Capital Pride Economic Impact Report
July 2021
Economic Impact Report / 1
Mission The Capital Pride Alliance, through its stewardship of diverse programming and events like the year-round LGBTQ+ Pride festivities centered in the District of Columbia and the National Capital Region (comprised of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV)), serves to celebrate, educate, support, and inspire their multi-faceted communities in order to grow preserve the history and protect the rights of current and future generations.
Table of Contents Capital Pride Alliance...........................................................................................1 Capital Pride Amid a Pandemic ............................................................... 1 A Collaboration with a Volunteer Consulting Team...................................... 1 Medallia................................................................................................ 2 About the Report..................................................................................................3 About the Survey .................................................................................... 3 Survey Methodology............................................................................... 4 Economic Impact Approach...................................................................... 5 Letter from the Executive Director...........................................................................7 Executive Summary..............................................................................................9 Section I: Survey and Economic Impact Data........................................................11 Survey Analysis Method......................................................................... 11 Overall Economic Impact Due to Capital Pride 2019................................. 11 Survey Demographics ........................................................................... 11 Comparable Cities................................................................................ 12 Total Expenditure for Capital Pride.......................................................... 13 Event Data............................................................................................ 14 Lodging............................................................................................... 15 Food & Beverages................................................................................. 16 Transportation....................................................................................... 17 Tourism................................................................................................ 19 Clothing and Goods.............................................................................. 20 Capital Pride Satisfaction....................................................................... 20 Section II: Qualitative Interviews..........................................................................21 About the Interviews.............................................................................. 21 The Interview Participants....................................................................... 21 Significant Findings............................................................................... 21 Nonprofit Organizations........................................................................ 22 Businesses............................................................................................ 22 Acquisition, Engagement, and Retention.................................................. 23 Financials............................................................................................. 23 Effects of COVID-19.............................................................................. 23 Acknowledgements............................................................................... 23 Partner Sponsor Organization................................................................ 22
Economic Impact Report / i
The Capital Pride Alliance fulfills its mission primarily through a volunteer team serving on the Board of Directors, the Production Team, or as one of over 300 on-site volunteers with support from a small staff.
ii / Capital Pride
About Capital Pride Alliance The Capital Pride Alliance, located in the District of Columbia (DC), is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and allied (LGBTQ+) communities through educational events, entertainment, community outreach, and celebrations of diversity. The Capital Pride Alliance annually produces Capital Trans Pride and the signature Pride Celebration in the nation’s capital, one of the largest Pride events in the country, along with a variety of educational and community events throughout the year. The Capital Pride Alliance fulfills its mission primarily through a volunteer team serving on the Board of Directors, the Production Team, or as one of over 300 on-site volunteers with support from a small staff.
Capital Pride Amid a Pandemic The Capital Pride Alliance is in the midst of a new chapter. Traditionally, Pride events have created a platform for the LGBTQ+ community to gather and proudly celebrate LGBTQ+ people, history, and culture in a visible way. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the Capital Pride Alliance was not able to celebrate a traditional in-person Pride in June 2020 or in June 2021. However, the Capital Pride Alliance is actively working to create unique and inspiring opportunities in place of the usual festivities. The Capital Pride Alliance remains committed to celebrating the LGBTQ+ community by organizing and supporting Pride events that ignite connections and provide visibility for critical issues, build on existing and new partnerships in order to maximize the community’s resources, and develop new and accessible programming.
A Collaboration with a Volunteer Consulting Team The Capital Pride Alliance collaborated with a group of experienced consultants from Booz Allen Hamilton, who independently volunteered to produce this Economic Impact Assessment. Booz Allen analyzed and visualized Capital Pride’s Medallia survey data.
Economic Impact Report / 1
Booz Allen also quantified the Capital Pride Alliance’s estimated economic impact on the District of Columbia to support Capital Pride in preparing for a future bid for World Pride in 2025. This team will be referenced throughout the report as the Volunteer Economic Impact Assessment team. The Capital Pride Alliance thanks these volunteers for the 12+ months they have been working on this Economic Impact Analysis.
