Search Through Nebraska Grants for Nonprofits in the U.S.

CHS is a leading global agribusiness owned by farmers, ranchers and cooperatives across the United States. Diversified in energy, agronomy, grains and foods, CHS is committed to creating connections to empower agriculture, helping its farmer-owners, customers and other stakeholders grow their businesses through its domestic and global operations. CHS supplies energy, crop nutrients, seed, crop protection products, grain marketing services, production and agricultural services, animal nutrition products, foods and food ingredients, and risk management services. The company operates petroleum refineries and pipelines and manufactures, markets and distributes Cenex® brand refined fuels, lubricants, propane and renewable energy products. 

Agricultural and cooperative education: AG leadership

The CHS Foundation supports agricultural leadership and cooperative education projects that build a robust, diverse pipeline for agriculture and help people understand the value of the ag cooperative business model.

About Us

Our Mission

The mission of The Auto Club Group Foundation is to work on behalf of our members and the communities we serve to create lasting solutions, inspire learning and provide funding in the areas of traffic safety, driver education and financial literacy.

Our History

In 1902, nine motor clubs across the country joined together to form the American Automobile Association (AAA) to protect the rights and interests of automobile users and promote better highway and traffic safety. Today, The Auto Club Group Foundation continues to support those interests by investing in traffic safety, driver education and financial literacy initiatives. The Auto Club Group Foundation which is a private Foundation, represents 14 states and 2 U.S territories, and is an integral part of AAA's evolution and success.

How We Work

Our approach to grant funding comes from a very basic principle which is to have an understanding of the goals and objectives of local communities. Our relationships, which have developed from years of community service, allow us to offer support in a more impactful and meaningful way.

The Auto Club Group Foundation, which is a private foundation, is funded by our sponsoring organization, AAA – The Auto Club Group. We award grants to organizations and initiatives that enhance our mission in the areas of Traffic Safety, Driver Education and Financial Literacy throughout our 14 U.S. states and two U.S. territories.

Priority Areas

Traffic Safety

The Auto Club Group Foundation is dedicated to supporting traffic safety programs and initiatives that make our roadways safer for all users. The ACG Foundation strives to be responsive to emerging traffic safety issues by considering grant applications that are forward thinking and address new technology.

Financial Literacy

The Auto Club Group Foundation supports financial literacy programming in grades K – 12, empowering students with the tools they need to make sound financial decisions.

Driver Education 

The Auto Club Group Foundation wants to ensure everyone has access to quality driver education by supporting scholarships and programming needs in underserved communities.

Background

CHS is a global agribusiness owned by farmers, ranchers and cooperatives across the United States. Diversified in energy, agronomy, grains and foods, we’re committed to creating connections to empower agriculture, helping our owners and customers grow their businesses.

General inquiriesWe consider other requests that benefit the agriculture or cooperative industry.

Our Mission

The mission of the Ethel S. Abbott Charitable Foundation is to perpetuate the charitable generosity that Ethel S. Abbott demonstrated through her 97 years of life.

Welcome

Welcome to the Ethel S. Abbott Charitable Foundation. This private foundation strives to give a helping hand to those 501(c)(3) organizations that are trying to make a difference in peoples lives. Requests have been granted through the years to organizations with diverse areas of focus, such as: education, the arts, the environment, the disadvantaged, human services, sports and wellness programs. The Ethel S. Abbott Charitable Foundation looks at each grant request uniquely for its potential to impact people's lives and to ultimately make a difference in the community.

The Grant Interest Form is intended to provide us with information about your organization and the proposed grant you are seeking. The Foundation can only make grants to 501(c)(3) organizations, government entities, and Nebraska based operations.

If your organization meets the above requirements, we invite you to complete the grant interest form on our website.

The Hirschfeld Family Foundation (the “Foundation”) is a private, independent foundation established in 1993 to promote the well-being of the citizens of Nebraska. Our mission is: To make a difference where we can.

What We Do

We receive and evaluate requests for monetary grants. We prefer to fund specific, time-limited requests rather than budgetary programs. Priority is given to organizations located in Central and Western Nebraska, but not restrictively. As we decide which requests to fund, we look for projects and programs that directly benefit the disadvantaged and vulnerable among us.

Community Works

NorthWestern Energy is a community within many communities. We are close to 1,600 individuals working collectively to build stronger communities in Montana, Nebraska and South Dakota through the production, generation and delivery of electricity and natural gas.

