Amid President Donald Trump’s crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion policies and cuts to federal funding sources, some metro Atlanta LGBTQ organizations have seen changes to their financial support and community engagement levels.
Some large corporate sponsors have pulled support for Pride Month events around the country, and a recent survey by Gravity Research found that 39% of all companies are pulling back engagement with Pride, 61% of which citing worries about the Trump administration.
Though Atlanta Pride is in October, LGBTQ organizations in the city hold events and festivals throughout the year. One of these events, the Atlanta Pride Run, saw a 45% decrease in corporate donors earlier this year, according to Atlanta News First.
The Southern Fried Queer Pride festival takes place every June, and the group has events throughout the year. (Courtesy of Avery Willis)
Financial support for LGBTQ Atlanta organizations
PFLAG Atlanta, a local chapter of a nationwide grassroots LGBTQ advocacy organization, has seen a decrease in both donations and speaker engagements this year, according to Chapter President Jason Arnold. They don’t charge for speaking engagements, but they ask hosts to make a donation.
“Easily 60 to 70% of funding, or donations, have come almost to a stop,” Arnold told WABE. PFLAG Atlanta is fully funded by donations.
Last June, the group had around 25 speaking engagements, while this year PFLAG Atlanta had just six.
TAYLOR ALXNDR, co-founder of the Atlanta-based Southern Fried Queer Pride, also said the organization has seen a “shift” this year in sources of support due to recent uncertainty over federal funding. Southern Fried Queer Pride, which focuses on building community among LGBTQ people of color, puts on a number of events throughout the year, including its annual festival in June.
“A lot of the other nonprofit groups that try to contribute or sponsor the festival have had to withdraw a little bit, because a lot of their funding is federal and obviously, a lot of the federal funding that was in place previous to the current administration has been revoked,” ALXNDR, who uses they/them pronouns, said. “It’s been hard navigating that.”
The group has also seen a decrease in attendance at some of their events this year.
“Since the election in November, we’ve definitely noticed a drop in attendance, a drop in people purchasing pre-sale tickets, a drop in people wanting to sign up to volunteer,” they said. “I think everybody’s kind of in a mode of bunkering down because they’re not sure what’s going to happen. And I also feel like everybody’s overwhelmed and still emotionally grappling with where things are.”
“We’ve actually pushed harder on [donations] this year, and at all of our events we have talked about, ‘Hey, there’s obviously something going on. We need your support.'”
Out On Film Board Chair Joshua Lorenz
In a statement, Atlanta Pride Director of Communications and Community Engagement Steven Igarashi-Ball said there is still time before the October event.
“Like many large-scale events, we experience some year-to-year changes in sponsor participation, and that’s not unusual. We’re actively engaged in conversations with a wide range of prospective sponsors,” Igarashi-Ball said in a statement. “We want to emphasize that continued sponsorship and donor engagement remain vital to the Festival’s success. Atlanta Pride is the largest free Pride festival in the country, and that level of accessibility and visibility is only possible through the generosity of sponsors, community partners, and individual donors.”
Changing funding streams for LGBTQ Atlanta groups
Regardless of the dollar amount that has actually decreased, many of these LGBTQ Atlanta organizations are transitioning to a more community-based funding model to prepare for uncertainties in the next few years.
Out On Film Board Chair Joshua Lorenz said he doesn’t think there will be a large financial change this year. The organization hosts an annual LGBTQ film festival in Atlanta, which will take place from Sept. 25 to Oct. 5 this year, as well as multiple events throughout the year.
It has a few funding sources, including local and state government arts grants, corporate sponsors and individual donations. In the last couple of years, Lorenz said, Out On Film has been trying to rely more on the latter category.
“We’ve been diversifying our base, and we’ve actually pushed harder on that this year, and at all of our events we have talked about, ‘Hey, there’s obviously something going on. We need your support,’” he said.
As a result, Out On Film has seen an increase in individual donors, Lorenz added.
“We have a lot more monthly donors than we’ve ever had, and that’s just an area that we’re continuing to lean in on, because we’ve recognized that with everything going on, this is the time for us to lean into that,” he said.
“I feel like the reason for the increase in attendance is for people looking for more community support, more feeling less alone. It’s a lot of confusion: ‘What’s going on? How’s this gonna impact me? What’s this gonna do to my life?'”
PFLAG Atlanta Chapter President Jason Arnold
Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender & Sexual Diversity (SOJOURN), an Atlanta-based organization supporting Jewish and LGBTQ people in the South, has also redoubled efforts to connect with its base.