Medallia Medallia’s award-winning software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform, the Medallia Experience Cloud, is a customer feedback management software platform that leads the market in the understanding and management of experience for customers, employees and citizens. Medallia captures experience signals created on daily journeys in person, on calls, in digital channels, over video and social media and Internet-of-Things interactions. Medallia applies proprietary Artificial Intelligence technology to reveal personalized and predictive insights that can drive action with tremendous business results. Capital Pride Alliance thanks Medallia for providing the trusted survey and data tool for this report.
2 / Capital Pride
About the Report The Capital Pride Alliance needs reliable data on the economic impact of Pride celebrations in the National Capital Region (DMV). The Economic Impact Analysis report will be used directly to request funds from the DC government and bid to carry out the first ever World Pride Celebration held in DC. WorldPride, licensed by InterPride and organized by one of its members, is an event that promotes visibility and awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT pride) issues on an international level. WorldPride includes parades/marches, festivals and other cultural activities such as human rights conferences. DC has not hosted a World Pride celebration, but as a top ranked LGBTQ+ community and immensely diverse city, the Nation’s Capital is long overdue to showcase its incredible offerings. Additionally, the Capital Pride Alliance is looking to provide qualitative data to launch the upcoming bid for World Pride in 2025, which entails securing allocated funding in partnership with the DC government. Having the numbers to support our community is a strategic imperative that brings the Capital Pride Alliance closer to its goals.
About the Survey To achieve its short-and long-term goals, the Capital Pride Alliance partnered with the Volunteer Economic Impact Assessment team to collect, consolidate, and analyze reliable data that showcase the investment and value of Pride Celebrations to Washington, DC. The Medallia survey period was January 7, 2021 through February 5, 2021. It was distributed across various Capital Pride Alliance social media channels, such as Facebook and Twitter, through email distributions, and by word of mouth and resulted in 400+ respondents. Thank you to all survey respondents who took time to provide their thoughtful and candid submissions.
Economic Impact Report / 3
Survey Methodology The economic impact survey and assessment involved three key steps for data collection, analysis, and production. First, the Volunteer Economic Impact Assessment team carried out a retroactive assessment analyzing spending behavior of 2019 Capital Pride attendees and determined the impact of local versus non-local participants. This streamlined approach helped the Capital Pride Alliance hone their understanding of what local resources were impacted during Capital Pride including: accommodation, food and beverage, entertainment, tourism, and transportation. After identifying what industries and data points would be most beneficial, the volunteer Economic Impact Assessment team crafted and distributed the survey through Medallia’s survey platform to over 400 respondents. Economic multiplier data was then used to extrapolate the findings and assess the overall economic impact of Capital Pride events, in terms of dollars spent and jobs created. The total dollar amount reported by survey respondents within an industry is multiplied by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)-provided Regional Input-Output Modeling System (RIMS II) multiplier(s) to produce the total economic impact. Overall, the results of RIMS II indicate that an initial change in economic activity results in other rounds of additional spending and employment. RIMS II multipliers are provided via fee for service by the BEA. The results of the survey provide the quantitative basis from which to project the economic impact assessment of Capital Pride. Additionally, the team carried out a series of qualitative interviews with local businesses to collect direct, nuanced feedback from the industries and organizations that partner with Capital Pride.
