Best Grants for After School Programs in Nebraska

Municipalities and nonprofit organizations in Nebraska and southwest Iowa can seek capital funding to develop or enhance shared community spaces such as libraries, parks, trails, museums, and youth recreation centers. Walter Scott Family Foundation’s Advancing Communities Grant offers up to US $250,000 for ready-to-launch projects that are at least 60% funded and demonstrate strong, community-led support.

With a mission to strengthen agricultural leadership, CHS Foundation provides Nebraska ag education and youth leadership programs with support for projects focused on education, leadership, or career training for high school students through young professionals. After-school or out-of-school programs that build ag leadership skills and teach the cooperative business model may be eligible.

After-school and K-12 education programs, public agencies, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits in Nebraska can seek funding for traffic safety, driver education, and financial literacy initiatives. The Auto Club Group Foundation offers US $5,000 - US $15,000 grants, including support for passive speed enforcement equipment like speed display signs, within its 14-state and 2-territory service area.

Nebraska 501(c)(3) public charities, government units, public universities, and K–12 schools seeking program or general operating support can apply for funding that may include after-school or out-of-school educational initiatives. Cooper Foundation supports organizations across education, human services, arts, environment, humanities, and civic and community engagement, with priority for those based in and serving Lincoln and Lancaster County.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, schools, and public agencies in Nebraska seeking support for community services projects and programs can apply for discretionary grants over More than US $10,000. Greater Grand Island Community Foundation supports quality-of-life initiatives in Hall County and surrounding areas, which may include after school or out-of-school educational efforts that fit its impact priorities.

Nonprofit organizations and schools supporting financial education, children’s health, or affordable housing in Nebraska can apply for project or program funding; awards must benefit communities within GreenState’s Omaha-area footprint. With a mission to improve community quality of life, GreenState Credit Union provides support that may benefit after school and out-of-school youth programs.

Nebraska-accredited schools and nonprofits serving pre-K–12 students in Southeast Nebraska can use this funding to cover school bus transportation for arts experiences. With a mission to promote and sustain the arts, Nebraska Arts Council provides up to US $1,000 per school year, scaled by student enrollment, for eligible counties in the region.

Nebraska K–12 schools and youth programs can receive up to US $1,000 to cover transportation, admission, and workshop fees for student field trips to professional arts events and cultural exhibits in Nebraska. Grants from Nebraska Arts Council can support after-school or out-of-school arts education experiences, including concerts, theatre, dance, museum visits, and artist-led workshops.

Eligible and qualified organizations in Nebraska can apply for Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services’ SNAP Employment and Training subawards to provide workforce preparation, job readiness, and adult education services for low-income adults, including SNAP recipients. Programs offering career or technical training, basic education, or employment services, including after-school style adult learning, may be eligible.

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 531.299.9653.

Greater Nebraska Initiatives

Through these grants, The Sherwood Foundation promotes equity and inclusion as pathways for creating the good life for all in Nebraska.  Core areas of work include child welfare, immigrant inclusion, housing, advocacy & civic engagement, leadership, and community infrastructure. Requests from communities outside of the Omaha and Lincoln metro areas are considered during standard grant cycles.

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.

Operating Grants

The Sherwood Foundation® believes that providing operating support can make all the difference to nonprofit organizations by providing flexible funding to cover the ongoing costs of day-to-day operations (administrative/overhead). This type of support can free nonprofits to become more strategic about how they address community issues, craft internal solutions to enhance effectiveness, and build organizational infrastructure.

Nebraska 501(c)(3) organizations and public entities seeking support for civic, educational, health, recreation, social services, or arts programs can apply for competitive grants up to US $50,000. Fremont Area Community Foundation funds start-up or especially important programs in Fremont and surrounding communities, which may include after school or out-of-school educational initiatives.

Nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and PreK-12 schools in Nebraska can secure funding for arts education projects in schools or community-based after school settings. With a mission to strengthen arts learning, Nebraska Arts Council provides US $2,000 - US $15,000 to support standards-based arts programs, including initiatives that reach multiple schools or communities.

Friends of NRA

Friends of NRA is the National Rifle Association’s premier fundraising program, supporting the future of shooting sports. Since day one, Friends of NRA has been a 100% grassroots effort fueled by a united front to secure the Second Amendment and raise money for the shooting sports.

Committee volunteers are appointed to State Fund Committees to make recommendations for local grant funding in areas such as youth education, women-focused clinics, law enforcement training, hunter safety, range improvement, firearms and marksmanship training and safety. Recognizing the impact American youth has on the future of the shooting sports, State Fund Committees frequently recommend grants for youth programs, allocating the most significant portion of monies to this vital area.

Grant awards fund activities and support programs in the United States to promote firearms and hunting safety, to enhance marksmanship skills of those in the shooting sports, and to educate the public about firearms in their historic, technological and artistic context.