Our goal is to be a leading corporate citizen in each of the diverse communities we serve. In 2019, our Community Works Fund contributed more than $2.1 million in economic development, charitable donations and community sponsorships. We are invested fully in the community spirit that connects us in common purpose.

Grant Categories

NorthWestern Energy wants to make the communities it serves better places to live, work and prosper. That's why we're proud to donate to a wide range of worthy causes. We encourage qualified nonprofit organizations that operate within our service territory to apply for donations through our NorthWestern Energy Charitable Giving program. Our local committees review requests year-round and determine funding.

While we seek to support a wide range of community activities, donations will generally be made to those non-profit groups that have the greatest opportunity for positively affecting the communities we serve and are focused in one of the following categories:

Education:

• Education remains a primary focus of the company. Donations to education will primarily be made through university system foundations and scholarship programs. Donations will also be made in support of local colleges, and special primary and secondary education programs in the fields of science, technology, math, and youth leadership.

Health And Human Services:

• Donations will be considered for organizations serving human needs such as the United Way, youth homes and special community health and safety needs. Donations will generally not be made to national health organizations or for medical equipment or research funds.

Civic And Community:

• Donations will be considered for civic improvement, special events, and youth and senior citizen organizations.

Culture And The Arts::

• Donations will be considered for local museums, libraries, cultural centers and the performing arts.

Resource Conservation::

• Donations will be considered for requests regarding environmental preservation including habitat, fish, and wildlife protection.

About Us

Saving pets. Together.

The Petfinder Foundation has been helping animal shelters and rescue groups since 2003. We are the ONLY national organization that does nothing but give cash and product grants to adoption groups.=

How We Work

Our programs are designed to keep homeless pets physically and mentally healthy so they can find loving forever homes.

Our grants put food in bowls, provide medical care, and help rescue animals from disasters. When pets are in need, we’re there to help.

P.L.A.Y. Pet Beds 

Applications are reviewed and awarded 10 Chill Pads on a monthly basis to specific geographical regions. 

The Petfinder Foundation has partnered with P.L.A.Y. Pet Lifestyle and You through the Warm Bellies Initiative to give luxury beds to shelter pets. P.L.A.Y. joins us in the belief that every pet deserves a warm and cozy place to sleep

Applications are reviewed and awarded 10 Chill Pads on a monthly basis to specific geographical regions. You may apply for this grant program once. Grant applications from this program are reviewed based on the location of your organization and the monthly state awarding schedule below:

• January: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts
• February: Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York
• March - Pennsylvania, New Jersey
• April: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia
• May: North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida
• June: Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin
• July: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky
• August: Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi
• September: Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, Wyoming
• October: Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas
• November: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Nevada
• December: Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas

Robert B. Daugherty

Robert B. Daugherty Foundation is a private foundation established to provide charitable grants to worthy tax-exempt organizations that conduct charitable, scientific, cultural, religious or education activities exclusively. The Foundation gives preference to organizations which will use and apply substantially all of the charitable grant in the State of Nebraska and particularly in the greater Omaha area.

Core Values

• Passion
• Integrity
• Accountability

Investment Criteria

We invest in projects and organizations that demonstrate:

• Potential to meet substantiated community needs with high impact.
• A history of effective leadership and mission expertise.
• A diversified income stream and broad-based community support.
• Sound operational practices.

Operating Principles

• Remain steadfast to Robert B. Daugherty’s philanthropic intentions and respectful of his reputation and legacy.
• Make trustee-driven community investment decisions.
• Conduct business with highest degree of ethics and integrity.
• Practice independent judgment with effective collaboration.
• Sustain unwavering commitment to operational excellence and transparency.
• Conduct rigorous, fact-based due diligence with a sense of professional urgency.
• Recruit and retain an efficient, performance-driven team.

About the Foundation

Established in 2022, the Roy and Gloria Dinsdale Foundation is a private foundation based in Omaha, Nebraska. The foundation honors the late Gloria and Roy Dinsdale, executive chairman of Pinnacle Bancorp, Inc. and founder of Pinnacle Bank. The Board of Directors is made up of Roy and Gloria’s three children, Jane Dinsdale Rogers, Chris Dinsdale, and Sid Dinsdale.

