Marketing Grants for Nonprofits in Nebraska

The Coca-Cola Foundation is our company's primary international philanthropic arm.

Since its inception in 1984, The Foundation has awarded more than $1.4 billion in grants to support sustainable community initiatives around the world.

Giving Back to Communities

The Coca-Cola Foundation, the independent philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company, is committed to a charitable giving strategy that makes a difference in communities around the world. In 2021, The Coca-Cola Foundation contributed $109.2 million to approximately 350 organizations globally.

Read more about our priorities in the 2021 Business & Environmental, Social and Governance Report.

NOTE: For nonprofit organizations new to U.S. Bank Foundation, a Letter of Interest is available. Community Affairs Managers will review Letter of Interest submissions periodically to learn about new and innovative programs and organizations in their regions and markets. After reviewing a Letter of Interest, a Community Affairs Manager may reach out with a request for a full application. You can access the Letter of Interest by clicking the “Submit a letter of interest” link at the bottom of this page. Letters of Interest may be submitted at any time during the year.

Community Possible Grant

Through U.S. Bank’s Community Possible® grant program, we invest in efforts to create stable jobs, safe homes and communities.

Funding Types

Within these general guidelines, we consider the following funding request types:

Operating grants

An operating grant is given to cover an organization’s day-to-day, ongoing expenses, such as salaries, utilities, office supplies and more. We consider operating support requests from organizations where the entire mission of the organization fits a Community Possible grant focus area.

Program or project grants

A program or project grant is given to support a specific, connected set of activities, with a beginning and an end, explicit objectives and a predetermined cost. We consider highly effective and innovative programs that meet our Community Possible grant focus areas.

Capital grants

A capital grant is given to finance fixed assets. The U.S. Bank Foundation considers a small number of requests for capital support from organizations that meet all other funding criteria, whose entire mission statement fits a Community Possible grant focus area, and with which the Foundation has a funding history. All organizations requesting capital funding must also have a U.S. Bank employee on the board of directors. U.S. Bank does not fund more than 1% of the non-endowment total capital campaign fundraising goal. All capital grant requests are reviewed and approved by the national U.S. Bank Foundation Board or by the U.S. Bank Foundation President.

Focus Area: PLAY

Creating vibrant communities through play.

Play brings joy, and it’s just as necessary for adults as it is for kids. But in low-income areas there are often limited spaces for play and fewer people attending arts and cultural events. That’s why we invest in community programming that supports ways for children and adults to play and create.

Access to artistic and cultural programming and arts education

Our investments ensure economic vitality and accessibility to the arts in local communities, as well as support for arts education. Examples of grant support include:

• Programs that provide access to cultural activities, visual and performing arts, zoos and aquariums and botanic gardens for individuals and families living in underserved communities
• Funding for local arts organizations that enhance the economic vitality of the community
• Programs that provide funding for arts-focused nonprofit organizations that bring visual and performing arts programming to low- and moderate-income K-12 schools and youth centers

Supporting learning through play.

Many young people across the country do not have the resources or access to enjoy the benefits of active play. Supporting active play-based programs and projects for K-12 students located in or serving low- and moderate-income communities fosters innovation, creativity, and collaboration and impacts the overall vitality of the communities we serve. Funding support includes:

• Support for organizations that build or expand access to active play spaces and places that help K-12 students learn through play and improves the health, safety and unification of neighborhoods in low- and moderate-income communities
• Programs that focus on using active play to help young people develop cognitive, social and emotional learning skills to become vibrant and productive citizens in low- and moderate-income communities

Focus Area: WORK

Supporting workforce education and prosperity.

We know that a strong small business environment and an educated workforce ensure the prosperity of our communities and reducing the expanding wealth gap for communities of color. We provide grant support to programs and organizations that help small businesses thrive, allow people to succeed in the workforce, provide pathways to higher education and gain greater financial literacy.

Investing in the workforce.

We fund organizations that provide training for small business development, as well as programs that support individuals across all skill and experience levels, to ensure they have the capability to gain employment that supports individuals and their families. Examples of grant support include:

Small business technical assistance programs

Job-skills, career readiness training programs with comprehensive placement services for low- and moderate-income individuals entering or reentering the labor force

Providing pathways for educational success.

