Uniting Pride of Champaign County

What Uniting Pride of Champaign County does

Uniting Pride of Champaign County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2009 (Federal EIN #27-1636190) that operates as the only LGBTQ+ resource center of its kind in the East Central Illinois region. Headquartered at the University YMCA, 1001 South Wright Street, Suite 121, Champaign, IL, the organization serves LGBTQ+ individuals across all age groups (youth, adults, seniors, and families with children), parents and caregivers of LGBTQ+ youth, schools and educators, healthcare providers, local businesses, faith communities, and allies in Champaign County and surrounding areas.

The organization's service portfolio comprises nine primary program lines: (1) volunteer-run Social & Support Groups (Queries for ages 10–13, Talk It UP for ages 13–18, UParent, UP Discord, Meet UP, Playgroup for 2SLGBTQ+ families with children ages 3–10, Craft It UP, Trans UP, and Aging UP); (2) Education & Training delivered free to schools, healthcare organizations, businesses, faith groups, and nonprofits; (3) Eat UP food pantry; (4) UP & Away free gender-affirming clothing items (binders and waist cinchers); (5) Read UP lending library; (6) Queer Clothing Closet; (7) Queer Prom for Illinois students ages 13–18; (8) Love Fest Valentine's Day fundraiser; and (9) CU Pride Fest — an annual week-long Pride celebration in its 16th year (2026) and the 2nd largest Pride festival in Illinois. The organization also maintains three LGBTQ-Affirming Directories (Business, Healthcare Practitioner, Faith Community Networks) and curated resource pages for youth, parents, adults, educators, and healthcare providers. All core services are provided free of charge; there is no proprietary technology platform, app, or AI/ML component.

Uniting Pride operates a community-led go-to-market motion through volunteer-driven groups, word-of-mouth referrals, community events, a twice-monthly newsletter, and partnerships with local organizations. Revenue is generated through three streams: individual donations and recurring contributions (now routed through the Pledge It platform), tiered corporate and organizational sponsorships of CU Pride Fest (eight named tiers from Red through Double Rainbow, with 2025 sponsors spanning Anthem Champaign, City of Urbana Arts & Culture, Clanin Creative, City of Champaign, Carle, MTD, and Illini Media), and event-based fundraising such as Love Fest. Operations are supported by a paid staff of three (Executive Director Madison, Youth and Family Manager Vivianne, Program Coordinator Emma) and a volunteer Board of Directors led by President Alli Nisley.

Name

Uniting Pride of Champaign County

Legal name

Uniting Pride of Champaign County

Website

https://unitingpride.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Uniting Pride of Champaign County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2009 and the only LGBTQ+ resource center in East Central Illinois, serving Champaign County with support groups, education, basic-needs programs, and the 2nd-largest Pride festival in Illinois.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Services / Nonprofit LGBTQ+ Resource Center

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAFAE

LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Civil Rights, Advocacy & Public Policy Organizations

SECONDARYMPAGAEAL

Community Pride & Identity Events (Pride, Cultural Identity Days)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Cultural Festivals & Community Events

SECONDARYBPAGAHAD

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDALAHAF

Cultural, Identity & Inclusion Programs

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Student Activities, Clubs & Campus Life

Keywords

• LGBTQ+ community services
• Social support groups
• Community education training
• Food pantry assistance
• Pride event organizing

Headquarters

HQ city

Champaign

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Uniting Pride relies on donations from individuals and community members. The organization has moved to a new donation platform called Pledge It, which supports both one-time and recurring donations. The website states that recurring monthly giving helps the organization plan, grow, and respond to community needs.
2. Pride Fest Sponsorships: Pride Fest generates revenue through corporate and organizational sponsorships at various levels (Double Rainbow, Rainbow, Purple, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red sponsors). The 2025 sponsor page lists dozens of local and regional businesses and organizations sponsoring the event.
3. Event-based Fundraising: Uniting Pride organizes fundraising events including Love Fest (an evening of dinner and a show celebrating Valentine's Day) to raise funds supporting year-round operations and programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Uniting Pride of Champaign County is an LGBTQ+ resource center that delivers volunteer-run social and support groups for all ages, free basic-needs programs (food pantry, gender-affirming items, clothing closet, lending library), LGBTQ+ cultural competency education and training for businesses, schools, healthcare providers, faith groups and nonprofits, LGBTQ-affirming community directories, and signature annual events including the CU Pride Fest (2nd largest Pride festival in Illinois), Queer Prom, and Love Fest. All programs are provided free of charge to community members and funded by donations, sponsorships, and event-based fundraising.

