The Lauren Danley Scholarship Program
Investing in LGBTQ+ students, allies, and a Wyoming where everyone can thrive.
The Lauren Danley Scholarship supports Wyoming students pursuing higher education, training, and other post-secondary opportunities—whether they remain in Wyoming or take their next step somewhere else.
Created through the generosity and vision of longtime Wyoming Equality supporter Lauren Danley, the scholarship reflects Lauren’s belief that it is never too late to live authentically and that when we invest in one another, we create communities where everyone has the opportunity to belong and thrive.
Applications for the 2026–2027 scholarship cycle are open October 5–November 30, 2026.
At a Glance
Applications Open: October 5, 2026
Deadline: November 30, 2026
Applicants Notified: No later than January 31, 2027
Awards Distributed: February 1–March 31, 2027
Who Can Apply?
Applicants for either scholarship must:
Be a current Wyoming resident
Have graduated from, or be completing, a Wyoming high school or Wyoming-based equivalent, including homeschool or GED
Be pursuing post-secondary education, training, or career preparation
Be enrolled, accepted, or planning to enroll within 12 months of the award year
Eligible pathways include traditional two- and four-year colleges and universities, but they are not limited to them. Trade and technical schools, certification programs, apprenticeships, workforce training, and other recognized post-secondary pathways are welcome. Lauren Danley Scholarship Guidi…
You do not have to attend school in Wyoming to qualify. This scholarship is about supporting Wyoming students wherever their educational path takes them.
For the inaugural cycle, Wyoming Equality plans to award $10,000 in scholarships, with five $2,000 awards available across the two scholarship categories.
Two Scholarships. One Shared Vision.
The Lauren Danley Scholarship recognizes that creating a Wyoming where people can thrive takes both LGBTQ+ people living authentically and allies willing to stand beside them.
Eligible for both? You may apply for both scholarship categories through the same application.
Lauren Danley Scholarship for Transgender & Gender Nonconforming Students
For Wyoming students who identify as transgender, nonbinary, gender nonconforming, or another identity within the broader transgender and gender-diverse community and are pursuing post-secondary education or training.
Three $2,000 awards are planned for the 2026–2027 cycle.
No documentation or proof of gender identity is required. Applicants are never expected to disclose more about their identity, transition, personal experiences, or hardship than they are comfortable sharing.
Lauren Danley Scholarship for Outstanding LGBTQ+ Ally
For Wyoming students who have demonstrated meaningful and sustained allyship, advocacy, leadership, or service benefiting LGBTQ+ people and communities.
Two $2,000 awards are planned for the 2026–2027 cycle.
Allyship can take many forms—from school or community involvement to supporting family, volunteering, advocacy, caregiving, faith communities, workplace leadership, or simply doing the work to make the spaces around you more welcoming and inclusive.
Applicants do not need to identify as LGBTQ+ to qualify for this scholarship.
Meet Lauren Danley
A life of authenticity, service, and community
Lauren Faye Danley is a parent, grandparent, veteran, advocate, longtime Wyoming Equality supporter, and proud transgender woman whose life has been shaped by service, persistence, community, and the courage to keep becoming more fully herself.
Lauren spent 20 years serving in the United States Air Force, including deployment during Operation Desert Storm. Wyoming eventually became home, and after retiring from military service, Lauren returned to Cheyenne.
Her journey toward living openly as Lauren unfolded over many years. In 2003, at age 52, she experienced a moment she still describes as the day she “walked on air.” While out in Denver as Lauren, a stranger simply treated her as the woman she knew herself to be. That ordinary moment of recognition became extraordinary—and marked a new chapter in her life.
Not long afterward, Lauren found community at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Cheyenne and within transgender support communities. She also joined the Wyoming Equality Board of Directors, beginning years of LGBTQ+ organizing, advocacy, and service.
Lauren hosted a transgender support group in Cheyenne, organized Transgender Day of Remembrance services, supported Wyoming Equality’s HIV/AIDS prevention and care efforts, connected transgender people with resources, and presented on transgender issues at the University of Wyoming. She served as Wyoming Equality’s liaison during the ENDA/United ENDA movement, helped establish anti-bullying work through Sexual Minority Youth Advocates, and chaired Cheyenne’s AIDS Walk committee.