This year, SOJOURN canceled its annual fundraiser Purim Off Ponce after 17 years, though it will return next year in March. In the meantime, Executive Director Rebecca Stapel-Wax said the organization has been tapping into its network.
“What has happened is we’ve been more creative,” Stapel-Wax said. “We’ve just started these – we’ve called them house parties, but they’re really gatherings of all sorts, and folks are inviting their networks, introducing them to SOJOURN and amplifying our impact and showing off what we can do for and what we have been doing for our community for so long.”
Engagement and moving forward
Since President Donald Trump took office in January, he has signed executive orders barring transgender people from entering the military, limiting gender-affirming care for youth under 19 and saying the federal government will only recognize two sexes.
The administration has also supported efforts to curb LGBTQ topics and materials in schools and libraries and has cut support for HIV-related research. White House Office Principal Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields wrote in a statement that Trump is “honored to serve all Americans.”
“The American people voted for a return to common sense, and the President is delivering on every campaign promise supported by 77 million voters and is ushering in our Golden Age,” Fields wrote.
Though the group’s finances have seen a dip this year, PFLAG Atlanta has seen increased membership and attendance at support group meetings compared to a year ago.
“I feel like the reason for the increase in attendance is for people looking for more community support, more feeling less alone,” Arnold said. “It’s a lot of confusion: ‘What’s going on? How’s this gonna impact me? What’s this gonna do to my life?’”
For example, a man who attended a support group facilitated by Arnold took three buses over three hours just to be in a place where he could feel acceptance and community.
“I think people are just trying to find a place to feel safe and to find a place where they can exist even if it’s only one hour,” he added.
“Everybody’s aware of what’s going on. We’re all a little worried, but at the same time, we realize we have to stay unified and help each other, support each other and stay strong.”
Out On Film Festival Director Jim Farmer
The 2025 theme for the annual Out On Film festival is “Queer Propaganda,” emphasizing queer visibility and unity.
“In a time when ‘Queer Propaganda’ is used as a political weapon to shame, censor, and vilify LGBTQ+ lives, we’re reclaiming it,” reads the theme description on organization’s website. “Our stories build empathy. They reflect the world as it truly is: diverse, complex, and beautifully queer. In the face of rising backlash and politicized attacks, we’re not backing down. We’re leaning in, louder, prouder, and more united than ever.”
Jim Farmer, the festival director, said attendance has been strong for Out On Film’s other events this year, such as the Spring Mini-Fest 2025 and various screenings.
“Right now, we’re gearing up for the fall, and people are very encouraged by what we’re doing, and I think that we all kind of know. Everybody’s aware of what’s going on. We’re all a little worried, but at the same time, we realize we have to stay unified and help each other, support each other and stay strong.”
Farmer said the group received nearly 1,000 submissions this year for the festival, which is a record.
“We’re not invisible, no matter what anyone says, we’re not going anywhere, and we will produce, you know. We produce within our means, and we’re fortunate enough right now that we’re funded well enough that we can produce an 11-day film festival and produce throughout the year, and I hope that we’ll continue,” Farmer said.
“If by chance something does happen, and we might have to cut back, that will be unfortunate, but again, we will still be diligent,” he added.
“I think we’re always gonna move with that kind of intention to be communal, but also have moments of celebration.”
Southern Fried Queer Pride Founder and Executive Director TAYLOR ALXNDR
Stapel-Wax from SOJOURN also highlighted the challenges of operating LGBTQ services in the South.
“The South is one of the lowest recipients of LGBT funds, but it has one of the most dense populations in the country,” she said, reiterating the importance of unity and support.
For Southern Fried Queer Pride, ALXNDR said the group is aiming to adapt its programming to the needs of its people, whether that be open mics, pop-ups, trainings or dance parties.
“So that’s more trainings on knowing your rights and interacting with police and ICE agents. We’ve had two of those events so far this year, so we might do another one because it’s always important, you know, just creating more spaces to have those kind of big community discussions and talk about safety, but also crafting spaces for joy and excitement and happiness,” ALXNDR said.
“I think we’re always gonna move with that kind of intention to be communal, but also have moments of celebration,” they added.
This story is part of the ongoing series Beyond Pride, in which WABE reporters take a deeper look at the issues affecting LGBTQ people in Georgia. Plus, hear LGBTQ Atlantans in their own words, check out a Pride events calendar running through the fall, LGBTQ coverage from other NPR stations across the South and more.