Product overview

Uniting Pride of Champaign County operates as a nonprofit LGBTQ+ resource center offering a portfolio of community programs and services. The core offerings include social and support groups for all ages (Queries, Talk It UP, Trans UP, Aging UP, Meet UP, Playgroup, Craft It UP), free resource programs (Eat UP food pantry, UP & Away gender-affirming items, Queer Clothing Closet, Read UP lending library), annual events (CU Pride Fest, Queer Prom, Love Fest), education and training services, and community directories (Affirming Business, Healthcare Practitioner, and Faith Community networks). Additional resources include youth, parent, adult, educator, and healthcare provider support pages plus a local resources directory. The organization serves as East Central Illinois' only LGBTQ+ resource center.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CU Pride Fest: Annual Pride Fest program created and produced by Uniting Pride of Champaign County to celebrate LGBTQ+ pride in the local community
• Eat UP
• UP & Away
• Read UP
• Queer Prom
• Love Fest
• Queer Clothing Closet

Products and services

• Social & Support Groups Volunteer-run support and social groups for LGBTQ+ community members of all ages in the East Central Illinois region, including Queries (ages 10-13), Talk It UP (ages 13-18), UParent (parents/caregivers), UP Discord Server (online adult community), Meet UP (adults 18+), Playgroup (2SLGBTQ+ families with children ages 3-10), Craft It UP (adults 18+), Trans UP (trans community 18+), and Aging UP (LGBTQ+ older adults).
• Education & Training Educational workshops and training sessions for businesses, schools, healthcare organizations, faith groups, and community organizations, provided to build LGBTQ+ cultural competency and create safer, more affirming environments.
• Eat UP Food Pantry Food pantry program stocking non-perishable food items available to anyone in the community experiencing food insecurity, operated from the University YMCA office location.
• UP & Away Free Gender-Affirming Items Free binder and waist cincher program providing gender-affirming clothing items to Illinois residents who need them, with priority for Champaign County residents. Chicago or Cook County residents are not currently served by this program.
• Read UP Lending Library Lending library of LGBTQ+ books and resources available for checkout at the office, featuring diverse titles including banned books.
• Queer Clothing Closet Free clothing resource open to community members in need, featuring shirts, bottoms, dress clothes, and outerwear.
• Queer Prom Annual free prom event held each spring for Illinois students ages 13-18, providing a safe and affirming space for LGBTQ+ youth to dance and connect with peers.
• Love Fest Annual Valentine's Day fundraising event featuring dinner and a show, raising funds that support Uniting Pride's year-round work.
• CU Pride Fest Annual week-long Pride Fest celebration produced by Uniting Pride, described as the 2nd largest Pride festival in Illinois, featuring a parade, fair, drag shows, workshops, and community programming for the East Central Illinois region.
• LGBTQ-Affirming Business Network Directory Directory of local Champaign-Urbana businesses that have committed to 10 Affirming Business Standards covering nondiscrimination policies, inclusive environments, and community engagement, helping community members find LGBTQ-affirming businesses.
• LGBTQ-Affirming Healthcare Practitioner Network Directory Directory of healthcare providers in the Champaign County area committed to LGBTQ+-affirming Standards of Care, helping LGBTQ+ patients find culturally competent healthcare.
• LGBTQ-Affirming Faith Community Network Directory Directory of faith communities in the region that welcome LGBTQ+ people, organized by values and actions, helping community members find affirming spiritual homes.

