Best Grants for Emergency Services in Nebraska

Nebraska emergency medical and other 501(c)(3) emergency response organizations can access funding for safety, disaster preparedness, and related community programs through the Union Pacific Foundation’s Community Ties Local Grants, with awards of US $5,000 - US $30,000. Eligible projects must primarily serve Nebraska communities on the Union Pacific service list and align with the program’s safety-focused priorities.

Nebraska Blue Foundation

For more than 85 years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE) has been a champion for the health and well-being of our members and the communities we serve. Founded in 2024, the Nebraska Blue Foundation now allows us to concentrate our efforts into pockets of our community that need to be uplifted the most.

In 2025, the Nebraska Blue Foundation launched two grant opportunities through its inaugural grant cycles. The foundation awarded 42 organizations with a total of $500,000 in grant funding to further their goals and missions, supporting organizations across Nebraska that:

• Provide quality preventive care
• Serve the aging population 
• Further economic vitality  
• Support the development of third places

Increasing Access to Preventive Healthcare Grant

Proactive measures to prevent illness, detect health issues early and reduce the risk of chronic disease.

The Nebraska Blue Foundation is particularly interested in supporting innovation and pilot projects. As a new foundation, our approach is to be catalytic with our grants – primarily investing in new ideas or programs that could meet a specific need with a one-time investment.

Nebraska hospitals, community health centers, rural emergency hospitals, tribal health facilities, and behavioral health providers can receive up to US $5,500,000 in funding for equipment and minor renovations to expand mental health crisis and substance use withdrawal services. Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services supports rural emergency medical and behavioral health care through these clinical facility modifications.

Nebraska 501(c)(3) public charities with $100,000+ budgets can seek funding for workforce preparation, youth development, arts access, or community well-being programs in communities where RBC Wealth Management operates. RBC Foundation USA provides support for initiatives building in-demand job skills, improving financial stability, or advancing environmental sustainability, which may benefit emergency service–adjacent community programs.

Emergency medical care and services workers in Nebraska facing catastrophic illness or accident-related financial hardship can receive individual assistance to regain self-sufficiency and stability. The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation’s J. C. & L. A. Duke Employees' Assistance Fund supports eligible 3M U.S.A. employees, recent retirees, and immediate family members with transitional aid and quality-of-life improvements.

Current or former Oregon Shakespeare Festival employees facing unexpected financial hardship can receive emergency assistance for basic living expenses such as health care, housing, and utilities through this Entertainment Community Fund program. Focused on emergency medical care and related services, it may benefit arts professionals in Nebraska working in performing arts and entertainment fields who meet these criteria.

Graduating high school seniors in northwest Missouri pursuing degrees in occupational safety, industrial hygiene, environmental safety, industrial fire prevention, risk management, or occupational medicine can apply for the Community Foundation of Northwest Missouri’s scholarship, with awards of more than US $500. Students interested in emergency medical care and services or first responder-related studies may be eligible.

Current or former Boy Scouts pursuing higher education for fire service or emergency medical service careers, including those from Nebraska, can access funding through the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley. This scholarship typically provides US $1,000 for one year, with some awards designated as renewable multi-year scholarships depending on fund criteria.

Nebraska emergency medical and social service workers in theatrical exhibition, distribution, or related vendors facing illness, injury, or other crises can access financial aid and counseling through the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Assistance Fund. Support may cover medical costs, basic living emergencies, vocational rehabilitation, and assistive equipment for eligible U.S.-based industry members.

High school seniors, college, and non-traditional students pursuing criminal justice or first responder programs can receive scholarship support for U.S.-based 2- or 4-year colleges. CommunityGiving provides this funding, which may benefit those preparing for emergency medical care and services, including future police, fire, or EMT professionals in Nebraska and beyond.

Students pursuing first responder emergency services careers and graduating from Chelan or Douglas County can receive scholarship support for higher education through the Richard “Obie” Oberweiser Memorial Scholarship. Offered by Community Foundation of North Central Washington, this academic scholarship may benefit those entering emergency medical care and related emergency services fields, including students connected to Nebraska emergency services programs.

Early career emergency medicine faculty in Nebraska seeking to build independent research careers can apply for funding to support career development and a mentored research project. With a mission to advance emergency medicine research, Emergency Medicine Foundation provides US $150,000 for didactics, mentoring, and project work that improves patient care and informs health policy.