To address the growing requirements for post-secondary education in securing competitive jobs in the workplace, we support:

• Organizations and programs that help low- and moderate-income and at-risk middle and high school students prepare for post-secondary education at a community college, university, trade or technical school and career readiness
• Programs and initiatives at post-secondary institutions that support access to career and educational opportunities for low- and moderate-income and diverse students

Teaching financial well-being for work and life.

Financial well-being is not only critical for financial stability, it’s crucial in helping individuals be successful in the workplace. Examples of grant support include programs that positively impact:

• K-12 and college student financial literacy
• Adult and workforce financial literacy
• Senior financial fraud prevention
• Military service member and veteran financial literacy

Focus Area: HOME

Working to revitalize communities one neighborhood at a time.

Children and families are better positioned to thrive and succeed in a home that is safe and permanent. Access to sustainable low-income housing is increasingly challenges for low-moderate income families. In response, our giving supports efforts that connect individuals and families with sustainable housing opportunities.

Access to safe, affordable housing

We provide financial support to assist people in developing stability in their lives through access to safe, sustainable and accessible homes. Examples of grant support include:

• Organizations that preserve, rehabilitate, renovate or construct affordable housing developments for low- and moderate-income families, individuals, seniors, veterans, and special-needs populations
• Organizations that provide transitional housing as a direct steppingstone to permanent housing
• Organizations that focus on Veterans housing and homeownership
• Construction of green homes for low- and moderate-income communities
• Energy retrofit programs for low- and moderate-income housing developments

Home ownership education

Owning and maintaining a home requires significant financial knowledge, tools, and resources. We support programs that assist low- and moderate-income homebuyers and existing homeowners. Examples of grant support include:

• Homebuyer education
• Pre- and post-purchase counseling and coaching
• Homeownership-retention programs designed to provide foreclosure counseling

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

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:

Health Care and Hospitals

A growing area of need in many of the communities the Foundation serves. In 2017, more than $2.9 million was awarded to hospitals and health-care groups to build and improve their facilities. 

Human Services

The Foundation awarded over $7 million to human service nonprofits in 2017, and the majority of grants in this area were awarded to groups that provide essential services to youth and families. Grantees included a range of youth-focused groups, including the Kansas 4-H Foundation, Kids TLC, Ronald McDonald House & Boys & Girls Clubs. 

Higher Education

In 2017, the Foundation awarded more than $10 million to over 45 educational organizations. Grantees included community colleges, private colleges, and public universities. 

Arts and Culture

Arts and culture projects received $7 million in 2017, including grants to the Eisenhower Foundation in Abilene, Kansas; the Kansas City Symphony, the Nelson Gallery Foundation and many more.

NOTE: Applications may be submitted at any time during this funding cycle, open from Feb 1 to the deadline above. Please note that applications will only remain active in our system for 90 days, and at the end of this period they will be automatically rejected.

Guidelines

Local Community grants range from a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $5,000. Eligible nonprofit organizations must operate on the local level (or be an affiliate/chapter of a larger organization that operates locally) and directly benefit the service area of the facility from which they are requesting funding.Organizations may only submit a total number of 25 applications and/or receive up to 25 grants within the 2019 grant cycle.

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.

Description of Program

The Nebraska Tourism Commission administers this grant program, per Nebraska Revised Statute 81-3725, to provide marketing assistance grants to communities and organizations hosting national or international-caliber events held in Nebraska that have the potential to attract a significant percentage of out-of-state visitors and to generate favorable national or international press coverage for Nebraska. A community or organization applying for a grant shall provide: 

• documentation that the event will attract out-of-state visitors; 
• details regarding the type of marketing that would be carried out with state funds; 
• methodologies used to track the impact of marketing efforts and the number of out-of-state visitors attending the event; and 
• details regarding the potential national or international press coverage that will be generated by the event.

