Calgary Pride seeks $250,000 to save next year's parade

Calgary Pride needs $250,000 from residents within weeks to keep the organization alive and stage the 2026 parade scheduled for Sept. 6, the nonprofit announced Friday.

The organization is running on empty. After last year's parade, Calgary Pride faced a $300,000 funding shortfall. Despite cutting costs, the gap has widened. Co-chair Riley Sogge said the actual decline in funding has been "catastrophic" — far worse than budget projections.

"Like many queer-serving organizations, Calgary Pride is operating in an increasingly difficult funding environment," the organization said in a statement. "Grant funding has become more limited and competitive." Corporate sponsorships have also collapsed as companies have rolled back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across the board.

The board is reviewing how to reduce costs further and considering "difficult decisions" about future programming and events. "Nothing is off the table," it stated, including its funding model and organizational structure. The nonprofit has already cancelled Indigo Nights and its inaugural gala, and is not planning any other programs except Pride Week until it secures additional funding.

Calgary Pride is urging residents to donate directly, talk to their employers about contributions, and buy 50/50 raffle tickets for a vacation and tickets to Pride on the Island featuring Trixie Mattel on Sept. 5.

The announcement comes a month after the organization banned the University of Calgary from participating in this year's Pride Parade. The decision reflected community concerns about the university's response to the pro-Palestinian encampment that was forcibly removed from campus in 2024. On May 4, 2026, nine plaintiffs filed a statement of claim in the Court of King's Bench of Alberta in Edmonton against the University of Calgary, the Calgary Police Service, the City of Calgary, and several named individuals including former police chief Mark Neufeld and members of the university's board of governors related to the encampment removal.