Roy Dinsdale was the 3rd generation to live in Palmer, Nebraska. He and Gloria married in 1949 and settled in Palmer. Both Roy and Gloria were influenced by their upbringing in small Nebraska towns, where people help each other and support each other, when there is a need.

This concept of helping each other by giving back drives the Foundation to provide support in the communities Pinnacle Bank, Bank of Colorado and other Dinsdale companies serve.

Mission

The Roy and Gloria Dinsdale Foundation seeks to improve lives by providing food, shelter, clothing, and support for daily living, in addition to providing support for the arts and education.

Focus Areas

The family prefers to support local needs, including organizations, programs and initiatives in rural communities that impact the local economy when possible.

• Persons with Disabilities:
  • Provide support for the daily needs and enrichment of persons with disabilities.
• Healthcare:
  • Improve the health and lives of people, emphasizing access to quality care including specialized services such as hospice care in rural communities.
• Education:
  • Enhance educational opportunities and access for children and adults to local educational facilities embedded in community, specifically in the areas of early childhood education, child care, and junior colleges.
• Arts:
  • Increase access to the arts, enrich lives, and contribute to the creation of vibrant communities.
• Veterans and First Responders:
  • Support the needs of veterans, first responders and their families.

Since its inception, the Foundation, which is still led by Lester T. Sunderland's descendants, has focused on supporting construction projects, awarding grants to nonprofits in the Kansas City region and other markets traditionally served by the Ash Grove Cement Company. 

 The Foundation prefers to make grants for construction and special interest projects rather than for annual operating expenses. 

Grants for planning, design, construction, renovation, repairs and restoration of facilities are considered. Areas of interest include higher education, youth serving agencies, health facilities, community buildings, museums, civic projects and energy efficient affordable housing projects sponsored by qualified tax-exempt organizations. 

Funding Areas

In recent grant cycles, the Board of Trustees has awarded the majority of grants in four broadly defined areas:

Higher Education

In 2022, the Foundation awarded $49 million to more than 35 educational organizations. Grantees included community colleges, private colleges, and public universities.

Human Services

The Foundation awarded $30 million to human service nonprofits in 2022, and many grants in this area went to groups that provide essential services to youth and families. Grantees included a range of youth-focused groups, including Reconciliation Services, the Nebraska Youth Justice Initiative in Omaha, Nebraska and the Sno-Valley Senior Center in Carnation, Washington. 

Arts and Culture

Arts and culture projects received $23 million in 2022, including grants to the Springfield Art Museum in Springfield, Missouri, the Omaha Zoo and the Seattle Aquarium in Seattle, Washington. Health Care and Hospitals.

Health Care and Hospitals

This is a growing area of need in many communities the Foundation serves. In 2022, $65 million was awarded to hospitals and health-care groups to build and improve their facilities.

Valero Energy Foundation 

Valero, its employees and the Valero Energy Foundation are committed to improving the quality of life in communities where we work and live, fulfilling a mission that was set from the beginning. We set the standard for corporate citizenship and promotes prosperity in our communities. 

The Valero Energy Foundation -- a public charity and Valero's philanthropic arm -- funds nonprofit agencies that serve predominantly disadvantaged children and families. In 2019, the Foundation contributed appoximately $40 million in assistance in the communities where Valero has major operations.

Four Pillars of Support

Our funding focuses on our four pillars of giving in communities where we have major operations.

• Basic Needs:  Valero gives assistance to agencies that provide basic needs of life, including shelter, food and clothing necessary for the development of a strong and safe community. 
• Health Care: We invest in the development of strategic community health resources and facilities that will support the needs of all members of our nearby communities, with major gifts going to children’s hospitals, university medical centers and service providers that offer specialized health care services and programs.
• Education: Valero is a strong advocate of education as it creates a necessary foundation for all children to thrive and for adults to lead productive lives. 
• Civic: We support civic and environmental initiatives directly related to the success of the communities where we live and work.

Wally and Barbara Weitz began the Weitz Family Foundation in 2000.

Since then over $50 million in awards have been granted to housing, arts, education and health organizations in Omaha, Nebraska.

We work with grassroots agencies and large institutions who demonstrate vision, integrity, creativity and passion. We appreciate the use of servant leaders, so those we work with will use practices that enrich the lives of individuals, build better organizations and create a more just and caring world.

