Read our June newsletter here.
This Pride Month, the rainbow logos were harder to find.
Across corporate America, a quieter Pride Month reflected a louder retreat. According to the Human Rights Campaign’s 2026 Corporate Equality Index, participation by Fortune 500 companies willing to publicly disclose their LGBTQ+ inclusion practices fell by 65%, from 377 companies in 2025 to 131 in 2026. That decline is about more than branding. As companies pull sponsorships, soften public language, and step back from DEI commitments, the impact reaches community-based organizations that depend on corporate support to serve people most at risk.
Visiting the Stonewall Inn this month with my husband was a reminder of how much we need these queer-serving organizations. LGBTQ+ elders are twice as likely to age as ‘solo agers’ compared to their heterosexual peers and are often more economically insecure. One third of LGBTQ+ older adults are at or below 200% of the federal poverty line compared to a quarter of their heterosexual peers. The national retreat of corporate and federal support from organizations serving this population has made life harder for queer older adults.
At Next50, we are committed to the kind of support that doesn’t come with an asterisk. We support MiGen in Michigan, which encourages LGBTQ+ elders to age out loud, Loving Beyond Understanding, which provides a safe space in rural Colorado, Diverse Elders Coalition, a national organization that advocates for aging communities of color, including LGBTQ+ elders. Lastly, Denver’s own The Center on Colfax, which not only has put on the pride parade here for more than 50 years but also recognizes the power of intergenerational connection within the LGBTQ+ community.
We hope you continue to support your local LGBTQ+ organization during this difficult time. As Next50 looks towards our next strategic plan, we will not be retreating from our values or the queer communities that need us most. Instead, we will continue to double down on creating a world that values aging for all.
~ Peter Kaldes, Esq. President and CEO
In the June newsletter, we highlight our 10-year impact report that was released last May. We also encourage prospective Colorado-based board members to apply to join our board of trustees, and feature grantees doing great work in Colorado.
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