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• City of Urbana Arts & CultureflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026City of Urbana Arts & Culture is sponsoring CU Pride Fest 2026 (October 17, 2026), continuing their support as a premier-level sponsor.
• City of Urbana Arts & CultureflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025City of Urbana Arts & Culture is a Double Rainbow sponsor of CU Pride Fest 2025, providing significant financial and community support for the annual celebration of LGBTQ+ pride in East Central Illinois.
• Anthem ChampaignflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Anthem Champaign is a Double Rainbow sponsor of CU Pride Fest 2025, supporting the organization's annual Pride celebration and year-round programming.
• Clanin CreativeflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Clanin Creative is a Double Rainbow sponsor of CU Pride Fest 2025 and has been a consistent supporter of Pride events in the Champaign-Urbana community.
• City of ChampaigncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025City of Champaign is a sponsor of CU Pride Fest 2025, supporting LGBTQ+ Pride programming in the community.
• CarlecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Carle is a sponsor of CU Pride Fest 2025 and maintains a Transgender Care Directory for LGBTQ+ patients in the Champaign area.
• MTD (Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025MTD is a sponsor of CU Pride Fest 2025, supporting LGBTQ+ community events and visibility.
• Illini Media / Daily IllinicoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Illini Media (Daily Illini) is a sponsor of CU Pride Fest 2025, supporting LGBTQ+ media visibility and community engagement.
• University YMCAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025University YMCA hosts Uniting Pride's office location at 1001 South Wright Street in Champaign. The organizations collaborate on community programming and resources for the Champaign-Urbana area.
• The Founding Uniting Pride Board MembersflagshipOthers · 1 January 2025The founding board members (Kevin Bowersox-Johnson, Kris Koester, Niko Paceley, Meg Paceley, Kendall Jeonson, Christina Godoy, Carrie Keenan, Jeff Chandler, Erin Knowles, Tim Reardanz, Evelyne Tardy, Peggy Weyer, and Phil Reese) were honored as Grand Marshals of CU Pride Fest 2025 for their role in founding the organization 15 years ago.
• Molina HealthcareflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Molina Healthcare is a Purple sponsor of CU Pride Fest 2024, providing significant support for the annual Pride celebration.
• Champaign CentercoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Champaign Center is a Blue sponsor of CU Pride Fest 2024, supporting LGBTQ+ community celebrations.
• Ja'Naea Modest (DJ Silkee)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Ja'Naea Modest, known as DJ Silkee, served as Grand Marshal of CU Pride Fest 2024. She is a mainstay DJ in the community and runs the free SheSpins camp teaching girls and young women 10-17 how to DJ.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• The Trevor Project: Nationwide LGBTQ+ youth crisis intervention and suicide prevention organization. Comparable on youth mental-health support mission; overlaps with UP's youth programs (Queries, Talk It UP) but operates nationally via digital channels.
• CenterLink: National umbrella network for LGBTQ+ community centers. Uniting Pride is the type of member organization CenterLink supports; relevant because CenterLink partnerships typically unlock funding, training, and peer resources for smaller regional centers.
• PFLAG National: Nationwide LGBTQ+ advocacy and family-support organization with local chapters offering parent/caregiver support groups (similar to UParent) and community education. Broad incumbent overlapping with UP's parent-allyship programming.

Direct peers

• Indiana Youth Group: Indianapolis-based LGBTQ+ youth center offering drop-in support groups, education, and family services. Comparable model to UP's youth programming (Talk It UP, Queries) for a similar-sized Midwestern community.
• Center on Halsted: Chicago-based LGBTQ+ community center offering support groups, youth programs, healthcare referrals, and cultural events. Direct comparable to Uniting Pride as a regional LGBTQ+ community hub, though larger in scale and serving a metro area.
• Brave Space Alliance: Black-led, trans-led LGBTQ+ center on Chicago's South Side providing mutual aid, support groups, and resource navigation. Closest functional peer given overlapping program mix (food pantry, gender-affirming items, education) and regional Midwest footprint.
• Pride Center of Vermont: Regional LGBTQ+ community center serving Vermont with drop-in services, support groups, education, and a statewide Pride event. Direct peer as a state/regional-level LGBTQ+ center with multi-program nonprofit model analogous to Uniting Pride.

Regional players

• Equality Illinois: Statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights advocacy organization based in Illinois. Comparable through overlapping Illinois LGBTQ+ advocacy footprint and potential referral/coalition partner for Uniting Pride's regional work.
• OutNebraska (Outlinc): Nebraska-based LGBTQ+ community center offering support groups, education, advocacy, and the state Pride festival. Comparable as a smaller-state/regional LGBTQ+ center model with community education and event-driven engagement like Uniting Pride.
• OUTWST (Out in West Virginia) / Morgantown Pride / similar regional LGBTQ+ centers: Out in the Ozarks is a regional LGBTQ+ center in Northwest Arkansas operating on a similar nonprofit community-center model with affirming directories, support groups, and a regional Pride event. Comparable as a regional (non-metropolitan) LGBTQ+ resource hub.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uniting-pride-of-champaign-county

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Uniting Pride of Champaign County