Today, at the Pride Business Association (NSW)’s Annual General Meeting, we proudly presented the 2024-25 Annual Report, a document that not only outlines our financial performance but also tells the story of a milestone year for the Pride Business Association (PBA). This report captures a period of dynamic growth, strategic refinement, and a renewed commitment to our mission: to increase corporate and business opportunities for our members and to promote the LGBTQIA+ community within the wider business landscape.
READ MORE: Read the full 2024-25 PBA Annual Report
This year has been nothing short of transformative. A key highlight was the unanimous decision at the 2024 AGM to change our name from the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Business Association to the Pride Business Association (NSW). This wasn’t just a rebrand; it was a deliberate and future-focused decision to better reflect our identity as an inclusive, statewide network for LGBTQIA+ business owners and professionals. The formal name change came into effect in early 2025, and by May, the full transition to our new name and identity was complete.
The results of this strategic shift are clear. We’ve seen our strongest membership growth since before the COVID pandemic, with a 21.7% increase across all categories. Our reach has extended further across New South Wales, with more members and guests connecting through our events and networking opportunities than ever before. This expansion is also reflected in our initiatives, such as the PBA Walks, which will now take us along the Parramatta River, marking a significant step in deepening our presence in Western Sydney and other regional areas.
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Financially, the PBA is in a strong position. For the financial year ending June 30, 2025, we are reporting a consolidated net profit of $11,552, a significant improvement from the prior year’s loss of $388. This improved result is a testament to the Board’s commitment to financial sustainability, driven in particular by an increase in grant income and a rationalisation of marketing and IT costs. Excluding the Education Fund, the PBA recorded a net profit of $13,123. The PBA Education Fund, however, reported a net loss of $1,570.
Our events portfolio continues to be the cornerstone of our community engagement. We’re proud to have brought back the iconic Buy Rainbow LGBTQIA+ Market Fair in 2024, decades after the first-ever LGBTQIA+ business fair was held. The inaugural event at Paddington Town Hall attracted around 800 visitors and featured nearly 25 LGBTQIA+ business exhibitors, creating a significant positive financial impact for the community. Building on this success, we secured a new multi-year grant from the City of Sydney to support Buy Rainbow into the future, a key step in our grants strategy.
READ MORE: Buy Rainbow 2025: Be Part of Sydney’s LGBTQIA+ Small Business Fair
The 2024-25 year was also a period of revitalisation for our other key events:
- Fruits: The one-year anniversary of Fruits Parramatta was a standout milestone, as it continues to serve as a vital networking platform for the pride community in Western Sydney. Fruits Sydney has also maintained strong growth, serving as a key gateway for new members and focusing on its core purpose of building community through curated networking.
- Lemons: Celebrating its 25th anniversary in February 2025, Lemons underwent a strategic redesign. Now held every second month in Sydney’s inner west, the event has seen great success and has fostered deeper representation and connection within the lesbian community. As of September 2025, Lemons moves to a regular monthly event.
- Long Table Breakfasts: We were thrilled to see the return of our Long Table Breakfasts, now held consistently on the second Tuesday of each month at Canva House. These breakfasts offer a relaxed yet impactful space for members to connect.
- Virtual Networking: Our collaboration with GLOBE Victoria has successfully connected small business members across NSW and Victoria through the Globe Virtual Member Meetups, fostering new business opportunities and referrals.
Everyone is welcome at the PBA! Check out our upcoming events.
A new, redesigned sponsorship model, offering calendar block packages, has created operational efficiencies and allowed our team to focus on securing new partnerships with greater consistency and value alignment. This strategic shift, combined with our growing event portfolio and increasing attendance rates, points to abundant and exciting opportunities for future sponsorships.
Finally, we must acknowledge the tremendous contributions of our community leaders. A special tribute was paid to Dr. Chris Colwell, who retired as Secretary after many years of distinguished service. Chris now chairs the PBA Education Fund Committee, succeeding Michael Shevers, and under their stewardship, the fund has attracted a record number of scholarship applications. We also collaborated with Qtopia Sydney to honour our founder, Michael Glynn, with a commemorative plaque on the Wall of Love, celebrating his legacy and reinforcing the PBA’s role as a community-focused organisation.
READ MORE: The Glynn Legacy Event 2025: A Night of Honouring LGBTQIA+ Disruptors
As we look forward, our focus is clear: to continue expanding our presence across New South Wales, grow our membership sustainably, and deliver high-quality, inclusive events that foster connection, visibility, and growth for LGBTQIA+ business owners and professionals.
The PBA is growing, evolving, and thriving, and we are confident that with the strength of our community behind us, the years to come will bring even greater impact.
READ MORE: Read the full 2024-25 PBA Annual Report
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