Hearst Foundations' Mission

The Hearst Foundations identify and fund outstanding nonprofits to ensure that people of all backgrounds in the United States have the opportunity to build healthy, productive and inspiring lives.

Hearst Foundations' Goals

The Foundations seek to achieve their mission by funding approaches that result in:

• Improved health and quality of life
• Access to high quality educational options to promote increased academic achievement
• Arts and sciences serving as a cornerstone of society
• Sustainable employment and productive career paths for adults
• Stabilizing and supporting families

Funding Priorities

The Hearst Foundations support well-established nonprofit organizations that address significant issues within their major areas of interests – culture, education, health and social service – and that primarily serve large demographic and/or geographic constituencies. In each area of funding, the Foundations seek to identify those organizations achieving truly differentiated results relative to other organizations making similar efforts for similar populations. The Foundations also look for evidence of sustainability beyond their support.

Culture

The Hearst Foundations fund cultural institutions that offer meaningful programs in the arts and sciences, prioritizing those which enable engagement by young people and create a lasting and measurable impact. The Foundations also fund select programs nurturing and developing artistic talent.

Types of Support: Program, capital and, on a limited basis, general and endowment support

Education

The Hearst Foundations fund educational institutions demonstrating uncommon success in preparing students to thrive in a global society. The Foundations’ focus is largely on higher education, but they also fund innovative models of early childhood and K-12 education, as well as professional development.

Types of Support: Program, scholarship, capital and, on a limited basis, general and endowment support

Health

The Hearst Foundations assist leading regional hospitals, medical centers and specialized medical institutions providing access to high-quality healthcare for low-income populations. In response to the shortage of healthcare professionals necessary to meet the country’s evolving needs, the Foundations also fund programs designed to enhance skills and increase the number of practitioners and educators across roles in healthcare. Because the Foundations seek to use their funds to create a broad and enduring impact on the nation’s health, support for medical research and the development of young investigators is also considered.

Types of Support: Program, capital and, on a limited basis, endowment support

Social Service

The Hearst Foundations fund direct-service organizations that tackle the roots of chronic poverty by applying effective solutions to the most challenging social and economic problems. The Foundations prioritize supporting programs that have proven successful in facilitating economic independence and in strengthening families. Preference is also given to programs with the potential to scale productive practices in order to reach more people in need.

Types of Support: Program, capital and general support

About Peter Kiewit Foundation

The foundation supports efforts that align with our strategic impact areas, primarily in the Omaha metro area and across the state of Nebraska. We also make grants in that portion of Western Iowa within 100 miles of Omaha, as well as other geographies of interest to Mr. Kiewit.

Strategic Priorities

College Access and Success

• Goal: Increase (2- and 4- year) college-going, persistence, and completion.
• Investments in:
  • Programs and initiatives that help students to improve readiness for, access to, and success in post-secondary education.
  • Post-secondary institutions’ efforts to build their own capacity to improve student success outcomes.
  • Programs and initiatives that strengthen the alignment between high schools, post-secondaries, and employers to create a seamless school-to-career pathway.
• Two Scholarship Programs:
  • “Kiewit Vocational Scholarship” Program with Nebraska Community Colleges and Iowa Western
  • “Peter Kiewit Foundation Engineering Academy” at the University of Nebraska

Youth Development

• Out Of School Time
  • Goal: Increase the number of opportunity youth (K-12) participating in high quality out-of-school programs that enhance academic, professional, and personal learning.
  • Investments in:
    • Omaha metro area nonprofit organizations that provide high-quality out of school programs (after school/summer learning, college/career readiness, mentoring, and character-building).
    • Nebraska nonprofit intermediaries working to build the quality, capacity, and reach of the out-of-school time and mentoring sectors across the state.
• Stem Learning
  • Goal: Increase the number of high-quality STEM programs and learning experiences accessed by youth (outside of school).
  • Investments in:
    • Omaha metro nonprofit organizations and educational institutions that provide high quality STEM awareness, experiences, and exposure opportunities.
    • Quality of place amenities that provide STEM experiences (science museums, children’s museums, libraries, etc.)
    • Networks that support quality STEM experiences and connect them to educational and career pathways.

Economic Development and Opportunities

• Strengthen Omaha’s Urban Core
  • Goal: Increase the number of people who live, work, and play in Downtown Omaha
  • Investments in:
    • Civic, cultural, and recreational amenities that engage and improve the quality of life for residents in the Omaha Metro’s Downtown and Urban Core.
    • Catalyst projects that spur economic development in jobs, talent attraction, or housing.
    • Efforts that build an “ecosystem” for entrepreneurs to thrive and spur innovation.
    • Efforts that take a capital project from “basic to beautiful.”
    • Efforts that support walkable, bikeable communities as well as multi-modal transportation options (e.g., bikeshare programs, trail networks, bus rapid transit programs and supports, etc.

