SF Pride Grand Marshal and Heritage of Pride / Commemorative Awards Policy

1. Authority

This policy is in all respects subordinate to the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and Standing Rules of the Corporation.

2. Purpose and Categories

A. There will be four (4) categories of Grand Marshals: Community Individuals, Community Organization, Lifetime Achievement, and Celebrity. B. Grand Marshals will be selected for their contributions to the LGBTQI+ communities. C. Grand Marshals shall serve as VIPs of the Parade and be placed towards the front of the lineup. They shall not serve as spokespersons for the Parade and/or SF Pride, nor will they automatically be asked to speak on any of the various Celebration stages or at any of the SF Pride official events. D. Grand Marshals may elect to either march in the Parade or ride in a vehicle provided by SF Pride at no cost to the Grand Marshal.

3. Definitions

A. Board: The Board of Directors of SF Pride (San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride Celebration Committee, Inc.). B. Members: The General Membership of SF Pride.

4. Qualifications and Criteria

A. The Individual Community Grand Marshals shall be local members of the community who have made a positive impact and/or contribution to the SF Bay Area LGBTQI+ community and/or society at large.

  1. “Local members of the community” shall be defined as individuals currently and primarily living in the nine-county Bay Area: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma counties.
  2. “Primarily living in the nine-county Bay Area…” shall be defined as the individual residing in one of the nine Bay Area counties for more than six consecutive months of the calendar year.

B. The Organizational Grand Marshal shall be a local nonprofit organization, following the same criteria as individual Community Grand Marshals.

C. The Lifetime Achievement Grand Marshal shall follow the criteria of the Individual Community Grand Marshal, with the addition of having their contribution to the LGBTQI+ community being both significant and having spanned many years.

D. Celebrity Grand Marshals (and/or Celebrity Guests) shall be an individual or group of individuals with national or international name recognition who have demonstrated their support, alliance, and/or coalition with the LGBTQI+ community.

E. All community, organizational, and lifetime achievement grand marshals, as well as any awardees and honorees, will have their criteria verified by the Executive Director and/or anyone assigned by the Executive Director, with final sign-off by the Executive Director prior to in-meeting voting and ballot creation.

F. No two nominees may represent or be employed by the same organization, nor shall they be employed by or affiliated with an Organizational Grand Marshal candidate.

5. Nomination, Selection, and Election

A. Number of Grand Marshals, Awardees, and Recipients

  1. One (1) Community Grand Marshal elected by public vote.
  2. One (1) Community Grand Marshal elected by SF Pride General Members.
  3. Up to two (2) Community Grand Marshals appointed by the Board.
  4. One (1) Organizational Community Grand Marshal elected by public vote.
  5. One (1) Lifetime Achievement Grand Marshal selected by the Board.
  6. Up to two (2) Celebrity Grand Marshals may be selected from a “wish list” generated by the membership. Suggestions for the list shall be solicited from the members in November.
  7. At least one (1) awardee from the special awards category may be selected by the Board in any given year.

B. Nomination, Selection, and Election Timeline

  1. November: a. A Celebrity Grand Marshal/Guest “Wish List” will be opened at the November Membership Meeting, and remain ongoing until it closes at the April Membership meeting. b. Suggestions for Individual and Organizational Community Grand Marshals shall open at the November General Membership meeting, and close at the January General Membership meeting.
  2. January: a. Suggestions for Individual and Organizational Community Grand Marshals shall close at the January General Membership meeting. b. Following the January Membership Meeting and upon closure of the suggestion poll, the Board may, at its discretion, whittle down the list of Community Grand Marshal suggestions to ten (10) candidates to be placed on the voting ballot. When selecting those to be placed on the voting ballot, the following shall be considered as criteria: Annual Theme, Timeliness, Diversity, Connection to/with the local community, and previous Community Grand Marshal selections. c. Following the closure of suggestions, all potential nominees will be vetted and confirmed, biographies and headshots collected, and ballots designed.
  3. February: a. Online voting ballots will be prepared and published within seven (7) business days of the February Board meeting for the member vote. Ballots will feature a maximum of ten (10) Community Grand Marshal nominees and five (5) Organizational Grand Marshal nominees.
  4. March: a. The deadline to close member voting/polling will be the Monday before the March General Member meeting. b. Winners of the member vote will be announced at the March General Membership Meeting. c. Members will have an opportunity to vote for their choice of Community Grand Marshal from the list of candidates on the public slate. d. Following the March General Membership Meeting, and no later than the April Board Meeting, the Board of Directors may also choose up to two (2) additional Community Grand Marshals from the slate, as well as select a Lifetime Achievement Grand Marshal.
  5. April: a. Within fourteen (14) business days after the April Board meeting, all elected Community Grand Marshals will be contacted to accept or decline the honor, submit a short bio, and supply a high-resolution photograph; and announcement of the final Community Grand Marshals will be made.

C. Voting Ballots

  1. Most voting will take place online only, with in-person voting and accommodations facilitated on a case-by-case basis by SF Pride Staff.

D. Publicity

  1. Press releases, email announcements, and social media notifications shall accompany the opening and closing of all nominations, the start of all elections, and the sum results from those elections.
  2. Whenever possible, profiles of the Grand Marshals will be included in the SF Pride publications and website.

6. Special Awards

The Board may, in any given year, award one (1), some, all, or none of the following special awards:

A. Heritage of Pride Awards

  1. 10 Years of Service Award: For those organizations, individuals, or other entities that have contributed ten (10) years of consecutive service to the LGBTQI+ community.
  2. Pride Freedom Award: For outstanding contributions to advancing civil rights and freedom for LGBTQI+ people.
  3. Pride Creativity Award: For outstanding artistic contribution to the LGBTQI+ community.
  4. Pride Community Award: Given for outstanding service to LGBTQI+ communities.

B. Commemoration Awards

  1. Gilbert Baker Pride Founder’s Award: Honors those who have made a significant and historical impact on the LGBTQI+ community and the movement for LGBTQI+ rights.
  2. Audrey Joseph LGBTQI+ Entertainment Award: Honors those who have made a significant and historical impact, or left an indelible impression on the LGBTQI+ community and the movement for LGBTQI+ rights, through their artistic expression, or through their contribution within the entertainment industry.
  3. José Julio Sarria History Maker Award: Given to Bay Area people who make extraordinary changes in the way society views the LGBTQI+ community.

C. Mayoral Awards

  1. Teddy Witherington Award: Awarded by the current City of San Francisco Mayor, recognizing those individuals who have contributed a longstanding, large body of work to the LGBTQI+ community.

7. Amendment

The Board may amend this policy either by consensus or simple majority.

Approved by the Board: February 1, 1999
Amended: January 4, 2000; October 3, 2000; January 7, 2003 (Substantially); October 28, 2003; January 7, 2014; December 2, 2014; March 3, 2015; January 6, 2016; April 8, 2026

San Francisco Pride Celebration Committee, Inc.

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