The Weitz Family Foundation seeks to break the cycle of poverty in Omaha, NE by empowering individuals, agencies, and organizations to create a more equitable and peaceful society.

The foundation seeks to identify and address the institutional and systemic injustices and gaps which fuel poverty. We seek new ideas and innovations in social change to address the core issues.

Beloved Community Grant

We are committed to Omaha and love to support those organizations that make our community more just and equitable. The Beloved Community application invites nonprofits working in Omaha that are new (or new to us) to introduce themselves to the foundation and share how they are making a positive impact. Beloved Community proposals may request up to $20,000. This portfolio is where many of our most treasured community partners apply year after year for operating dollars. We focus on relief, recovery, and re-imagining life in Omaha.

Areas of Interest

The Fund supports a broad range of activities benefiting the people of Lincoln, Nebraska, including but not limited to the Areas of Interest described below. We are interested in reviewing plans for pilot projects and innovative programs, as well as requests for operational support and sustained growth for organizations whose work coincides with the purposes of the foundation. The foundation funds both direct services and policy programs.

WCF especially looks forward to opportunities to review proposals joining partners (academic, community, government, business, public service, faith-based) to explore ways to integrate perspectives and talents toward common goals. We support projects that involve coalition-building, public education and advocacy to effect positive social change and improve opportunities for all citizens.

Arts & Culture

Visual art, literature, dance, theater, music and mixed media presentations are cornerstones of a community’s aesthetic and ethical being. They can bind people through shared experience and understanding. They stimulate thought, communication and creativity. Woods supports programs in the arts and humanities that will enhance or develop the common aesthetic spirit.

Programs that connect the arts and humanities with nontraditional participants are of special interest to the Fund.

Civic & Community

To sustain or increase its vitality, a community must consistently nurture its development, particularly as that development impacts underrepresented residents. The Fund supports projects that empower those with fewer advantages to participate in the economic system and that foster community participation and responsibility, thus engaging people to solve problems and improve opportunities for all. Advocacy groups, neighborhood, legal, volunteer and community organizations are effective avenues to promote civic participation and leadership. Woods recognizes the growing need in Lincoln for affordable housing and supports programs that expand its availability.

The need for individuals to achieve self-sufficiency has been identified as a primary community concern. The Fund encourages submission of proposals that suggest creative approaches to helping people escape poverty and become work ready.

Education

Our educational systems face the challenge of preparing individuals for a rapidly changing society. Today, more than ever before, education touches the lives of people of all ages – students at all levels, newcomers learning a second language and culture, adults retraining to handle new job responsibilities. The Fund looks forward to opportunities to review proposals from existing educational institutions and from creative new programs to meet the challenge.

Human Services

A significant cornerstone in community life is the family. Its power to mold and develop mentally healthy, secure, loving members determines Woods’ interest in supporting projects to strengthen families and provide opportunities for youth to achieve their full potential. This is a broad category and may include either direct service or policy programs focused on child care, behavioral and mental health, youth development, the elderly, family planning, shelter and basic needs, those returning to society after incarceration as well as others.

The Fund will give special consideration to programs and initiatives designed to prevent youth and family violence.

The Fund gives special consideration to programs and initiatives designed to:

• Support organizations that haven’t traditionally served refugees and immigrants but are trying to integrate them into their client bases and work forces;
• Expand English language education for New Americans;
• Help develop community acceptance and appreciation for New Americans; and
• Extend research and planning concerning immigrants and refugees in Lincoln.

Please refer to additional Funding Considerations here.

Timetable

Woods Charitable Fund only accepts applications from non-profit organizations serving Lincoln, Nebraska, that have completed a Letter of Intent (LOI) available in PDF and Word formats, and been invited to apply. Organizations seeking to renew previous grants also are required to contact the Fund before reapplying.

Nonprofits new to the Fund are urged to reach out several weeks before the LOI deadline to provide ample time for learning about each other’s work. Please inquire early; last-minute inquiries on the deadline date are less likely to be invited to apply.

The application must be submitted online before the end of the deadline day or, if the deadline falls on a weekend, the deadline will defer to the following business day.

Awareness. Education. Prevention.  These are three key tenets of Bayer Fund’s investments in health and wellness.  With a focus on cancer and cardiovascular disease, we provide resources to organizations dedicated to educating and/or providing services to patients, caregivers and at-risk populations.