Friends of NRA State Fund Grant Program - Nebraska

The Friends of NRA State Fund Grant Program provides supplies, equipment, and financial support to a variety of qualified groups and programs at the local level; geared towards youth, women, law enforcement, veterans, the disabled, and the general public, including:

• General shooting programs
• Competitive shooting
• Education, training and safety
• Hunting and conservation
• Community outreach
• Historical education

Grant funding must be used to further a charitable purpose as defined by the Internal Revenue Code under section 501(c)(3) and accompanying rules, regulations, and other IRS law and materials.

Nebraska 501(c) organizations, government entities, and state-recognized nonprofits can seek funding to support educational and public service shooting sports programs, safety training, and marksmanship research. Focused on firearms safety and shooting sports education, the NRA Foundation invites applicants whose after-school or youth programs incorporate these activities. Awards range from US $3,000 - US $5,000.

Focused on humanities projects, Nebraska Humanities Council invites Nebraska nonprofits, schools, libraries, museums, and community groups to apply for mini grants of approximately US $1,700. Eligible projects must take place in Nebraska or directly concern the state, making after-school and out-of-school programs with strong humanities content potential candidates.

Accredited public and institutional libraries in Nebraska seeking to improve programs, services, or digital access can apply for Library Improvement Grants to supplement local funding. Grants from Nebraska Library Commission help Nebraska after-school and out-of-school time programs when they are delivered through eligible libraries, supporting literacy, lifelong learning, workforce development, and digital literacy initiatives.

Nebraska public and institutional libraries offering youth services can seek support for projects that benefit children and teens, including after-school and out-of-school programs that promote reading, creativity, and character development. Nebraska after-school and summer educational programs may be eligible by partnering with an accredited library for collaborative planning and programming through Nebraska Library Commission’s Youth Grants for Excellence.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and public entities in Nebraska seeking more than US $50,000 for civic, educational, health, recreation, social services, or arts and cultural programs can apply; awards support Fremont and surrounding communities. Grants from Fremont Area Community Foundation help after-school and out-of-school educational programs secure significant seed funding for important new initiatives.

Nonprofit organizations and government entities running humanities-focused media or digital projects in Nebraska can apply for Humanities Nebraska’s NHC Media Grants, with awards around Approximately US $9,500. Projects must feature strong humanities content and can include film, TV, radio, websites, podcasts, or other interactive digital experiences serving Nebraskans, including after-school educational initiatives.

Grants help Nebraska nonprofit and charitable organizations fund community programs and projects that enhance quality of life in the Kearney area and surrounding communities. Administered by Kearney Area Community Foundation, support may benefit after school or out-of-school educational initiatives, along with arts, health, human services, and broader community development efforts.

With a mission to advance agricultural education, the CHS Foundation provides Nebraska programs with support for cooperative education projects that teach the ag cooperative business model through instruction, professional development, and hands-on experience. After-school and youth programs reaching middle school through college-age students in Nebraska, with state or national reach in the CHS trade area, may be eligible.

Nonprofit organizations and eligible public entities in Nebraska counties near Kearney or Waco can access health and wellness funding through Bayer Fund to support cancer and cardiovascular disease programs. Grants back education, disease awareness, and access-to-care services, which may include after-school or out-of-school initiatives serving at-risk youth and families.

Nebraska 501(c) nonprofits, public schools, libraries, and government entities can apply for Humanities Nebraska Council’s major grants, awarding more than US $2,000 for public humanities projects such as history, literature, languages, philosophy, and related programs. After-school and out-of-school educational programs with strong humanities content, Nebraska-focused audiences, and subject experts may be especially competitive.

Nonprofit museums, historical societies, libraries, and community partners in Nebraska can apply for Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation’s RoamNebraska Impact Program, with awards up to US $3,000 for history education, preservation, and access projects. After-school and out-of-school programs that offer historically focused youth and family activities, field trips, or exhibits may be eligible.

Rural Nebraska municipalities and first responder departments, including nonprofit or government-structured fire and EMS agencies, can apply for Walter Scott Family Foundation’s Jack Lewis Safety Fund grants of up to US $50,000 to improve safety equipment, training, and facilities. After-school or youth-serving programs housed within eligible departments may benefit when projects enhance community safety and emergency readiness.

Public schools and 501(c)(3) animal welfare nonprofits in the Omaha metro area can receive up to US $3,500 for history, natural science, outdoor education, or animal-focused programming. Omaha Community Foundation’s Richard A. Shaw Fund prioritizes public school programs for ages 5–18 and gives preference to equine therapy projects, supporting programmatic costs rather than general operations.

With a mission to back community-focused projects, the Nelson Family Foundation provides Nebraska educational and youth-serving organizations with support for K–12 and higher education, fine arts, health care, historic preservation, and community development. Nebraska after-school and out-of-school programs that enhance local educational opportunities and demonstrate clear plans and community relevance may be eligible.