FAQ

(as of August 21, 2026)

What is happening with Calgary Pride’s financial position?

Calgary Pride is in a serious financial position and is in urgent need of additional funding.

How much money does Calgary Pride need?

We are looking to secure $250,000.00 in additional funding to help deliver the 2026 Calgary Pride Festival and strengthen the organization’s financial position as it heads toward 2027.

How did this happen?

It has become harder to fund queer non-profit organizations. Grant funding is increasingly limited and competitive. Corporate sponsorships are down, as a whole, and harder to secure. Some companies that previously made significant DEI commitments have scaled those commitments back or eliminated them completely.

At the same time, there have been cost increases for producing safe, accessible and meaningful Pride programming.

This year we reduced our overall budget because of how the funding landscape has been changing, and the impact it had on us last year. Even with these changes, and the addition of a one-day ticketed event to bring in more funds, we cannot make up for unexpected grant reductions and significant losses in other categories of fundraising.

Why wasn’t this identified earlier?

A number of things were identified and planned for beginning in 2025. After careful review of the budget, the decision was made to maintain the two-day festival in 2025 and change the model in 2026 to make Calgary Pride more financially sustainable. The new model creates more opportunities for partnerships and cost-sharing, which reduces the financial strain on Calgary Pride. We accounted for the possibility of receiving less funding and fewer sponsorships and braced for a decrease, but the drop has been catastrophic.

What is Calgary Pride doing about it? What changes are being made?

Calgary Pride is reviewing every aspect of the organization, from top to bottom. Organizational structure, decision making, Board of Director roles, future programming and events, our funding model, how we engage with the community and how to address historical issues that are still unresolved, nothing is off the table.

Are the festival and parade still going to take place?

All events are going forward as planned.

Did the Board or staff mismanage funds?

There has been no mismanagement of funds or questionable financial transactions. We built our budget based on previous years, and despite adjusting for current conditions, funding has been substantially lower than our lowest estimates. Many nonprofit organizations are experiencing similar declines in funding and support.

What kind of grants and sponsorships are missing this year?

Grants that we have historically received on an annual basis were either not awarded or were awarded at much lower levels. Many sponsors, who for years had provided similar amounts, have dropped their contributions significantly. We’ve seen some sponsors drop their contributions by up to 94% from previous years.

Why did Calgary Pride bring in an expensive headliner like Trixie Mattel when there are financial issues?

The Trixie Mattel event is a partnership with multiple producers which means cost sharing so there is less impact to each organization. Ticket revenue from this event was additionally intended to help us to diversify our funding opportunities. So far, this event will cover its own expenses, but our current projections would not see Calgary Pride generating enough revenue to cover the additional budget shortfalls. Additional ticket sales from strong community support would substantially help us to meet our financial challenges.

What costs are being cut?

Unfortunately, we have had to make some difficult decisions about post-Pride events and will be cancelling the Volunteer Appreciation event in late September and the Queerly Festive event in December.  Indigo Nights, our inaugural gala was previously postponed to early 2027. Given the high costs associated with production, we will be cancelling this event as well. At this time, we are not planning additional programming until we have additional funding confirmed.

Are staff being laid off?

We are not reducing staffing. Calgary Pride is currently operating with three full-time employees. We have some temporary summer coordinator positions that are subsidized by employment grant funding. The people in these roles provide critical support before the Calgary Pride Festival and Parade. It may become difficult to maintain current staffing levels if Calgary Pride does not meet these targets.

What happens if Calgary Pride does not reach its target?

The future of Calgary Pride is at risk without additional funds. Unfortunately, if funding needs are not met, Calgary Pride will not be able to operate which will impact the 2027 parade and festival.

What can people do to support Calgary Pride?

There are a number of ways to support Calgary Pride.

Make a direct contribution to Calgary Pride.
Buy Calgary Pride 50/50 tickets, and enter for an opportunity to win a WestJet travel package.
Buy tickets to Pride on the Island featuring Trixie Mattel on September 5.
Talk to your employer. Encourage your company or organization to donate to Calgary Pride.
Ensure any outstanding invoices from Calgary Pride are paid.
Share our message with your friends, networks, communities, and anyone else who might be able to help.

There are lots of other 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations in Calgary. Why do we need Calgary Pride?

Calgary Pride has been a cornerstone of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Calgary for decades. It has grown alongside our city and our community. Just like every organization, we have had our ups and downs. We have had some great wins and have faced some serious challenges. But we have persevered. And we will continue to do so.

Calgary Pride Week and Festival isn’t just a party. It’s not just a parade of bright colours, sequins and dance music. It is a reminder of our past, of the dangers our community faced just to be seen and the importance of coming together. This celebration of our diverse and dynamic community fuels hope, connection, joy and serves as a reminder that we are here, we are proud of who we are, we are not intimidated and we are not going anywhere.