Emergency medical researchers and EMS-affiliated organizations studying prehospital respiratory distress and failure can seek funding to analyze high flow therapy as first-line respiratory support, including in Nebraska. Grants from Emergency Medicine Foundation support U.S. projects on nasal high flow therapy, EMS transport patterns, patient characteristics, and outcomes in emergency medical care and respiratory disease.

Professional elderly blues artists in Nebraska needing emergency help with medical or basic living expenses can receive assistance for services like doctor visits, transportation to treatment, home care, or utilities. The Pinetop Perkins Foundation’s Pinetop Assistance League pays creditors directly and may support artists facing urgent health or emergency medical care needs.

Emergency and medical workers in Nebraska needing help affording behavioral health prescriptions, counseling, psychotherapy, or related transportation can receive up to US $2,000 in copay support. Focused on behavioral health care access, the Healthwell Foundation assists underinsured U.S. patients whose income, insurance, and diagnosis meet its national eligibility guidelines.

Individual Native artists and culture bearers in Nebraska needing emergency or professional support can receive up to US $2,500 for urgent needs affecting their creative practice, including medical issues, equipment repair, or emergency expenses. First Peoples Fund’s Yéigo Action Grant may benefit those whose work intersects with emergency medical care, crisis response, or related community services.

High school seniors nationwide whose parent or legal guardian is a full-time first responder can receive US $2,500 - US $15,000 in scholarship support for college from the Electronic Security Association. Students in Nebraska and other participating states apply through their state; others apply directly to ESA, with top awards including additional national prizes.

About Us

The Elk County Community Foundation was started in the late 1990’s by a group of business and civic leaders, with the support of the Stackpole-Hall Foundation, who recognized the need for creating a perpetual funding stream to support Elk County—now and in the future. The Foundation was incorporated in 2000 and a year later was classified as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

The Foundation provides donors with a simple but powerful and highly personal approach to achieving their philanthropic goals while enhancing the quality of life for the people of Elk County.

The Community Foundation makes it easy for individuals, businesses, and organizations to establish a scholarship fund. Your fund can be created in as little as one meeting, with a short fund agreement, and a single gift. Or your fund can be set up with an initial gift that is added to in the future. We manage all the administrative details of your fund for you.

By establishing a uniquely-named scholarship, you have the ability to designate eligibility requirements including education level, the field of study, geographic area, etc. Many scholarships are established to honor parents, a family member, or someone who influenced your life.

Most scholarship funds at the Foundation are permanent endowments, with the annual earnings used to provide the scholarships

Tyler Bender EMS Scholarship Fund

Tyler Bender recently graduated from the Center for Emergency Medicine, and he felt compelled to give back by starting this scholarship to encourage other individuals to consider the EMS field. There is a constant demand for well-trained and qualified EMS professionals. Tyler hopes that this scholarship fund will help attract individuals to the field and alleviate a shortage of EMS personnel.

Amount: $500 annually

Help at Home Community Foundation: Support Fund

The Support Fund provides help to home care employees who experience a personal financial hardship for a variety of reasons.

What are qualifying events?

A qualifying event can be a significant event(s) or radical change of status in a person’s life that creates an immediate, unforeseen, and substantial financial requirement. Some examples include:

Natural Disaster, Medical Emergency, Death of an immediate family member. More information here.

Grant awards depend on the qualifying event and need which could range from $100.00-$500.00. The maximum amount applicants may receive in a calendar year is $500.00, unless otherwise approved by the Board.

Navigant Credit Union 

Navigant Credit Union is the longest-operating, member-owned credit union in Rhode Island. Since its founding in 1915, Navigant Credit Union has been dedicated to providing its members with unparalleled financial products and services, while working every day to stay committed to the financial well-being of the families, businesses and communities we serve. 

Navigant Credit Union Charitable Foundation Grant

For over a century, Navigant Credit Union has been committed to making a meaningful difference in the community. In 2017, we established the Navigant Credit Union Charitable Foundation to further amplify our impact in five strategic areas:

• Education & Financial Literacy: Organizational and capital support for programs, supplies, building products, sports facilities and teams.
• Social Services: Financial support for programs and organizations for children, veterans, hunger and housing.
• Public Health, Safety & Well-Being: Support for programs addressing public safety, emergency care and eradication of disease.

