Organization

More than a party…making a difference for more than 20 years, and we’re just getting started!

PURPLE 101: What, how, and why

  • Purple Foundation raises funds for local organizations that work to improve the overall quality of life, health, wellness, and future of the Dallas LGBTQIA+ community.

    Purple Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, founded in 2001 by Saul Flores and group of great friends. With donated proceeds of more than $2.1 million Purple Foundation has become an invaluable source of revenue for local service organizations whose work reflects our mission.

  • We do it by sponsoring fundraising events, funding targeted programs, or underwriting special projects through essential LGBTQIA+ service providers, right here in the Dallas area. We’ve been “presenting sponsors” for multiple years for ASD’s “No Tie Dinner,” Resource Center’s “Toast to Life” benefit, and Legacy’s “Grace Project.” Looking towards the future, we want to make an even bigger impact on a larger portion of the LGBTQIA+ community. In 2022, we announced that Resource Center would be our new primary beneficiary. In keeping with our evolved mission, we made this decision primarily because Resource Center’s reach is broad and diverse with a variety of programs and projects that make a bigger impact on our community. This is Dallas, after all—”The Big D”. We’re making the Big Difference.

  • Our beneficiaries would not be able to do everything they do without our donations. Although the bulk of our beneficiaries’ operating capital is from government programs and grants, those funds must be used for very specific purposes, severely limiting what they can or cannot spend that money for—things like facility upgrades and beautification projects. One year our donations covered the cost of building an entire new, much-needed kitchen for one of ASD’s multifamily properties—something almost impossible for them to have done without our donations. Learn more about our beneficiaries and the big difference they are making, too.

How our organization operates:

  • Our team consists of two main groups: volunteers (unpaid) and staff (paid). This diverse collection includes unpaid volunteers, volunteer committee members, volunteer board members, hourly paid event staff, and one full-time paid board member who serves as the organization’s president. The volunteer board members, together with the president, form the core decision-making body of the organization.

    As we navigated through the post-COVID world and worked to redefine our purpose, we realized that our previous all-volunteer model was no longer sustainable. This realization led to the addition of paid hourly event staff and a full-time president who was necessary to oversee day-to-day operations. The sheer scale and complexity of our events required the focus and attention of a dedicated and experienced full time person to oversee them. Most medium-to-large nonprofit organizations (including most Pride organizations across the country) are structured similarly and have full time paid roles. Additionally, the extended Purple Family has always included hundreds of vendors, designers, DJs, dancers, performers, talent managers, and more—in both paid and unpaid volunteer capacities.

    After more than 18 years of dedicated service as a volunteer, former President Blake Baker emerged as the ideal candidate uniquely qualified for this new full time role. Under Blake's return to leadership, Purple Foundation experienced its most financially successful period to date, hosting events that rivaled industry favorites like Winter Party Festival, White Party, and Gay Disney. Most importantly, the organization achieved record-breaking annual donations of $200k in 2022 and $205k in 2023.

    The dedication and talent of our team have been instrumental in our success, and we are grateful for every individual who contributes to making Purple Foundation's mission a reality. Thank you for being part of our village! 🌟

  • The decision to transition the President of Purple Foundation, Inc., to a full-time paid role was a significant milestone for the organization. The Board of Directors approached this decision with care and deliberation, recognizing the importance of ensuring fairness and transparency in how the president's compensation was structured.

    After thoughtful deliberation and extensive discussions, the board unanimously agreed on a two-part compensation plan for the president. This plan includes a modest annual base salary, along with a 20/80 split arrangement of funds received from ticket and product sales. Under this split, after accounting for all expenses, the president retains 20% of the proceeds, while the organization donates the remaining 80% to our beneficiaries.

    It is important to note that donations made to Purple Foundation by sponsors or individuals are excluded from this split and are directly channeled to our beneficiaries, ensuring that their contributions have a direct and meaningful impact.

    Furthermore, the president is treated as a contractor rather than an employee, relieving the organization of payroll tax obligations on behalf of the president. In this capacity, the president does not receive employment benefits, retirement plans, or additional bonuses.

    Operating primarily from a home office, the president covers his own expenses, including health insurance, vehicle costs, technical equipment, office furniture, and utilities such as phone service, internet, and electricity. This approach reflects a conscious decision by the organization to maintain financial stewardship while empowering the president to operate efficiently and effectively.

    Considering all these factors, the organization believes that this compensation plan represents a balanced and responsible approach that will support the organization in sustaining its growth and impact for years to come.

    Purple Foundation, Inc., is a fully compliant 501c3 nonprofit corporation registered with the United States Internal Revenue Service and the Texas Secretary of State.

Our Beneficiaries

Support Staff

Make a Donation

Are you unable to attend the events but you still want to help us make a difference in our community? Or maybe you are attending but want to help us even more and receive the *tax deduction too? Great!

Why donate to Purple Foundation? Donations are essential to any legitimate charitable organization, including us! We use donations throughout the year to help build up seed money for upcoming events and provide a cushion when we scale up our operation each year as we continue to grow and evolve. That seed money is basis for us to be able to turn it into huge donations to our beneficiaries that desperately need our help. The donations we make to our beneficiaries are not required to be used for specific purposes, unlike funds from government programs and grants. So things like beautification projects, patient comfort, or facility upgrades get left out but are essential to the patients and members they provide services for. Check out our organization info page Purple 101 to find out more on how our donations make a big difference in our community.

*Event tickets/passes, door admission, and merchandise sales are not tax deductible. Only donations are considered tax deductible, not purchases (for which goods or services are given in return).