The Prairie Pride Coalition is a nonprofit organization focused on support for LGBT individuals that operates in Bloomington-Normal and McLean County, Illinois. Originally established in 1995, the group positions itself as the local LGBT community organization for the region. The organization seeks what it considers full civil rights protections for LGBT individuals. ^{1  2  3  4}

Activism

The Prairie Pride Coalition endorses protests targeting federal policies under the second Trump administration. In June 2025, it supported the “No Kings” Nationwide Day of Defiance, a coalition effort organized locally by Bloomington Normal 50501 and Voices of Reason which drew over 2,000 attendees to the lawn of the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. The coalition was also backed by the ACLU of Illinois and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington-Normal’s social justice team. ⁵

Programs and Partners

The Prairie Pride Coalition’s Pride of the Prairie Scholarship annually recognizes high school juniors or seniors in McLean County, Illinois, for significant contributions to LGBT advocacy. Aimed at fostering leadership and “social justice,” the scholarship supports post-secondary education costs. Eligible nominees, who need not identify as LGBT, are evaluated for advocacy, outreach, or mentorship. Nominations require a support statement and are reviewed by a committee, with awards presented at the June Pride Picnic. The award amount depends on fundraising. ⁶

The Prairie Pride Coalition offers lists of businesses and organizations that the group recommends to LGBT individuals. The group also lists organizations that partner with or support the cause of the Prairie Pride Coalition, including the Acorn Equality Fund, which focuses on funding LGBT initiatives, and Central Illinois Friends, a group dedicated to HIV/AIDS support and prevention. The Edwardsville Pride Inclusivity Center (EPICenter) works to foster inclusive environments in the Edwardsville area, while Equality Illinois serves as a statewide advocacy network promoting a legislative agenda for LGBT interests. Gender Envy provides resources for transgender and non-binary individuals, and Heartland Community College Pride supports student-led inclusivity efforts. The Illinois Eagle, a media outlet, covers LGBT issues, while ISU Pride and IWU Pride Alliance are campus-based organizations at Illinois State University and Illinois Wesleyan University, respectively, focusing on student advocacy. Peoria Proud organizes community events in Peoria, and PFLAG Bloomington-Normal offers support for families and allies of LGBT individuals. The Queer Coalition at Illinois State University engages in campus activism, and Queer and Sober Central Illinois provides a sober community space for LGBT individuals. ⁷

The Prairie Pride Coalition, through their Gender Expansive Resource Center, provides “gender-affirming” undergarments through a partnership with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington-Normal and the Universalist Unitarian Church of Peoria, including chest “binders” and tucking “gaffs” at no cost for “trans, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming” individuals in the McLean, Livingston, DeWitt, Peoria, Tazwell, Logan, and Marshall counties of central Illinois. ^{8  9}

People

As of September 2025, Dave Bentlin works as the president of the board of directors of the Prairie Pride Coalition, a position he has held since 2012. Bentlin is also a member of the LGBTQ Healthcare Advisory Council of the Carle BroMenn Medical Group since 2019. As of September 2025, he is also a liaison for the Statewide Network Group at Equality Illinois, a role he has held since 2016. ¹⁰

1. Prairie Pride Coalition. “Home.” Accessed September 29, 2025. https://ppc-il.org. 
2. Equality Illinois. “Statewide Network.” Accessed September 29, 2025. https://www.equalityillinois.us/17128-2/. 
3. Prairie Pride Coalition. “About the PPC.” Accessed September 29, 2025. https://ppc-il.org/About.html. 
4. ProPublica. “Nonprofit Explorer: Prairie Pride Coalition Inc.” Accessed September 29, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/454216135. 
5. McLean County Democrats. “Join Voices of Reason Community Discussion.” Facebook, November 2023. https://www.facebook.com/mcleancountydemocrats/posts/join-voices-of-reason-an-indivisible-group-in-mclean-county-and-bloomington-norm/1100154972147271/. 
6. Prairie Pride Coalition. “Pride of the Prairie Scholarship.” Accessed September 29, 2025. https://ppc-il.org/about/prideoftheprairie/. 
7. Prairie Pride Coalition. “2024-25 Bloomington-Normal Area LGBTQIA+ Business & Resource Directory.” Accessed September 29, 2025. https://ppc-il.org/resources/business-and-resource-directory/. 
8. Prairie Pride Coalition. “Gender Expansive Resource Center of Central Illinois.” Accessed September 29, 2025. https://ppc-il.org/gerc/. 
9. Prairie Pride Coalition. “Gender Expansive Resource Center.” Google Forms. Accessed September 29, 2025. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdt23vWGLyChUPt54KLAsntUDiYwmXo2L2qJUMJym7DVzdjiA/viewform. 
10. LinkedIn. “Dave Bentlin Profile.” Accessed September 29, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-bentlin-51290928/.