4 / Capital Pride
Economic Impact Approach This economic impact analysis was conducted in the DMV region. This region is defined as: District of Columbia; Calvert, MD; Charles, MD; Frederick, MD; Montgomery, MD; Prince George’s, MD; Arlington, VA; Clarke, VA; Culpeper, VA; Fauquier, VA; Loudoun, VA; Madison, VA; Rappahannock, VA; Stafford, VA; Warren, VA; Alexandria (Independent City), VA; Fairfax, Fairfax City and Falls Church, VA; Prince William, Manassas and Manassas Park, VA; Spotsylvania and Fredericksburg, VA; and Jefferson, WV. The survey data combined with economic information resulted in the final economic analysis, which was based on regional economic multipliers utilizing the 2012 Benchmark Input-Output Table for the Nation and 2018 DMV regional data. The Regional Product Division of the BEA provided the RIMS Type II multipliers, which utilize the location quotient method for estimating Regional Purchase Coefficients. Each multiplier for an industry represents the total dollar change in the output that occurs in all industries. For each additional dollar of the output, the delivered final demand by the industry corresponds with the respective Capital Pride survey economic impact. Note, this method does not correct for cross-hauling (the simultaneous exporting and importing of a given commodity), so it likely underestimates inter-regional economic impacts. Also, RIMS II uses a single household spending pattern for induced personal consumption.
Economic Impact Report / 5
6 / Capital Pride
A Letter from the Executive Director Dear Friends, This past has been one of struggles, resilience, and triumph. The Capital Pride Alliance has had to move beyond our annual traditions of celebration and remembrance and reflect on how we can best serve our community during these challenging times. The decision to put our usual Pride traditions on hold has given us the opportunity to also work on serving our community in different ways. We continue to fulfill our mission by providing diverse programming and events in the National Capital Region and we are always looking for additional inclusive and accessible ways to bring Pride to a larger audience. We want to help foster the growth and development of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as provide a sense of unity, by looking to the future and preparing for a time when we can all come together once more. The Capital Pride Alliance partnered with an industry leader to gauge the economic impact of Pride celebrations on the District of Columbia. This study will be integral in aggregating data that demonstrates the critical role that Pride celebrations have in bolstering the DC economy. The Economic Impact Study will ultimately support future efforts to get direct support from DC for the annual Capital Pride Celebration. The study will also provide the foundation to launch our upcoming bid for World Pride in 2025, enabling us to expand our presence and programming globally. The valuable input that we received from our community partners will allow us to get to the root of what makes Pride great and how we can make it better. This effort will help us demonstrate how Pride is a critical investment for DC. Facts and figures – while not the most colorful thing at Pride – produce the measurement and evidence to better cross collaborate with our community and truly showcase how Pride not only brings joy, community, and love to our community but improves our District as well! I am pleased to share with you the findings that our special team put together, and I am very excited for the moment we can celebrate Pride in-person once again. Sincerely,
Ryan Bos Executive Director of Capital Pride Alliance Economic Impact Report / 7
AMOUNT OF PEOPLE ATTENDED: 550,000 SPENT BY ATTENDEES: $217 M ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THE DMV REGION $371M INCREASE OF OVER 3.7K JOBS
ESTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT $108M ON LODGING $11M ON TOURISM $174M ON FOOD $31M ON GOODS & SERVICES $74M ON DONATIONS
8 / Capital Pride
Executive Summary Capital Pride has become a hallmark event in the DMV area—bringing hundreds of thousands of people together for festivities, showcases, and celebrations spanning multiple days. In 2019, Capital Pride had one of its biggest celebrations yet with 550,000 participants attending the Capital Pride weekend of festivities, which included the Parade and Festival. To quantify the economic impact of Pride, Capital Pride coordinated a group of volunteers who conducted an Economic Impact Assessment. The team of volunteers surveyed a diverse group of 400+ attendees of 2019 Capital Pride. The report findings are not surprising—Capital Pride brings the LGBTQ+ and broader community together and, as a result, produces a lot of economic activity in the DMV— including for queer-owned businesses, regional corporations and franchises, local hospitality, to name a few. The key takeaways of the Economic Impact Assessment are included on the opposite page. For a complete analysis of the full impact of Capital Pride, please read through this report.
