Scoop: Sponsors drop out of Columbus Pride
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As Stonewall Columbus prepares for its annual Pride March, Festival and Resource Fair, some businesses will be missing from its sponsor list — including Anheuser-Busch, a longtime partner dating back to the 1980s.
Why it matters: Once-proud corporate America is pivoting. The impacts of diversity, equity and inclusion rollbacks nationwide are being felt locally, involving businesses big and small.
By the numbers: The Columbus sponsor losses total over $100,000, or about a fifth of the budget needed to put on next month's Pride events, executive director Densil R. Porteous tells Axios.
- A $276,000 grant from the Franklin County Commission awarded in February will fill the gap.
The latest: An official 2025 sponsor list will likely be posted on Stonewall's website within the next week.
- Porteous confirmed Anheuser-Busch, Nissan, Lowe's and Walmart— all of which supported Pride events in 2024 — are not sponsors this year.
- Organizers were optimistic earlier in 2025 that companies would continue their support.
- Some smaller businesses are also withdrawing due to the political climate, Porteous says.
Between the lines: Anheuser-Busch and the others have publicly scaled back their DEI commitments in the past year amid pressure from the federal government.
What they're saying: Porteous called Anheuser-Busch's departure "a little bit heartbreaking."
- But he noted that corporate moves don't necessarily reflect how a company's local employees feel about the LGBTQ+ community — and associates of any company are still welcome at Pride, representing themselves.
- Anheuser-Busch did not return an email from Axios seeking comment.
The big picture: Stonewall Columbus is a year-round community center that relies on partners for support beyond just one-time parade advertisers, and many are sticking around.
What we're watching: Organizers still expect 700,000 people to attend festivities over the June 13-14 weekend, themed "United in Power."
- The current climate — including anti-LGBTQ+ policies at the state and federal level — is a reminder of why Pride events originally started after the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, Porteous says.
The bottom line: "I hope that people see a true reflection of what Pride is about: an amalgamation of identities, ideas and a variety of people coming together to say, 'We're here. We should be seen. We see you. We support you.'"