Health & Wellness Grants

Programs that Bayer Fund will support include those that focus on patients and their families needing assistance with issues to managing cardiovascular disease and cancer. This includes education, disease awareness, and supportive services for these diseases. In areas related to cardiovascular disease, priority (though not exclusivity) will be given to charitable organizations that focus on programs and support for the African American community due to the high incidence rate of disease in this population.

Giving in this category will focus on support services such as education, disease awareness, and general access to care (e.g., housing for families traveling for cancer or heart care).

All funding requests and budgets must be for program activities and expenses that start after funding decisions are made. All programs must be completed within one year of the start date, except in limited situations where longer term programs have been agreed upon. Grant award amounts vary, depending on the size of the community, the type of programming, and the reach of the organization.

Please see FAQs for additional guidelines.

The Burlington Capital Foundation seeks to apply its parent company’s investment philosophy to investing in organizations whose efforts have direct and clear game-changing effects on people and their communities.

Our main areas of focus are Military/Veteran, Senior Community, Education, and Arts support.  We’ve made the choice to focus our gifts in Nebraska and Iowa; however, grants to national organizations are considered if they impact these specific geographic areas.  Additionally, employees of Burlington Capital are encouraged to apply even if their organization is outside of this region as it is our goal to assist our employees’ communities across the nation.

How often do you meet for grant review?

The Foundation Committee meets the third Thursday of March, June, September, and December.

When are the deadlines? 

Grant requests should be submitted no later than one week prior to a scheduled meeting.

W R Berkley Corporation Charitable Grant Program

CWG, in partnership with the W. R. Berkley Corporation Charitable Foundation*, actively supports local 501(c)(3) charitable organizations within the communities in the regions where CWG’s offices are located (Central Iowa, SW Minnesota, and Eastern Nebraska).

Funding decisions are based on an organization’s demonstrated efficiency, history, and demonstrated success of programming and populations served. Funding emphasis is placed on:

• Health & Human Services,
• Community Betterment,
• Youth Development,
• Education, and
• Food Insecurity

A grant request review committee reviews requests for grant funding twice per calendar year, in the spring and fall.

Funding

There is no restriction to the size of each request, but only one grant per organization will be considered in a calendar year.

Our roots run deep.

The Ash Grove Charitable Foundation makes grants annually to support the work of public charities with tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code in the geographical markets that we serve.

As one of the largest cement companies in the United States and one of the oldest still in operation, Ash Grove plays an important part in the foundation and infrastructure of our country. And with plants from coast to coast, being a good neighbor in the communities in which we live and serve is a priority and part of our DNA.

Ash Grove territory is a lot of ground to cover. We believe in active participation to improve the existing and future quality of life in the communities we serve. This participation includes financial support to charitable activities. We aren’t just focused on building highways and buildings – we are also helping to build better communities.

Ash Grove is one of the largest cement companies in the United States and one of the oldest still in operation. Ash Grove plays a part in the foundation and infrastructure of our country. With plants from coast to coast, being a good neighbor in the communities we live and serve is a priority and part of our DNA.

The Ash Grove Charitable Foundation mission is to support communities today without compromising future needs, where nature is respected, minds challenged, opportunities created, and neighbors gather in the community. We stand together to build better communities. Communities that thrive today and for future generations.

Funding Priorities

The Foundation awards grants to charitable, educational, and scientific organizations, which are public charities.

The Foundation gives primary consideration to capital building and renovation projects for the following funding priorities:

• Nature – Protect or Preserve.
• Education – STEM
• Economic – Trade Skills
• Civic – Gather in Community
• Human Services – Shelter

Funding

The Foundation’s goal is to provide significant support to public charities for capital building and renovation projects. Grants for these projects generally are limited to $25,000. Consideration is also given to program grant requests. Grants for these projects are generally limited to $5,000.

The Vision, Mission and Values of The Viking Foundation of Lincoln

Vision:

The Foundation envisions supporting creative and flexible opportunities to enrich the lives of (mostly young) people who are less fortunate. The Foundation will accomplish this goal a few modest financial grants at a time.

Mission:

The mission of the Foundation is to support individuals, groups and activities that reflect its stated core values with measurable and/or observable results.