Economic Impact Report / 9
Image
10 / Capital Pride
Section I: Survey and Economic Impact Data Survey Analysis Method Capital Pride delivers significant economic stimulus to the National Capital Region (comprised of DC, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV)) by creating an opportunity to attract thousands of attendees to the area in support of the local economy. Survey respondents reported spending money at restaurants and businesses across all four quadrants of Washington, DC and throughout the DMV. Many Pride attendees noted that their participation in Capital Pride also included travel to and around the DMV for the festivities, as well as making reservations at rental homes or hotels for their stay in the Nation’s Capital. Each transaction made by a participant in Capital Pride celebrations bolsters the DMV economy and underscores the value of the events for community and local organizations alike.
Overall Economic Impact Due to Capital Pride 2019 Out of the LGBTQ+ and allied communities that participated in Capital Pride, it is estimated that the 550,000 Pride attendees spent $217M. Using the economic multiplier, the estimated total economic impact of Capital Pride festivities on the DMV in 2019 is approximately $371M, and an increase of 3,700 jobs.
Survey Demographics The two largest demographics of survey respondents were attendees aged 25-34 (37%) and attendees aged 35-44 (26%).
Economic Impact Report / 11
Of survey respondents, 86% had previously attended Capital Pride prior to 2019. 0-17
2
18-24
26
25-34
121
35-44
86
45-54
58
55-64
28
65 and over
10
Prefer not to answer
4 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Respondents by Age
Figure 1. Survey Respondent Age (2019)
Since assuming responsibility for leading the Pride Parade and festivities in the DMV in 2007, the annual Capital Pride Celebration has grown from 2,000 people in its first year in 1975 to 10,000 people covering three blocks in 1979. By 1984, it had expanded to a week-long event and by 1987 an estimated 28,000 attendees came to the Festival and Parade. In 2007, the Festival was the fourth largest LGBTQ+ Pride event in the United States. Capital Pride saw record attendance for its 35th anniversary celebration in 2010. An estimated 100,000 people turned out for the Parade and another 250,000 for the street festival in 2012. Attendance has continued to grow, with the event now becoming one of the largest Pride celebrations in the United States through activities that are focused on celebrating, educating, and supporting our LGBTQ+ community.
Comparable Cities • According to the Atlanta Pride Committee, as of 2017, attendance at their annual event had grown to around 300,000. • Reports note that the 2019 Houston Pride Festival and Parade had record attendance of nearly 700,000 people from all over the world. • About 300 people attended the first Boston march in 1971. The city’s Pride Guide, a magazine published by Boston Pride, estimated that the 2014 parade had 25,000 marchers, 150,000 guests, and 400,000 spectators. Officials said more than 750,000 people took part in the Boston Pride Parade in 2019.
12 / Capital Pride
110
120
130
Here are a few major highlights from the 2019 celebrations:
550,000+ Attendees 65+ Floats
Capital Pride
285+ Exhibitors
200+ Volunteers
110+ Sponsors 440+ Organizations and Businesses
Additionally, in 2019 Capital Pride Alliance hosted the first-ever Pride fireworks on the waterfront area. During this event, exhibitors who set up booths along Pennsylvania Avenue and 3rd Street were representatives from: LGBTQ+ businesses and organizations, food vendors, and even local and federal government agencies, like the U.S. Department of State, the CIA, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Total Expenditure for Capital Pride With growing Pride attendance there are also increased expenses involved with planning, executing, and hosting the Pride festivities. Each year, Capital Pride Alliance must carefully plan their financials and allocate accordingly. Indeed, Capital Pride Alliance pays a significant portion out of pocket to ensure the successful staging of events, including over $2.4M in 2019 on the parade and festivities alone. Some examples of expenses include:
$213,000
$30,000
$495,000
Security and Safety Expenses
Food & Beverage Retail
Equipment Purchasing and Rentals
As a nonprofit organization, Capital Pride Alliance’s primary revenue streams come from sources such as private businesses, in-kind donations, subsidized fees, and individual donations.
