The city of Los Altos’ will fund half the estimated $16,500 cost of Sunday’s Gay/Straight Alliance parade in accordance with a longstanding city policy, officials said. The policy covers any non-profit organization applying for a special-event permit.

According to President Roy Lave of the Los Altos Community Foundation, the supporting groups have raised the remaining half of the expenses.

City Manager Phil Rose said the city pays the entire cost, estimated at $8,000, for police and other staffing at the annual Kiwanis Pet Parade, held May 20. The city pays for half of the Chamber of Commerce Fall Festival, which Rose estimated costs $2,700 total, and roughly half of the Los Altos Arts and Wine Festival’s $21,000 total cost.

The city draws from its general fund, which includes property-tax monies, for parade costs.

The Gay/Straight Alliance parade’s primary sponsor, the Los Altos Alliance for Youth, is a donor-advised fund of the Los Altos Community Foundation.

Parade participants will include the Gay/Straight Alliance clubs at Gunn, Palo Alto, Menlo-Atherton, Mountain View and Fremont high schools. Other participants include Los Altos Councilman Curtis Cole, the League of Women Voters of Los Altos-Mountain View, Congregation Beth Am and Foothills Congregation Church.

The parade, scheduled for noon, starts at State and Third streets in downtown Los Altos. A post-parade rally will be held in the Community Plaza at the corner of Main and State streets.