Core Values:

• Young people are the world's greatest resource.
• All people deserve an opportunity to learn and work and to learn to work.
• Recreation is an essential element in a quality-of-life formula.
• Good health results in a good life.
• Discrimination in any iteration is intolerable.
• Good and adequate food and clothing should be always available.
• Decent housing should be a right, not a privilege.
• Population control is important to the planet.
• The environment must be protected for future generations.

About the Viking Foundation of Lincoln

The Viking Foundation of Lincoln of Lincoln is a benevolent entity established to help people. Following a long Eggland family tradition, the Foundation seeks to provide financial assistance to young people and families. The corporation is organized as a private foundation to provide modest need-based grants to other 501(c)(3) organizations usually in the

• Lincoln, NE Metro area,
• Denver, CO Metro area and
• Des Moines, IA Metro area

We support individuals (especially children) challenged with education, poverty, gender, mental and physical health issues along with occasional support of other progressive causes.

The foundation was created by Lincolnite Dr. Steven Eggland to help improve and enrich the lives of individuals—especially children—who are less fortunate. 

A minimum of $100,000 in funds will be awarded, with preference given to proposals in the $5,000 to $10,000 range. 

Ms. Foundation for Women

The mission of the Ms. Foundation for Women is to build women’s collective power in the U.S. to advance equity and justice for all. We achieve our mission by investing in, and strengthening, the capacity of women-led movements to advance meaningful social, cultural and economic change in the lives of women.

Birth Justice Initiative

In 2022, Ms. Foundation for Women launched our first national, open call request for proposals for our Birth Justice Initiative to support Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities in addressing racial based health disparities in birth experiences and birth outcomes. Through this initiative, Ms. will mobilize funding and capacity building resources nationally to organizations implementing birth justice strategies rooted in movement building and organizing.

The Birth Justice Initiative will build upon our decades of experience supporting grassroots leaders fighting for reproductive justice. The overall goals of our initiative are to:

• Build power within the birth justice movement
• Increase connectivity and collaboration between Birth Justice Organizations and movement leaders.
• Provide philanthropic advocacy, thought partnership, and thought leadership, to influence the movement of more resources to the Birth Justice movement.

We are committed to deepening our investment in grassroots Black, Indigenous and WGOC-led organizations working toward achieving birth justice. In our first round of grant making, we will invest over $1,000,000 in support of birth justice organizations across the spectrum of movement building and organizing, and supporting our communities to advance more equitable birth outcomes.

Our Mission

To provide financial support for non-profit organizations located in communities where NEBCO and its affiliated companies have operations.

Funding Priorities

Education : At the Abel Foundation, we place a strong emphasis on education, from early childhood to post-secondary education. We support the improvement of teaching and learning of all types in our community.

Human Services : We support human services programs in our community.

Civic/Community : We provide support for projects that enhance the community as a whole. Special emphasis is placed on "brick and mortar" project requests.

Arts & Culture : We support arts and humanities programs that will enhance the community though education, performance and creativity.

Environment : We support conservation efforts which preserve the natural environments required by our native species to survive.

About the Foundation

The Earl and Maxine Claussen Trust was established in 1984 pursuant to the Last Will and Testament of Earl Elmer Claussen. It was Mr. Claussen’s desire to assist the residents of the Grand Island, Nebraska metropolitan area, which includes Hall, Merrick and Howard counties.

Mission

Based on the preference in the trust, distributions shall be primarily used to benefit the Grand Island, Nebraska metropolitan area, but in the trustee's discretion other charitable purposes may also be supported.

Guidelines

The Earl and Maxine Claussen Trust contains a preference that distributions be used to benefit the Grand Island, Nebraska metropolitan area, so distributions are primarily used to support the metro area, but the trustee may exercise its discretion to support other charitable purposes.

Program areas

• Arts, culture, and humanities
• Education
• Environment, animals
• Health
• Human services
• Public/society benefit
• Religion

Investing in the future of the cooperative system

The CHS Foundation supports cooperative education projects that develop and enhance understanding of the ag cooperative business model through education, professional development, and practical experience.

Program priorities and guidelines

The CHS Foundation will consider programs that:

• Educate the next generation about the agricultural cooperative business model
• Demonstrate a history of success and/or increase in growth or demand
• Incorporate technology and new, innovative approaches
• Target middle school, high school, college-age students and young producers
• Clearly identify strategies for engagement with key audiences and outline goals with measurable outcomes
• Use funding to support program-related costs
• Have a national or state level reach within the main CHS trade area (Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming)

Mission

The Sherwood Foundation® promotes equity through social justice initiatives enhancing the quality of life in Nebraska.