Economic Impact Report / 13
Event Data Based on survey responses, the Capital
180
Pride website was the most influential
160
attend Pride events, followed by friends
140
Respondents Influenced to Attend
factor in 2019 attendees’ decisions to and social media. Of the eight Pride Events hosted in 2019, the Capital Pride Parade and Festival hosted June 8-9, 2019, were the most attended events of the season. This is consistent with Capital Pride’s efforts to
120 100 80 60 40 20
focus on these events as the cornerstone of
0
their programming. An assortment of other events were also attended by Pride attendees. The attendee numbers in Figure 3 are
Capital Pride Website
Friends
Social Media
Event Guide
Search Engine
Other
Note: survey responses n=334
Figure 2. Influences on Capital Pride Attendance/Participation
not mutually exclusive, as attendees often attend more than one event per season. On average, respondents spent 12.15 hours at Pride Events. This aligns with Figure 3’s findings that the majority of respondents
Pride Parade Festival Block Party
attended the Capital Pride
Concert
Parade and Festival, which
RIOT!
are the most time-intensive Pride events. Black Pride and Trans Pride
COUNTDOWN! Rooftop Rally
were the most attended
Brunch
events other than the Capital
Other
Pride Parade and Festival. There were several other intersectional prides, including Latinx Pride, Asian Pacific Islander Pride, Leather Pride,
14 / Capital Pride
0
50
100
150
200
250
Note: survey responses n=328
Respondent Attendees
Figure 3. Capital Pride-related Events by Attendee Participation (2019)
Silver Pride, and Youth
Black Pride
Pride. Additionally, some
Capital Trans Pride
participants attended an intersectional Pride activity
Other Event
not previously mentioned.
DC Leather Pride
Trans Pride is organized by
DC Latinx Pride
Capital Pride, and Black
Youth Pride
Center for Black Equity, a
Pride is organized by the nonprofit based in the DC
Silver Pride
area. API Pride 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Note: survey responses n=84
Respondent Attendees
Figure 4. Intersectional Pride Events by Attendee Participation (2019)
Lodging Of survey respondents, 85% were local 14.02% (47) Non-Local
to the National Capital region (Figure 6). Despite this, many attendees did travel to partake in Capital Pride. The survey data
85.07% (285) Local Residents
indicates that 18% of respondents (not displayed here) spent money on lodging/ accommodations. It is worth noting this is
Note: survey responses n=36, displayed responses n=332
Figure 5. Proportion of Local Residents (2019)
a larger portion of the pool of non-local respondents, indicating that some local residents also chose to purchase lodging. Respondents who purchased lodging
stayed an average of 3 nights in that lodging and spent an average of $668.70. Economic Impact It is estimated that 95,000 Pride attendees purchased lodging/accommodations, spending approximately $63M. The total economic impact of this spending on the DMV is approximately $107M, with an increase of 815 jobs.
Economic Impact Report / 15
Food & Beverages On average, survey respondents spent $185.40 on food and beverages for
Local Restaurant/Bar
the event duration.
Food Truck
Of the venues where attendees
Liquor Store
purchased food and beverage, the three most popular venues were local
Grocery Store
restaurants and bars (87% of respon-
Corporate Chain Restaurant
dents), Food Trucks (45%), and Liquor Stores (43%). Economic Impact In total, 99% of respondents reported purchasing food and beverages. It is estimated that over 541,000 Pride
Convenience Store/ Gas Station Other 0
50
100
200
250
Note: survey responses n=316
Respondents made food and beverage purchase
Figure 6. Food and Beverage Spending Locations (2019)
attendees purchased food and beverages, spending approximately $100M. The total economic impact of this spending on the DMV is approximately $174M, with an increase of 1,960 jobs. Of those respondents, the breakdown of food and beverages is as follows: • 88% of respondents, or approximately 480,000 Pride attendees, purchased food and beverages from local restaurants, such as Annie’s or Trade. • 45% of respondents, or approximately 245,000 Pride attendees, made at least one purchase at a food truck. • 44% of respondents, or approximately 238,000 Pride attendees, purchased beverages from local liquor stores. • 31% of respondents, or approximately 468,000 Pride attendees, purchased food and beverages from grocery store, such as Safeway or Whole Foods. • 29% of respondents, or approximately 156,000 Pride attendees, purchased food and beverages from a corporate chain restaurant, such as Chipotle, Sweetgreen, or Subway. • 28% of respondents, or approximately 149,000 Pride attendees, purchased food and beverages from convenience store or gas station, such as CVS or 7/11.
