Steven Nelson Emergency Fund

Thank you so much to everyone who supported our campaign. Because of you, we can support so many more of our students in need.  Although the PonyUp campaign has ended, you can still support the Steven Nelson Emergency Fund. If you would like to make a gift in the future to support our LGBT students, please follow this link or go to give.boisestate.edu and search for GR124 in the fund ID at the bottom of the page.

THANK YOU! We are currently at 315% of our goal for this campaign with $15,762, but we aren't done yet. With 6 days remaining, we want to see just how much more we can accomplish with your support. A $20 donation from just 12 more people will get us to a solid $16,000, and we can only go up from there. 

The Boise State Pride Alliance and the Boise community have come together to raise money for the Steven Nelson Emergency Fund! We believe students should never be forced into homelessness or have to drop out of school just because of who they are, and these students should have all of the same opportunities to succeed as their fellow Broncos.

The History of the Steven Nelson Emergency Fund:

The Steven Nelson Emergency Fund was founded in September of 2015 by Pride Alliance President Dane Snow as the LGBTQ Emergency Fund. Our students worked tirelessly with our campus and community to raise money for the fund so that no student would have to suffer because of who they are. Through our efforts, this became one of the only funds of its kind in the entire state of Idaho. 

Steven Nelson was a beloved Boise State employee who was taken from us during an anti-gay hate crime on April 29, 2016. He was well-loved at our university and was known for his caring nature toward others. We renamed this emergency fund in his memory and to honor his legacy of kindness toward those less fortunate.

About Our Project:

Boise State is one of only TWO public universities in the entire state of Idaho to have an emergency fund for gay and trans students. The Steven Nelson Emergency Fund supports LGBT students who face family abandonment, eviction, or unemployment after coming out. Students who experience these situations may have to find new homes, lose many of their belongings, and have to drop out of school to make ends meet. This project helps students afford housing, groceries, and other supplies necessary to live a normal life as a Bronco.

How You Can Help:

Your gift supports students by helping them afford homes, transportation, food, and many more living expenses! Taking on these costs suddenly and alone can force them to drop out of school. You play a major part in keeping them secure!

Know Someone in Need?

You can learn more about and apply to the Steven Nelson Emergency Fund HERE. The Office of the Dean of Students will connect applicants with a number of campus resources to help them become secure at the university. Our campus is truly a community, and we all strive to support each other.

https://deanofstudents.boisestate.edu/steven/