• Revitalize Distressed Communities
  • Goal: Improve the built environment to stabilize and grow neighborhoods and communities experiencing decline and disinvestment.
  • Investments in:
    • Catalyst projects and initiatives that revitalize the built environment.
• Economic Opportunity
  • Goal: Increase employment, jobs, and building of financial assets in distressed communities.
  • Investments in:
    • Small business programs that provide financial and technical assistance to minority- and female-owned businesses (e.g., loan funds, business acumen programs, business coaching/training).
    • Programs that build financial literacy for community residents to acquire assets and build wealth.
    • Workforce development programs that build skills and connect individuals to employment.
    • Programs that provide support and technical assistance to spur housing development and homeownership.

Quality of Place Amenities

• Goal: Increase access to quality civic, arts, and cultural and recreational amenities.
• Investments in:
  • Capital projects with community-wide support.
  • Innovative programs and collaborations that engage broad, diverse audiences and are inclusive of the entire community.
  • Occasional operating grants to arts and culture organizations pursuing innovation and best practices.

Community Capacity in Greater Nebraska

• Goal: Improve communities’ ability to lead and respond to their own needs and opportunities.
• Investments in:
  • Planning efforts to develop a community-wide plan for improvement and growth.
  • Community foundations and regional networks working to build capacity of community leaders.

In addition to these strategic impact areas we occasionally support responses to address emerging issues or opportunities that have a large scale, community-wide impact.

Project Type

We consider proposals that are closely aligned to the foundation’s Strategic Impact Areas. We fund general operations, programs, and capital projects.

Matching Funds

Peter Kiewit Foundation grants are awarded on a matching funds basis. An applicant must have developed at least a portion of the matching funds needed before submitting a request.

Walmart’s more than 2 million associates are residents, neighbors, friends and family in thousands of communities around the globe. Walmart works to strengthen these communities through both retail business and community giving, and we support and invest in communities through local giving. The following programs have open application processes with specific deadlines for eligibility and consideration.

Local Community Grants

Each year, our U.S. stores and clubs award local cash grants ranging from $250 to $5,000. These local grants are designed to address the unique needs of the communities where we operate. They include a variety of organizations, such as animal shelters, elder services and community clean-up projects.

Areas of Funding

• There are eight (8) areas of funding for which an organization can apply. Please review the areas listed below to ensure your organization’s goals fall within one of these areas.
• Community and Economic Development: Improving local communities for the benefit of low-income individuals and families in the local service area
• Diversity and Inclusion: Fostering the building of relationships and understanding among diverse groups in the local service area
• Education: Providing afterschool enrichment, tutoring or vocational training for low-income individuals and families in the local service area
• Environmental Sustainability: Preventing waste, increasing recycling, or supporting other programs that work to improve the environment in the local service area
• Health and Human Service: Providing medical screening, treatment, social services, or shelters for low-income individuals and families in the local service area
• Hunger Relief and Healthy Eating: Providing Federal or charitable meals/snacks for low-income individuals and families in the local service area
• Public Safety: Supporting public safety programs through training programs or equipment in the local service area
• Quality of Life: Improving access to recreation, arts or cultural experiences for low-income individuals and families in the local service area

NOTE:

Application forms must be requested each year online prior to submitting an application. When you submit an LOI, a member of the foundation staff will be contacting you within the next five business days regarding the status of your request.

Full applications are due at the "full proposal" deadline above. 

The Foundation is dedicated to providing financial assistance to organizations committed to improving our world. Solutions to the problems of today's world still lie in the values of innovation, practicality, hard work, and compassion.

The Foundation considers applications for grants in the following areas:

• Education
• Social Service
• Health care
• Civic and cultural
• Environmental

The categories above are not intended to limit the interest of the Foundation from considering other worthwhile projects. In general, the Foundation guidelines are broad to give us flexibility in providing grants.

The majority of our grants are made in the U.S. However, like Dr. Scholl, we recognize the need for a global outlook. Non-U.S. grants are given to organizations where directors have knowledge of the grantee.

McCook Community Foundation Fund

The McCook Community Foundation Fund is looking forward while giving back to the community. Since its formation in 2001, the Fund has granted more than $300,000 to community organizations. The grants have benefited McCook and the surrounding area in many ways, from youth programs to services for the elderly, from education and cultural activities to large and small community projects.