Successful applicants will utilize creative marketing strategies to generally promote, encourage and attract visitors to the state, focusing on the use of media sources to promote their event on a nationwide or international scale and, in turn, gain national and international press coverage of their event and Nebraska. 

Recommended Directed-Marketing Participation

Increased promotion of national and international-caliber events within the Commission’s marketing channels can increase exposure, draw attendees, and benefit the state as a whole. Applicants requesting grant funding through this program are encouraged to direct a portion of the marketing efforts towards at least one of the following exclusive Directed-Marketing projects, offered only through this program:

• Exclusive event advertising on the home page of visitnebraska.com. Showcase your event in a prominent location to site visitors as they begin their search on visitnebraska.com.
• Exclusive event advertising spread in the 2024 Official Nebraska Travel Guide. Showcase your event in a prominent location within the primary advertising response piece of the Nebraska Tourism Commission, a cost-effective way to increase exposure to an audience interested in Nebraska travel. 

Description of Program

The Nebraska Tourism Commission administers this grant program, per Nebraska Revised Statute 81-3725, to provide innovative tourism grants to communities or organizations that provide tourism and visitor promotion services, host events, or promote attractions which result in either an increased number of nonlocal, in-state visitors or an increased number of both nonlocal, in-state visitors and out-of-state visitors.

Directed-Marketing Projects eligible for funding under this grant cycle include items listed below:

• Develop professional photography content to promote your destination or event to travelers. Need funding to create a photo library to use in print ads or online advertising? Grant funds can be utilized towards service fees of a professional photographer. Applicants are encouraged to develop diverse and inclusive photography, representing individuals of different races/ethnicities, genders, ages, abilities and/or body types. (Lodging and transportation costs are not eligible for grant funding, but can represent matching funds.)
• Promote your community’s group tour destinations. Grant funds can assist with marketing efforts online and in select group tour magazines, development of group tour websites, as well as registration fees to attend (virtually or in-person) American Bus Association’s Marketplace 2024, National Tour Association’s Travel Exchange 2023, Select Traveler Conference 2023, and Travel Alliance Partner’s TAP Dance 2023. (Lodging, transportation and membership dues are not eligible for grant funding, but can represent matching funds.)
• Attend 2023 ESTO. The US Travel Association’s Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations is a national forum where destination marketing professionals gain critical tools to grow tourism in their area. Grant funds can assist with registration fees to attend virtually or in-person. (Lodging, transportation and membership dues are not eligible for grant funding, but can represent matching funds.)
• Purchase an ad in the 2024 Official Nebraska Travel Guide. The guide is the primary advertising response piece for Nebraska Tourism, and a cost-effective way to increase exposure to an audience interested in Nebraska travel. (Distribution 200,000 guides – guide becomes available January 2024).
• Advertise on VisitNebraska.com between May 1, 2023 and April 30, 2024:
• Leads Program – receive weekly email leads of visitors interested in your destination. Banner Ad – graphic ad inserted between search results on most pages which links to a website of your choice. 
• Participate in a Nebraska Tourism Commission sponsored social media blitz. Our ongoing Visit Nebraska Facebook campaign will spread the word to target audiences about what you have to see and do. Work with our social media specialist to select a 3-day date range to launch your promotion, get help creating your content, and sit back while we track the results and report back to you. 

The Directed-Marketing projects above are recommended by the Tourism Commission this grant cycle and will be prioritized over Non-Directed-Marketing promotions in the application-review process.

If your community or organization wishes to participate in additional promotions not listed on the previous page, you can also request funding for non-directed marketing projects this grant cycle. Be creative and innovative, tell us what marketing tools your community, event, destination or region is lacking that will help you attract more visitors. Outline your needs in your application and include how, when, why, and where you plan to implement the tools. 

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 it flexibility in providing grants.

Over the past decade, approximately 28% of our grants have been related to education, 28% to social services, 22% to hospitals and healthcare, 17% to civic and cultural with the remaining percentage spread out in the above categories. The majority of our grants are made in the U.S. However, like Dr. Scholl, we recognize the need for a global outlook.

There is no limit on grant amounts; however, on average, our grants range from $5,000 to $25,000.