16 / Capital Pride
150
Transportation Of the modes of Metro
45.5%
Walking
42.8%
Rideshare
34.0%
Car (I owned it or borrowed it for free)
transportartion reported, the three most common were: Metro (46% of respondents),
27.7%
Bus
7.2%
walking (43%), and
Scooter or Bikeshare
7.2%
rideshares (34%).
Carpool/Driven by a friend Other (Please specify)
Please refer to Figure
6.3%
8 for more details.
3.6%
Taxi
2.1%
Car (I rented it)
1.8%
MARC/Amtrak/ Other train
1.2% 0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Note: survey responses n=332
Respondents
Figure 7. Travel Methods (2019) Of respodents that reported using ground transportation during their
Table 1. Travel Expenditure (2019)
Pride attendance, Table 1 con-
Average Public Transit Expenditure (Bus or Metro)
$12.45
tains the average expense per
Average Rideshare Expenditure
$46.39
transportation type, including by
Average Gasoline/Fuel Expenditure
$29.66
rental car, bikeshare, taxi, public
Average Scooter/Bikeshare Expenditure
$14.42
Average Taxi Expenditure
$67.86
Average Rental Car Expenditure
$536.70
Economic Impact
Average Train Expenditure
$73.00
• 50% of respondents traveled
Average Parking Expenditure
$23.02
transportation, train, or gas and parking expenses.
by public transit (bus and/
Note: Average spending by respondents who reported having each kind of expenditure. Sample sizes vary by travel method
or metro). It is estimated that 270,000 Capital Pride attendees used public transit, spending approximately $3.4M. The economic impact on the DMV region is approximately $5.5M. • 35% of respondents traveled by rideshare. It is estimated that 187,199 Capital Pride attendees utilized ridesharing services, spending approximately $8.6M. The total economic impact on the DMV region is approximately $14.1M, with an increase of 277 jobs.
Economic Impact Report / 17
• 35% of respondents purchased gasoline/fuel in order to attend Capital Pride. It is estimated that 188,000 Pride attendees had gasoline/fuel expenses, spending approximately $5.6M. The total economic impact on the DMV region is approximately $14M, with an increase of 135 jobs. • 2% of respondents traveled by rental car. It is estimated that 9,900 Pride attendees used a rental car to participate in Capital Pride, spending approximately $5.3M. The total economic impact on the DMV region is approximately $10.1M, with an increase of 52 jobs. • 28% of respondents traveled by their own car. It is estimated that 152,410 Pride attendees participated in commuting to Pride with their own car. The economic impact of this is accounted for in the fuel/parking expenses. • 2% of respondents traveled by trains, such as MARC or Amtrak. It is estimated that 6,600 Capital Pride attendees used the train spending approximately $487,000. The total economic impact on the DMV region is approximately $776,000, with an increase of 3 jobs. • 7% of respondents traveled by carpool. It is estimated that 34,000 Capital Pride attendees carpooled. The economic impact of this is accounted for in the fuel and parking expenses. • 3% of respondents traveled by taxi. It is estimated that 11,000 Capital Pride attendees used taxi services spending approximately $786,000. The total economic impact on the DMV region is approximately $1.3M with an increase of 25 jobs. • 8% of respondents traveled by bikeshares or scooters. It is estimated that 40,000 Pride attendees used a bikeshare spending approximately $573,000. The total economic impact on the DMV region is approximately $932,000, with an increase of 18 jobs. • 43% of respondents traveled by walking. It is estimated that 235,000 Pride attendees participated in walking. • 35% of respondents had parking expenses. It is estimated that 189,000 Pride attendees had parking expenses spending approximately $4.3M.