From the beginning, our grants have continued to reflect our focus on people. We funded the McCook HomeTown Competitiveness Youth Task Force to help young people in our schools finance community service projects they choose, coordinate and complete with guidance from local charitable organizations. In addition, grants helped promote exercise programs for older adults at the YMCA and art projects for older citizens through the McCook Art Guild. We also funded renovation of the McCook Public Library children’s reading section.

MCFF has helped young people get scholarships, complete nursing degrees, participate in the Southwest Nebraska Leadership Institute and mentored Youth Change Reaction, a high school philanthropy group.

We support projects that promote healthy families in our community – Prairie Plains CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), McCook’s Community Chest, the Toy Box, Share the Heat, and Habitat for Humanity.

We encourage arts and cultural programs through support of the High Plains Museum, Fox Theater, the McCook Public Library and special events such as the Prairie Roots Festival.

Vision

Making McCook an even better place to call home

Mission

MCFF is connecting and impacting our community through intentional investment of time and financial resources.

Values

• Stewardship - MCFF will wisely use all of its resources, believing in honesty, integrity, confidentiality.
• Respectful - MCFF values people and will work to be inclusive and accepting, making sure both growing up and growing old are priorities.
• Grit - MCFF will support those who are resilient, passionate, resourceful, and courageous.
• Collaboration - MCFF will connect organizations, individuals and programs to benefit the community, weaving partnerships and relationships along the way.
• Leadership - MCFF invests resources in people who take the initiative to help others, who are optimistic and innovative.
• Posterity - MCFF will strive to provide for generations to come and to secure the future of McCook and Southwest Nebraska.

Community Grants

The McCook Community Foundation Fund invests in innovation, economic and educational opportunities, quality community leadership, cultural arts and healthy families and lifestyles. Organizations that work in these areas are encouraged to apply for a Community Grant. McCook Community Foundation Fund will place priority on projects that will have a broad impact on the quality of life for a significant number of people, propose creative ways to address community needs, engage young people in the community, or support innovative approaches to economic development.

The Lawrence Foundation is a private family foundation focused on making grants to support environmental, human services and other causes.

The Lawrence Foundation was established in mid-2000. We make both program and operating grants and do not have any geographical restrictions on our grants. Nonprofit organizations that qualify for public charity status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or other similar organizations are eligible for grants from The Lawrence Foundation.  

Grant Amount and Types

Grants typically range between $5,000 - $10,000. In some limited cases we may make larger grants, but that is typically after we have gotten to know your organization over a period of time. We also generally don’t make multi-year grants, although we may fund the same organization on a year by year basis over a period of years.

General operating or program/project grant requests within our areas of interests are accepted. In general, regardless of whether a grant request is for general operating or program/project expenses, all of our grants will be issued as unrestricted grants.

Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation Grant

The Foundation will consider requests to support museums, cultural and performing arts programs; schools and hospitals; educational, skills-training and other programs for youth, seniors, and persons with disabilities; environmental and wildlife protection activities; and other community-based organizations and programs.

Veridian Credit Union has partnered with the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa to provide the Veridian Credit Union’s Nonprofit Partnership Grants. Grants are made possible by the Veridian Credit Union Fund of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa. This fund provides general operating support grants to nonprofit organizations whose work plays a vital role in enriching communities in Veridian Credit Union’s service area in Iowa and Nebraska.

Grants

The Veridian Credit Union’s Nonprofit Partnership Grants are general operating grants of up to $5,000, and are made available to nonprofits that are strengthening communities by helping individuals become more financially stable.

The purpose of these grants is to provide support to nonprofits whose work is primarily focused on addressing barriers to financial stability by educating individuals in financial literacy or employment readiness.

Grants are not for projects or programs, but are for organizations that are fully engaged in work centered around financial literacy or employment readiness. If an agency leads a variety of programs, then financial literacy or employment readiness needs to be a key component throughout its programming. Please note that general mentoring programs for youth are not considered as addressing barriers to financial stability.

Background

The late Lester A. Walker, publisher of Fre­mont Tribune from 1939-1966, was responsible for developing journalism programs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and for mentoring countless students pursuing careers in the newspaper business. He was widely recognized for helping to revolutionize the newspaper industry during his tenure as publisher of the Tribune.

Although Walker had retired and moved to Arizona, Fremont was always home in his heart. Fremont was home to him, his wife Maxine, and his family. He was very emphatic; he earned his money in Fremont and felt it should be used to benefit the Fremont area after his lifetime. 

Applications for charitable organizations to apply for grants are accepted once a year. Grants are available to accomplish civic, cultural, educational, health and welfare purposes.