NWT Pride has a $5,000 hole in their funding pool for this year, following a decision by the city to deny a grant request on the basis of insufficient financial information.

In past years, NWT Pride has received grants without full financial information, proof of good standing with Registrar of Societies and a signed copy of their last AGM financial report.

That leeway wasn't granted this year, and the new NWT Pride Board is starting from square one in the absence of SA国际影视传媒済ood bookkeepingSA国际影视传媒� information from past boards, said NWT Pride president Les Champs.

However, the grant funding policy is SA国际影视传媒渃lear,SA国际影视传媒� stated city communications director Richard McIntosh in an email.

SA国际影视传媒淭o be eligible to receive funding, organizations must submit all the information that is requested in the application," he stated.

In 2016, NWT Pride submitted an application and were required to provide all the relevant information to meet the criteria.

NWT Pride did not make a submission for grant funding in 2017.

SA国际影视传媒淭he city is open to speaking with representatives from NWT Pride about this year's event,SA国际影视传媒� said McIntosh.

Champs said while the city has its established rules, it set a precedent in past years where it would issue funding.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is a two-way street and people were nice enough to just help us out,SA国际影视传媒� said Champs. SA国际影视传媒淭hings change and we have a society where we have to play along by the rules.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淏ecause of lack of proper book keeping and administration SA国际影视传媒� and I don't like to trash the previous boards because they've done a lot of good work SA国际影视传媒� we are reaping what has happened,SA国际影视传媒� said Champs.

With only months to go, NWT Pride is scrambling for federal money and private sponsorship to make sure it has the money necessary to put on its many events.

The organization puts on events throughout the year, including a large festival in August every year in Yellowknife and an event in Hay River.

SA国际影视传媒淚t is a celebration of the queer and trans community. It's also an opportunity for us to showcase that we're here, we're proud to be who we are and it's OK to be who you areSA国际影视传媒� said Champs.

The cost of running Pride isn't small change, said Champs. The price tag for running Pride and bringing performers into the city is upwards of $100,000.

SA国际影视传媒淥ur goal is to always showcase queer and trans and northern artists to get people in there but its also a celebration of the queer and trans community,SA国际影视传媒� said Champs.

Pride itself is not bound for cancellation, said Champs, adding that the organization will continue to put on smaller events throughout the year.

SA国际影视传媒淚n the mean term I am willing to accept donations from any person, or organization or any corporation. I will accept money from anyone to help us have our festival,SA国际影视传媒� Champs said.

NWT Pride submitted an almost SA国际影视传媒渃arbon-copySA国际影视传媒� of its past year's successful applications, said NWT Pride vice-president Lisa Vanterve.

SA国际影视传媒淣ow we have to rework our model. We're going to have to look more to corporate sponsorship. (...) If we go corporate then it becomes more of a corporate pride. Pride is still pride and I don't want to have to plaster corporate sponsors on everything."

The money provided by the city has, in past years, been earmarked and spent on city-related expenses, she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚t seems like a trivial amount of money for someone else but it's a huge thing for us.SA国际影视传媒�

For some folks, Pride is the SA国际影视传媒渙nly safe spaceSA国际影视传媒� for queer and trans people in the city, said Vanterve, adding that a Pride parade in a different city was the first time she felt safe holding another woman's hand in public.

SA国际影视传媒淧ride is so important to me because I came out at pride time in my own city,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淲e're disheartened because it limits our ability to know if next year if we can go forward to make it bigger,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淵ou eventually want your city to be a big part of that and we want to make this a major community event that becomes a tourism event.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淧ride is really important to give a face to a marginalized community,SA国际影视传媒� said Vanterve. SA国际影视传媒淲e're still learning how to be inclusive and its so important because it creates those dialogues, those bonds and those relationships.SA国际影视传媒