Be an Ambassador of Joy!
Your gift to the Band helps us further our message of visibility, inclusivity, and love.
Why Support the Band?
Your gift to the Band helps us further our message of visibility, inclusivity, and love. Since we debuted as the world’s first openly gay musical organization over 40 years ago in 1978, we have tirelessly marched forward with our mission of fostering understanding of the LGBTQ+ community through musical performance.
In the words of our founder Jon Sims, “Our Message is Music.” With your generous support, we can amplify this message for generations to come.
We could not do all that we strive to do without your help! The support of our community ensures that the Band can continue to build bridges through the universal language of music – music that can put a known face on coming out and where it wouldn’t matter whether you were queer or not. Your generous gifts help us to expand our programs to larger audiences, provide our members with strong musical development, and enable us to represent San Francisco and the Bay Area as our community’s “Ambassadors of Joy.”
Donate
Your tax deductible donation helps us further our mission. Click a category below for some specific examples how we put donations to good use:
- Sponsor a concert, including hall rental, equipment moving and handling, insurance, etc. (2,500+)
- Sponsor the cost of a charter bus to share the band's music with new communities across California ($3,000+)
- Commission new music for band premiere ($5,000)
- One month of concert band rehearsals, including location rental, equipment, and artistic direction
- One month of pep and marching band rehearsals, including location rental, equipment, and artistic direction
- Sponsor a scholarship for a member's participation in four concert sets (one year)
- Dry cleaning our overlays between parade seasons
- New percussion equipment
- Scholarship for member to attend musical development "band camp" workshop
- New concert or pep band music selection
- Instrument section coaches (one 2-hour session per instrument group for most concerts)
- New percussion equipment
- Sponsor a scholarship for a member's participation in one concert set
- Uniform: marching plume, shako, overlay, or pep jacket
- Two music stand lights
- Ten new tutus to rent out during the Dance-Along Nutcracker
- General membership support - help remove financial barriers to member participation (e.g. supplies, quarterly dues, full uniform set, member social bonding event, travel costs, etc.)
- Instrument repairs
Donate Online
Make a tax-deductible donation online by completing our secure donation form.
Donate By Mail
If you prefer to make a donation by mail using a check or credit card, simply print our donation form, and mail the completed form to:
San Francisco Pride Band
584 Castro Street, PMB 841
San Francisco, CA 94114
Make a Donation of Stocks/Bonds
A gift of appreciated stocks and/or bonds is a simple and tax-effective way to support the band. For appreciated securities held longer than one year you can deduct the full fair market value of a stock or bond donation. The band has a Fidelity account for accepting donated securities. For questions, please contact us.
Jon Sims Endowment Fund for the Performing Arts (JSEF)
The San Francisco Pride Band is affiliated with the Jon Sims Endowment Fund for the Performing Arts (JSEF). Its endowed funds have been given to this 501(c)(3) organization for investment purposes. The JSEF exists to provide financial support for LGBTQ+ performing arts organizations. To carry on the dreams of founder Jon Sims, the JSEF attracts funds and bequests, invests the contributions, and distributes grants to qualified groups. If you are interested in making a lasting donation or bequest to benefit the band, please contact the JSEF.
Support Our Sponsors
The donations made by our sponsors touch every aspect of our organization. Help us continue our mission by supporting these sponsors.
Shop at Cole Hardware
Cole Hardware gives the band 10% of purchases every day of the year! Just ask the cashier to post your purchase to the San Francisco Pride Band (account #585). It’s that simple!
Community Thrift Store
Donate goods to the Community Thrift Store, a non-profit resale organization that recycles and distributes donated household items, furniture, and clothing throughout the Bay Area. Mention the SF Pride Band (account #41) when donating goods.
A heartfelt thanks to the sponsors below who have continued to support the Band for many years and in some cases, decades. Click on each logo to find out more about the respective organization.
Volunteer
You don’t need to play an instrument to get involved! The Band is seeking enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers and leaders. Your efforts will help make our concerts and events better for our fans and members.
We welcome volunteers in the following areas:
- Parades - carry a flag or banner, join the hydration team
- Concerts - usher, collect tickets, sell merchandise, and provide other support
- Lend us your skills - fundraising, graphic design, social networking, photography, storytelling, prop building, flash mob planning, bookkeeping, event planning, catering
- Leadership - join the band's Board of Directors; you do not need to be a performer or musician to join the Board of Directors
Become a Sponsor
Partner with the San Francisco Pride Band and help bring music, joy, and LGBTQ+ visibility to audiences across the Bay Area and beyond. As a sponsor, your organization supports a beloved community institution while connecting with engaged audiences at concerts, parades, special events, and programs throughout the year.
Sponsorship and advertising opportunities are available for organizations of all sizes. We’d love to work with you to build a partnership that reflects your goals and makes a meaningful impact.
Contact us to discuss sponsorship opportunities
Sponsor Dance-Along Nutcracker
Bring your brand into one of the Bay Area’s most joyful holiday traditions. The Dance-Along Nutcracker offers a festive, inclusive experience for audiences of all ages—and an especially fun way to support the Band’s work.
Contact us about Dance-Along Nutcracker sponsorship