Heartland Pride Scholarship Program
Providing financial assistance to members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community pursuing higher education since 2012.
Congratulations · 2026 Recipients
The 2026 Scholarship Period Is Closed
We’d like to thank everyone who took the time to apply, and to congratulate our 2026 recipients. The 2027 application opens January 1, 2027. Our four $2,500 scholarships are funded by our annual Pride Parade and Festival — and by everyone supporting Pride in the Heartland. Every ticket, donation, and purchase helps make next year’s awards possible. Follow us on social media or join our newsletter to be the first to know.
How It’s Funded
The Heartland Pride Scholarship Program is funded entirely by our community. Each summer after the Pride Festival and Parade, our board reviews funds raised throughout the year and votes to allocate funding for the upcoming scholarship cycle.
Pride Festival & Parade
Proceeds from our annual Pride Festival and Parade go directly toward funding the next scholarship cycle. When you celebrate with us, you’re investing in a student’s future.
Individual Donations
Year-round contributions from supporters who believe in LGBTQIA2S+ education and access — every gift, at every size, moves a student closer to their goals.
Community Fundraising
Events organized by local groups, community members, and partners throughout the year help raise both funds and visibility for the program.
Scholarships We Offer
Every Heartland Pride scholarship carries the name of someone whose courage, presence, or advocacy helped shape our community. When you apply, you become part of that story.
Brad Fugeli Scholarship
$2,500 AwardBrad started the first Gay-Straight Alliance at Omaha North High School, organizing for safer schools long before it was common. This scholarship honors his belief that every student deserves a safe place to learn.
Who can applyLGBTQIA2S+ students ages 18–24 pursuing higher education.
Marsha P. Johnson Scholarship
$2,500 AwardA prominent drag queen and activist whose voice helped shape the modern gay rights movement, Marsha lived her truth loudly and supported countless others in doing the same.
Who can applyLGBTQIA2S+ students ages 25 and older.
Dino Andrande Scholarship
$2,500 AwardDino was a constant presence at Heartland Pride — showing up to every event and meeting, always working to make things better. This scholarship carries his generosity forward.
Who can applyLGBTQIA2S+ individuals with disabilities (as defined by Nebraska Rule 51) pursuing higher education.
Eli Rigatuso Scholarship
$2,500 AwardEli is a local equal rights activist, transmasculine Two-Spirit member of the Menominee Nation, and former Marsha P. Johnson Changemaker Award recipient who uses his lived experience to lift up others.
Who can applyBIPOC LGBTQIA2S+ students pursuing higher education.
Eligibility & How to Apply
The requirements below reflect the 2026 application cycle and give you a sense of what to expect. Requirements for 2027 may change pending review and approval by the Heartland Pride board.
2026 Eligibility Criteria
- Permanent residence in Nebraska or Iowa.
- Completion of all requirements to attend post-secondary education or trade school.
- Acceptance as a full-time or part-time student at a college, university, or trade school program for the upcoming academic year.
- A completed Scholarship Application, time-stamped by 11:59 PM on March 31.
- A minimum 250-word essay: “How the Heartland Pride Scholarship will impact my education.”
What You’ll Submit
- Transcript — unofficial is acceptable; attach as a PDF to your application.
- Proof of acceptance at an academic, vocational, or technical school for post-secondary studies (scanned letter or PDF).
- Essay — a minimum of 250 words on how the scholarship will impact your education.
Recipients are selected based on academic record, demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities, honors, work experience, statement of goals and aspirations, unusual personal or family circumstances, and the submitted essay.
All applicant information is confidential and reviewed only by the Heartland Pride Scholarship Selection Committee, whose decisions are final. Scholarships are not renewable, but students may reapply in any year they meet the eligibility requirements. Recipients are notified by email by June 1; not all applicants will be selected.
Our History & Why It Matters
Established in 2012, the Heartland Pride Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to LGBTQIA2S+ individuals enrolled at community colleges and universities, or pursuing certification through trade schools — for every kind of learner, and every path to a brighter future.
Heartland Pride celebrates and promotes the history, diversity, and future prosperity of the LGBTQ+ community of the Heartland. Investing in education is how we build toward our vision.
National research shows LGBTQ adults are more likely to carry federal student loan debt than their non-LGBTQ peers, and more than half of transgender adults hold federal student loans.1 We believe in a day when the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer community is globally integrated and recognized for its contributions — and we help build it one student at a time.
Sources
- Conron, K.J., O’Neill, K.K. (2021). Federal Student Loan Debt Among LGBTQ People. The Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law, in collaboration with Point Foundation. williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu ↩