18 / Capital Pride
Tourism As a result of being in town to attend the Capital Pride Celebration, 20% of respondents also visited tourist destinations. Of the tourist events attendHappy Hour
ees attended, respondents showed a strong preference
Dance Party/ Nightclub
for dance parties, happy
Drag Show/ Performance Theater
hours, and drag shows/performance theater (Figure 9).
Arts/Cultural Event
Economic Impact
Music
20% of respondents participated in tourist activities. It
Other
is estimated that 110,000 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Note: survey responses n=97
Respondents who Attended Event Type
Figure 8. Attended Local Events Not Related to Pride (2019)
Pride attendees participated in non-Capital Pride tourist activities, spending $6.4M
dollars. The total economic impact on the DMV region for tourism during the Capital Pride weekend was approximately $11M, with an increase of 85 jobs.
Donations & Philanthropic Impact 49% of respondents donated to nonprofits
Did you make a donation during Pride month?
No 51.8%
Yes 48.2%
% of donors who made donations because it was Pride month
100% 90%
31.25%
during Pride month. Of the respondents surveyed about their donations, 69% indicated
80%
they donated because it was Pride month. It
70%
is estimated that 265,179 Pride attendees
60%
donated to nonprofits, spending approximate-
50%
ly $74M. Capital Pride work amplifies the philanthropic impact for LGBTQ+ organiza-
40% 30%
68.75%
tions and awareness of their work.
20% 10% 0%
Note: survey responses n=336
Note: survey responses n=160
Figure 9. Donation to Nonprofits during Pride month
Economic Impact Report / 19
Clothing and Goods Economic Impact 63% of respondents consumed clothes and goods, which includes chain stores. Approximately, 336,000 Pride attendees purchased clothes and goods during the Capital Pride festivities, spending approximately a total of $34M. About 72% of those respondents (44% of all respondents) bought those clothes and goods from local businesses during Capital Pride, spending approximately $17M. The total economic impact on the DMV region is approximately $31M, with an increase of 312 jobs.
Capital Pride Satisfaction The Net Promoter Score (NPS) calculates the percentage of customers
How likely are you to recommend Capital Pride events to a friend?
200
rating their likelihood to recommend a company, a product, or a service to a friend or colleague.
150
Respondents were highly likely to recommend Capital Pride to a
100
friend (NPS = 90%). Most respondents rated a “10” when answering how likely they would be to
50
recommend Capital Pride events to a friend. Respondents also strongly agree Capital Pride events are meaningful to them (4.5/5).
20 / Capital Pride
0
1
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Note: survey responses n=334
Figure 10. Capital Pride Recommendation (2019)
Section II: Qualitative Interviews About the Interviews To provide a holistic perspective of the 2019 Capital Pride parade and weekend, qualitative interviews were conducted with representatives from several area businesses and nonprofit organizations in DC. From October to December of 2020, the volunteer Economic Impact Assessment team interviewed organizations connected to the Capital Pride Alliance and the 2019 Pride Parade and Festival. From local nonprofits to stalwart queer-owned bars, these 30-minute interviews provided in-depth and personal narratives crucial to demonstrating the impact of Pride. These deeper insights shed light on the diversity of Capital Pride festivities’ impacts and benefits.
The Interview Participants Interviews were conducted with representatives from a sample of businesses and organizations, including queer-owned businesses and organizations located directly along the parade route. The interview pool included diverse subjects, spanning a variety of locations, demographics, and industries, such as restaurants, media, and philanthropic organizations. The Economic Impact Assessment volunteer team thanks all those who participated in these interviews.
