Nashville Pride faces catastrophic shortfall after corporations pull funding
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Nashville Pride's future is in jeopardy after corporate sponsorships cratered this year, creating a catastrophic budget shortfall for the LGBTQ+ nonprofit.
Why it matters: The organization launched an emergency fundraiser to "save Nashville Pride." Organizers say if they don't hit their $250,000 goal, "we risk losing not just a weekend of celebration, but a safe space for tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ people and allies all year long."
- Nashville Pride set a deadline of Oct. 11, which is National Coming Out Day.
The big picture: Pride festivals nationwide have been pushed to the brink this year. Longtime corporate allies are backing away and pulling funding.
- The trend is fueled by the Trump administration's opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
State of play: In Nashville, funding from corporate sponsors dropped by $270,000 in 2025. That's down 40% from 2024.
- Nashville Pride organizers said many of the losses were unexpected, last-minute decisions.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, which previously contributed medical support at the festival, pulled out in mid-May, only a few weeks before this year's festival, Pride spokesperson Brady Ruffin tells Axios.
- As a result, organizers had to find and pay for a new provider, Ruffin says, racking up $30,000 in expenses.
- A VUMC spokesperson declined to comment.
Between the lines: Past Nashville Pride sponsor Nissan, one of the companies that stepped back this year, said its Pride retreat was part of a broad review of marketing and sales spending, per a Nissan spokesperson.
Zoom in: Bad weather during this year's festival exacerbated revenue problems. Organizers said storms cut attendance by more than 15,000 people.
What they're saying: "These challenges left Nashville Pride with a gap that no single organization can fix," Nashville Pride board president Tina Tousignant, said in a statement Wednesday.
Driving the news: Nashville Pride said growing opposition to LGBTQ+ issues at the state and federal levels underscored the significance of the fundraising effort.
- Tennessee has long been seen as a leader in anti-transgender policies. Lawmakers have pushed restrictions on drag queens and gender-affirming health care.
- The Nashville-based Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution this year supporting efforts to reverse Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark case that legalized same-sex marriage 10 years ago.
"Pride isn't just a party — it's survival," Nashville Pride vice president Alycia Ehimen said in the Wednesday statement.
- "They're coming for our rights, our marriages, and now our community spaces. Saving Nashville Pride is about saving more than a festival — it's about saving our future."