Background

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) Program is one of the grant programs that constitute DHS/FEMA’s focus on all-hazards emergency preparedness, including the evolving threats and risks associated with natural disasters. EMPG Program funding is awarded to the 56 states and territories using a population-based allocation methodology.

The main purpose of the program is to support the emergency management needs of state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, primarily through investments in planning, training, and exercise activities and to help cover the salaries of emergency management personnel.

About Henry L. Hillman Foundation

Henry L. Hillman Foundation inspires, invests in, and leverages great ideas to improve the quality of life in Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania.

Backup Power When Your Community Needs It

The Powered & Prepared Initiative seeks proposals from nonprofit and municipal organizations in southwestern Pennsylvania for backup power solutions that allow those organizations to offer essential services during emergencies without disruption.

Southwestern Pennsylvania is increasingly impacted by severe weather events that cause widespread power outages and disruptions. The Powered & Prepared Initiative, supported by Henry L. Hillman Foundation, seeks proposals from nonprofit and municipal organizations for backup power solutions that allow those organizations to offer essential services during emergencies without disruption.

Troutville Volunteer Fire Department Scholarship Fund

Fund provides higher educational scholarship assistance to deserving students.

Amount

• $1,000+
• non-renewable

Hero Fund America Fund Seeks Applications for its First Responders Grant Round

Hero Fund America (HFA) Fund, a field-of-interest fund of the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, is seeking applications for its First Responders Grant Round for programs, projects, and other needs that will support education, training, lifesaving equipment, and mental health of fire, emergency medical services (EMS), and law enforcement agencies.

Hero Fund America Fund was founded in partnership with Hero Fund America by Garth Roberts of Sharon Springs, NY. Inspired by the selfless and heroic efforts of first responders during the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, Roberts initiated the Provincetown First Responders Appreciation Month, honoring 45 Boston EMS paramedics, emergency medical technicians, dispatchers, and their families. The success of that project inspired the 2016 creation of Hero Fund America.

Since 2016, the fund has awarded more than 100 grants totaling over $123,000 to meet the needs of first responders across the nation.

“Grants awarded through the Hero Fund America Fund have helped departments improve their abilities to better serve and protect the civilian population,” said Roberts. “Hero Fund America remains firmly committed to raising both funding and awareness in support of the First Responder community.”

Hutsell, Alan Scholarship Fund

For a high school senior from Central Noble, East Noble, Wawasee, West Noble or homeschool (homeschooled student must live in Noble County) who will be pursuing advanced education in emergency services involving fire, police, criminal justice and/or EMS.

Awards Per Year:

• 1 scholarship

Applicant High School:

• Central Noble, East Noble, Homeschooled, Wawasee, West Noble

Colleges:

• Any accredited college or university

Areas of Study:

• Criminal Justice, Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Services, Emergency services involving fire, police, criminal justice and/or EMS.

The Foundation awards scholarships to high school seniors in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot Counties, who are planning to attend a college, university, or trade school. There is one scholarship that is available to students in Cecil County. 

Talbot Paramedic Foundation/Sylvia Gannon Scholarship

Awarded to residents of Talbot County, and/or to members of a local Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association, who are planning to pursue careers as Emergency Medical Technicians.

Joseph G Markoly Foundation Inc

When Joseph Markoly originally established the foundation more than thirty years ago, its focus was on Alzheimer’s and heart disease support, funded through a number of the larger national disease-related organizations. Over time the focus has shifted to helping small to mid-size organizations in our local communities which support children and seniors in a variety of effective ways. 

Markoly Foundation was established in honor of Joseph G. Markoly, an entrepreneur and philanthropist who wanted to make a positive impact in people’s lives. Joseph’s family was affected directly by both Alzheimer’s and heart disease having lost a family member to each condition. For that reason, the foundation dedicates a majority of their resources to providing grants to organizations that focus on the treatment of each of these diseases. In addition, Markoly Foundation supports a variety of programs dedicated to helping children and seniors by providing services, supplies, programs and research in areas impacting these demographics.

Joseph G. Markoly Foundation Grant Support for Elder Organizations

The Markoly Foundation takes pride in supporting local organizations that provide services for elders in our community. Seniors face a number of challenges that come with aging, especially when they don’t have loved ones who are able to assist them with their needs. We provide grants for a variety of senior-related programs from Caregiver Education and Support to Emergency Meal Delivery and Transportation Services.

We are dedicated to providing funding for local nonprofit programs that improve the quality of life for all, but particularly for the children and elders in our community.