Significant Findings The qualitative interviews found that involvement in Capital Pride festivities provided organizations with significant visibility and valuable opportunities to build brand awareness. Nonprofit organizations and businesses maximize their involvement in Capital Pride by: Sponsorship Official sponsors have their names displayed on booths, floats, and other methods during the Parade and Festival.
Events
Parade Participation
Organiztions can throw either official or non-official events.
Organiztions can participate by walking with a team on foot or building a float to be in the parade.
Economic Impact Report / 21
All of the nonprofit organizations and businesses included in the study participated in Capital Pride through at least one of these engagement approaches, and all stated that involvement in Capital Pride festivities helped increase their organization’s brand awareness. The survey results indicate that the benefits of participating in Capital Pride differed for nonprofit organizations and businesses in a few key ways, detailed below.
Nonprofit Organizations Nonprofit organizations use the Capital Pride festivities to build awareness among a few key groups:
Potential Donors
Potential Members
Potential Beneficiaries
Of all the ways to get involved, nonprofit organizations reported that sponsorship and participation in Capital Pride events to be most effective for generating awareness among potential donors, members, and beneficiaries. Sponsorship provides significant brand exposure for nonprofits. All study participants from nonprofit organizations report that membership and engagement increase during and around Capital Pride weekend. The biggest value of the involvement for nonprofits, however, was the relationship-building opportunities provided by the Parade, Festival, and other Pride-related programming. Since these events attract so many people, they provided additional visibility and exposure that made outreach more efficient and cost-effective. Additionally, they provided a valuable hands-on opportunity to build relationships and connections with a large and diverse audience.
Businesses Businesses were primarily focused on using the Capital Pride festivities to expand their customer base. Similar to nonprofit organizations, sponsorship of and participation in the Capital Parade provided for-profit organizations with opportunities for significant brand exposure. Compared to nonprofit organizations, businesses placed a higher emphasis on hosting both official and unofficial events to generate greater customer engagement. Official events are events hosted by a restaurant or entertainment venue as a part of the Capital Pride event calendar. Unofficial events are events that happen during the Capital Pride Celebration but are not directly tied to the Capital Pride event
22 / Capital Pride
calendar. Most organizations reported that hosting these events were highly effective at increasing their customer base.
Acquisition, Engagement, and Retention Throughout the interviews, there have been countless cited benefits of Capital Pride from each participating organization. These are a few of the major benefits noted by interviewees:
Financials In addition to the exposure and engagement benefits, the Capital Pride parade and festivities also support local businesses. In particular, restaurants and bars reported increased revenue during Capital Pride weekend. Pride has incredible impact in generating increased revenue for local businesses during the course of weekend celebrations and events. Some of the most notable examples include:
Effects of COVID-19 Due to COVID-19, all Pride parades and festival events were shut down for June 2020 and will likely be for 2021. Underscoring the benefits, the annual Capital Pride Celebrations normally deliver, the ceasing of Pride festivities has had an enormous, adverse impact on businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations that traditionally gleaned significant benefits from annual Pride celebrations. Organizations reported a slew of negative effects resulting from the halting Pride celebrations including:
Acknowledgements Special Thanks to The Volunteer Team…. Grace Mahoney Emilee Cocuzzo Evan Byrne Brett Ekberg Madeline Caper Nai Le Russell Sobel, PhD Sian Lewis Andrew (Aaron?) Bagby Michael Pacheco
Sebastian Steadman Dominique Chamely Samuel Waddell Marta Vivanco Lianna Newman Conor Halloran Adrian Deal Booz Allen Hamilton’s Women in Data Science (WiDS) Matt Dunham
Partner Sponsor Organization
Economic Impact Report / 23
Capital Pride Alliance 2000 14th Street NW #105, Washington, DC 20009 https://www.capitalpride.org/
