check for 10 grand. Gonzaga and their LGBT youth Center, Lincoln LGBTQ center threw in $7,000,” Danielson stated.
Thanks to this community support, Danielson confirmed that no activities had to be cut. “I didn’t get to the point of backing off anything big,” he said.
Looking ahead, Danielson is optimistic as the event continues to grow. “I’ve watched this event go from about four or 5000 people to literally our city’s largest single day event, like we take over more of a riverfront park than any other festival,” he emphasized.
