Iowa Pride Network History
Since our launch in June 2003, the Iowa Pride Network has become a leader in the area of LGBT student leadership and development; empowering students through direct outreach and assisting students in building safer high schools and colleges with an emphasis on reducing isolation. This year, our model program will reach over 1,000 LGBT students across Iowa. In addition, the Iowa Pride Network is working to increase student achievement levels and increase the likelihood that LGBT students will continue on to college or other higher education and succeed.

Organizational Mission:
The Iowa Pride Network works directly with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students in their quest to create safer, more inclusive schools and communities and helps LGBT students build successful futures. We do this by:

1. Empowering students through direct outreach and support
2. Educating students on their rights and available resources; and policy makers and educators on LGBT student issues
3. Ending the isolation that many LGBT students face by networking them together, and;
4. Helping LGBT students build successful futures in Iowa, through resources and educational opportunities

Organizational Vision:

IPN: is a successful nonprofit organization enabling the creation of a statewide grassroots network of GSA and GSA coalitions at the middle, high school, community college and college level.

Iowa LGBTA students: are safer, informed on their rights and available resources, feel less isolated and achieve greater success in Iowa.

Educators and policy makers: are informed of the issues facing LGBTA students.

Achievements in the past three years:
• The creation of nearly 20 new Gay-Straight Alliances doubling the number of GSA’s in Iowa since our founding in 2003.
• GSA Conference attendance has tripled—2006: over 150 students and advisors.
• Over 50 on-site high school and college support visits were conducted which led to the development of 3 regional GSA Coalitions (Cedar Valley, Eastern and Central) and a statewide College Coalition (so far, 15 colleges/universities have signed-on)
• Through the coalitions, 15 meetings were held in 2006, which led to more sustained student groups and better programming to increase school safety
• Collected and analyzed data from the first administered Iowa Pride Network School Climate Survey which assessed—for the first time ever—the level of homophobia, racism and gender-bias in Iowa schools; and have disseminated nearly 5,000 copies of our Key Findings to better educate the public about the need for safe schools
• Became co-sponsors of the Matthew Shepard Scholarships
• Co-Sponsored the Governor’s Conference on LGBT Youth and presented the opening session/student panel which helped put a student face on the issues of bullying and harassment to over 500 participants
• The 1st Annual LGBT & Allied Student Day at the Capitol was well-attended and received substantial press coverage through our joint press-conference with the Lt. Governor.
• Revamped website has had over 60,000 hits since its re-launch in November 2005
• An institutional partnership has been initiated with the Middleton Children’s Rights Center at Drake University in Des Moines—to help the Iowa Pride Network process legal matters concerning LGBT student’s rights in Iowa
• Full time director started work on June 1, 2005
• A Board of Directors was successfully developed by August 2005
• Hired our first part-time intern for summer 2006