soIL PridePartnersTM

What benefits come with being a soIL PridePartner?

When your business appears on our list of soIL PridePartners, it lets patrons and other organizations and businesses that you support our LGBTQ+ community, provide a safe and inclusive environment for all, and that you contribute towards community-oriented events, including our annual Pride celebration in southern Illinois. Patrons can rest assured that our soIL PridePartners have been screened thoroughly and held to a high standard of expectations. Each soIL PridePartner receives a window decal to display at their place of business and a digital logo decal to display on the organization/business' website and social media accounts. PridePartners are not charged booth fees for the annual PrideFest and are given prime booth locations, and they are featured in promotional materials based on their total contribution amounts (more information in the next section).

Does It Cost To Become a SoIL PridePartner?

There is a one-time application fee of $25, which is due within 3 business days after submission, and is non-refundable. You will receive an invoice for this amount at the email address listed below. Your application will not be processed until the fee has been paid. Southern Illinois Pride Collective is a 501(c)(3) pending organization, so all donations and contributions are charitable and tax deductible as permitted by state law.

The minimum contribution requirement to maintain the status as a soIL PridePartner is $250 in monetary donations annually and this amount is due within 30 days of your PridePartner application being accepted. The one-time application fee is not factored into this annual total. This $250 amount places a PridePartner at the Tier 1 Sponsorship Level for PrideFest and the vendor fee is waived for PridePartners' booth spaces for PrideFest. There are additional opportunities to support other community events throughout the year (Sponsorship Tiers and other contribution options will be provided in the emails sent to PridePartners prior to events). PridePartners may choose to add to their total monetary contribution amount to boost their sponsorship level to higher Sponsorship Tiers (i.e. making an additional contribution of $1,000 towards PrideFest would bring a PridePartner to the $1200 Sponsorship Tier, or making a $100 contribution to a smaller event may qualify as a sponsorship for that specific event).

What is expected of me as a SoIL PridePartner?

There will be various community-oriented events held throughout the year in southern Illinois, with the main event being our annual Pride celebration. SoIL PridePartners are expected to support, attend, contribute or donate towards these events periodically ("supporting" could mean sharing event information online or posting event flyers at your place of business, "attending" could mean as a vendor/community table or volunteer at the event, "contribute" could mean lending supplies to be used at an event, like tables or chairs, "donate" meaning making a monetary donation towards the costs for that event). 

SoIL PridePartners are expected to maintain a positive public image and maintain all necessary requirements to operate an organization or business in Illinois/Jackson County. All soIL PridePartners will be required to sign an agreement that includes expectations and requirements.