For years, you could also find Lauren at Wyoming Equality’s Rendezvous and marching in Denver Pride.
Through all of it, Lauren’s work has centered on a simple idea: people deserve the opportunity to live authentically, find community, and build meaningful lives.
During the pandemic, Lauren fulfilled a longtime goal of establishing a scholarship through Wyoming Equality for LGBTQ+ people and allies. For her, the scholarship is another chapter in a life spent investing in the people and communities around her.
Lauren celebrated her 75th birthday in 2026 and continues her involvement with Wyoming Equality, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Cheyenne, friends, family, and the community she has spent decades helping build.
Her story—and this scholarship—remind us that there is no single path toward becoming who we are.
“And often we just need to pay attention,
to look beyond first impressions,
to be open to what is real.”
—Lauren Danley, Ode to Feldspar
Lauren’s story embodies the values at the center of the scholarship: authenticity, dignity, belonging, service, courage, opportunity, and the belief that Wyoming is stronger when we look out for one another.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No. You may attend a college, university, trade or technical school, certification program, apprenticeship, workforce training program, or another eligible post-secondary pathway. Your program may be inside or outside Wyoming.
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Not for the Outstanding LGBTQ+ Ally Scholarship, which recognizes meaningful allyship, advocacy, leadership, or service benefiting LGBTQ+ people and communities.
The Transgender & Gender Nonconforming Students Scholarship is for transgender, nonbinary, gender-nonconforming, and other gender-diverse students.
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No. No documentation or proof of gender identity is required.
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No. The potential impact of scholarship support is considered, but applicants are not ranked by hardship. You are not required to disclose trauma, deeply personal experiences, or detailed financial information.
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No. A letter of support is optional, and applicants are not penalized for applying without one.
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Yes, if you meet the eligibility requirements for both categories.
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Yes. Applicants may reapply in future cycles if they remain eligible. Previous recipients may also be eligible to reapply.
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No. Public recognition, storytelling, check-ins, and other engagement with Wyoming Equality are optional. A recipient’s name, image, or story will only be shared with their consent.
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The application is designed to be approachable, affirming, accessible, and low-burden.
You’ll provide basic information about yourself, your Wyoming education, and the post-secondary path you are pursuing or considering.
You’ll also answer four short written questions about:
Your education or career goals
A commitment, leadership experience, responsibility, or experience that has shaped you
How you have helped—or hope to help—create welcoming and supportive communities
What receiving the scholarship would make possible or easier for you
Suggested length is 150–300 words per response.
You do not need to be a polished writer, prove hardship, or disclose deeply personal experiences to submit a strong application.
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Scholarship funds may be used for education-related expenses, including:
Tuition and fees
Books and educational supplies
Housing
Transportation
Technology or equipment
Certification or program costs
Other education-related expenses
Funds may be paid directly to the recipient or their educational institution.
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Eligible applications are independently reviewed by members of the Lauren Danley Scholarship Selection Committee using a standardized rubric.
Reviewers consider:
Alignment with the scholarship’s purpose and values
Commitment, leadership, or resilience
Educational goals and clarity of path
Community impact or potential impact
Need and context
Applicants are evaluated based on what they choose to share. Financial and structural barriers are considered in context, but applicants are not ranked by hardship.
There is no single way to demonstrate leadership, service, resilience, or community impact. Formal titles, perfect writing, impressive résumés, or access to lots of extracurricular activities are not prerequisites for a strong application.
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Ready to Apply?
Your education does not have to follow one particular path. Your leadership does not need a title. And you do not need to tell us your hardest story to deserve support.
If you are building a future for yourself—and helping create a Wyoming where more people have the opportunity to belong and thrive—we hope you’ll apply.
Applications are open October 5 through November 30, 2026.
All applicants will receive a decision no later than January 31, 2027.
Questions about the scholarship or your eligibility? info@wyomingequality.org or 307-222-8178