Vision

We believe social justice is the proactive reinforcement of policies, practices, attitudes, and actions that all produce equitable power, access, opportunities, treatment, impacts, and outcomes for all.

Who We Fund

The Sherwood Foundation® limits grants to organizations that are tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3), government entities, schools, or churches that are serving Nebraska. These organizations must be in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service. 

What We Fund

The Sherwood Foundation® limits grants to nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations that predominately benefit those that are serving Nebraska and must address one of our categories:

Urban Community Partnerships

Our work in Nebraska’s urban communities focuses on family stability and child wellbeing with an overarching emphasis on community context. Using a two-generation approach, we are interested in the relationship between direct service provision and the greater systems that impact a community. Applicants are wise to cite specific research that influences a service model or approach to solving a community challenge.

Omaha Public Schools

Guidelines: 

• OPS employees must obtain approval from the District before submitting an application. 
• Applications lacking such documentation will not receive consideration.
• For assistance, please contact the OPS Grant Coordinator at 402.557.2151.

Rural Community Partnerships

Through these grants, The Sherwood Foundation® promotes local capacity to address locally-identified priorities and thereby strengthen the common good we enjoy as fellow Nebraskans. Requests from communities outside of the Omaha and Lincoln metro areas are considered on an ongoing basis. 

The following priorities guide The Sherwood Foundation’s Rural Community Partnership grants:

• Community leadership development that helps local community members expand and deepen their skills and experiences to better serve their home community through learning and innovation.
• Community inclusion that is broad-based and intentionally developed to leverage the diverse skills and perspectives of community members in service to the benefits and responsibilities of community life.
• Community collaboration that aligns stakeholders and resources in order to strategically build upon and utilize locally-controlled assets.

Early Childhood Education

The Sherwood Foundation® supports early childhood education on a regional and national basis through The Buffett Early Childhood Fund

What the Sherwood Foundation Values

 The Sherwood Foundation has strongly held values regarding civil liberties, equality and fairness with a particular focus on women and people oppressed because of their race, sexual orientation, and/or religion or lack-thereof.

• We respect that not all nonprofit organizations share the same values as the Foundation.
• We don’t ask nonprofits to change values for us or for funding.
• We do ask that nonprofits leaders respect our values and save everyone time and energy by not seeking funding if our organizational values aren’t aligned.

Equal rights.

We believe all humans are created equal. We work to eliminate government and social barriers to equality.

Access to civic life.

We are proud to live in a democracy and believe that the rights provided to individuals in the United States should be protected and the best way to protect those rights is to ensure equal access to the voting polls. 

Reproductive justice.

We support a woman’s right to self-determination about reproductive health choices. We expect our grantees serving women and girls to ensure access and education to all health care options, including abortion. 

Opportunity to thrive.

We believe a zip code should not determine the outcome of a life. We see how government institutions and laws have historically and do presently oppress and suppress opportunity, particularly for people of color but also other minority populations and women. We work with our community to undo systemic oppression and build systems that meet the needs of citizens and do not further oppress. We seek economic justice for our neighbors and the opportunity that lies therein.

Access to services.

We expect grantees to ensure that clients have access to services and that service providers work to remove barriers rather than create barriers to care and compassion. A service provider’s religious belief system should not be imposed upon those who seek their services, whether through proselytization, coercion, guilt, or an unspoken quid-pro-quo expectation to participate in faith-based classes or religious services.

About School-Based Healthcare Solutions Network (SBHSN).

Utilizing a unique framework of funding systems offered by the Department of Health and Human Services, managed care organizations, health insurers, and private donors, SBHSN promotes a system of care model (Coaching Model℠) offering a mix of evidenced-based intervention, prevention, and care coordination services to children in grades K-12. The Coaching Model aims to expand quality mental healthcare access on public school campuses and improve children's social, emotional, behavioral, family, and wellness outcomes.

School-Based Mental Health Implementation Grant

In response to the growing number of students who need mental health counseling, the School-Based Healthcare Solutions Network (SBHSN) is accepting applications from Local Education Agencies (LEA), Public and Private Universities, State and local Colleges, Charter School Management Companies, Public Schools, Charter Schools, and Non-Profit Organizations (501c3) to implement and expand mental health program services on local school campuses. Grantees will receive direct funding and reimbursement to support the following activities: 

• Expanding access to School-Based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL).
• Coordinating mental healthcare services with school administration and staff. 
• Delivering mental healthcare services and coordinating academic-support activities to students with a history of attendance, behavior, and poor academic performance.

FUNDING

5-Years, renewable based on meeting performance goals 5-year award ceiling is $5,500,000.

Supporting Historic Sacred Places

A program of Partners for Sacred Places in collaboration with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Fund for Sacred Places provides financial and technical support for community-serving historic houses of worship across America.

What We Offer

The National Fund for Sacred Places provides matching grants of $50,000 to $250,000 to congregations undertaking significant capital projects at historic houses of worship, along with wraparound services including training, technical assistance, and planning support.

What We’re Looking For

The National Fund for Sacred Places assesses applicant eligibility according to the core criteria shown below, while also striving to build a diverse participant pool that reflects a broad range of geographic, cultural, and religious identities.

Historic, Cultural, or Architectural Significance

We are looking for buildings that have historic, cultural, or architectural significance—and sites that have important and relevant stories to tell. Many of our participants are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the state register, or the local register. Your building does not have to be on one of these lists, but eligibility for one or more of these lists is a good benchmark for National Fund eligibility.

As part of the National Trust’s commitment to telling the full American story, we particularly encourage congregations to apply that illuminate a unique or overlooked aspect of American history and that expand our understanding of our shared national heritage. We encourage submissions related to historic sacred places of importance to historically and contemporaneously underrepresented communities including, but not limited to, women, immigrants, Asian Americans, Black Americans, Latinx Americans, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and LGBTQIA communities.

Successful applicants are able to demonstrate their place in history by answering questions such as:

• Does the building tell a story relevant to our history—either cultural or religious?
• Does the history highlight previously underrecognized communities, stories, or locations?
• How has the building served the community over time? Does the building have a great physical presence in its community due to its location or programming?
• Is the building the work of a notable architect? If so, is it a high-quality example of their body of work?
• Is the building an exceptional example of its architectural style or building technology?
• Does the building embody the congregation’s resilience over time?

Community-Serving Congregations

We are looking for congregations that are engaged in their communities and that are serving others. Engaged congregations operate and host programming that serves vulnerable, at-risk, and diverse populations; share space with non-affiliated groups and organizations (often at subsidized rates); work with other congregations, faith-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and/or municipalities; and have a widespread reputation for being a welcoming center of community life.

Project Scope and Need

We fund historic preservation projects addressing urgent repair needs and/or life safety. We also fund projects that increase congregations’ ability to open their buildings to new populations or to serve greater numbers of people. All projects must adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, which is a universally accepted framework for doing work to older and historic properties.

We prioritize congregations/projects where there is a demonstrated need (meaning that the congregation cannot raise the funds alone) or where it is clear that our grant will have a catalytic effect (meaning that our grant is likely to lead to additional monies being contributed to the project).

Readiness

Once-in-a-generation capital projects require a great deal of planning. We are looking for applicants that understand their buildings’ needs and that are ready to undertake a capital campaign. National Fund congregations typically have a history of successful capital campaigns, which demonstrate an ability to raise significant funds and complete a project.

Successful congregations come to us with a realistic fundraising goal, which has been generated with the help of qualified preservation professionals and is not too far beyond the congregation’s fundraising capacity.

Healthy Congregations

The National Fund prioritizes healthy, stable congregations so that our investment is truly impactful and lasting. We look for the following, although this is not an exhaustive list of characteristics that indicate healthy congregations: tenured, well-respected clergy; capable lay leadership; stable or growing membership; financial strength and stability; support of the judicatory or governing body, if applicable; and a history of weathering any congregational conflict or trauma with resilience.

The Artistic Innovations Grant Program encourages the spirit of experimentation and exploration, exclusively engaging in-region artists and organizations in the creation of new, original works for audiences in the M-AAA six-state region of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.

This grant program offers up to $15,000 in support of expenses incurred in the art-making process and premiere of these endeavors. Through generous support from the National Endowment for the Arts, M-AAA supports individual artists and arts-based nonprofit 501c3 organizations in our region for projects that meet the eligibility requirements listed below.