Best Parent-Teacher Organization Grants in Nebraska

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and schools working on K-12 education, youth services, hunger, health, and related community programs in Nebraska can apply for grants of US $500 - US $5,000. The Albertsons Companies Foundation’s Safeway Foundation Denver Grants support school-related and community initiatives, and PTOs may be eligible if they meet the nonprofit and service-area requirements.

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.

K–12 schools and related parent-teacher groups in Nebraska can apply for Nebraska Arts Council’s School Bus for the Arts Grants; awards up to US $1,000 for student field trips to professional arts events. Funding can cover transportation, admission, and workshop fees for concerts, performances, museum visits, and similar cultural experiences.

Focused on truancy prevention and intervention, Nebraska K–12 youth-serving programs in Nebraska can seek funding to implement or operate services that reduce excessive absences and prevent system involvement. The Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice offers competitive Juvenile Services Commission grants, up to US $115,000, for clearly defined truancy-focused initiatives reporting data through JCMS.

Nebraska K–12 education organizations and related community groups can access funding for traffic safety, driver education, and financial literacy initiatives through the Auto Club Group Foundation, with typical awards of US $5,000 - US $15,000. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, school districts, colleges, municipalities, and first responder agencies within the foundation’s multistate service area.

K–12 schools, libraries, colleges, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits in Nebraska offering family literacy programs can seek up to US $10,000 to support adult education, children’s education, and parent–child learning time. Dollar General Literacy Foundation supports literacy initiatives near its stores; eligible parent-teacher organizations may qualify if they meet these criteria.

The Community Ties Giving Program by Union Pacific Foundation offers local grants aimed at enhancing community well-being through diverse funding priorities. These include safety initiatives, workforce development, community vitality, and environmental sustainability. The program emphasizes supporting organizations that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, aiming to create impactful projects that resonate with Union Pacific's heritage and mission. Eligible applicants must be nonprofit organizations serving Union Pacific communities and demonstrate a clear need and capacity to deliver effective programming.

The NEA Professional Excellence Grants aim to empower state and local affiliates by providing funding for innovative practices and resources that enhance the education profession. These grants support initiatives focused on student success, professional development, and the establishment of a quality educator workforce. Typical funding ranges from $3,000 to $25,000, enabling affiliates to implement programs that address specific learning needs and foster community partnerships.

K-12 teachers and education program organizers in Nebraska can seek funding for insect science projects, classroom supplies, and related activities. Entomological Society of America supports K-12 education by offering Chrysalis Fund grants up to US $2,500 for insect-themed programs, which may benefit parent-teacher organizations partnering with schools on science initiatives.

Nebraska K-12 education programs focused on agricultural literacy can seek funding through the American Farm Bureau Federation’s White-Reinhardt Grant. Focused on agricultural education, the program invites state and county Farm Bureaus to apply for up to US $1,000 to start or expand reusable ag literacy projects, which may benefit parent-teacher organizations partnering locally.

Nebraska K–12 education organizations and partners offering STEM and biomedical-focused learning can access funding through the National Institutes of Health’s SEPA program to develop innovative science education projects. Classroom and informal education initiatives, including after-school and library programs that build quantitative and computational skills, may be eligible, which can benefit parent-teacher organizations collaborating with schools.

K–12 educators in Nebraska seeking agricultural literacy materials can use this grant to purchase accurate ag resources for their classrooms. With a mission to support agricultural education, American Farm Bureau provides U.S. teachers with US $100 in AFBFA store credit, which may benefit parent-teacher organizations collaborating on school programs.

Nonprofit organizations providing K-12 education for Native American children living on reservations can apply for approximately US $77,000 from the Ruth Danley and William Enoch Moore Fund to support year-round, direct-service programming. With a mission to advance charitable and educational purposes, this fund primarily serves select regions including Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Washington DC, and West Virginia; Nebraska PTOs may be eligible if they meet these criteria.

Nebraska education and academic enrichment faculty mentors can access recognition through the Society of Health and Physical Educators’ Mentor of the Year Award. Full-time higher education faculty who are SHAPE America members for at least three years and actively support student professional involvement may be nominated by their supervisors, colleagues, or students.

Nebraska K–12 education groups and youth-serving organizations can seek support for bluegrass music education and related activities through the IBMA Foundation’s Bill Breen Bluegrass Youth Education Fund. The fund is used where most needed to benefit individuals age 21 and younger, so PTOs and school partners incorporating bluegrass programming may be eligible.

Parent-teacher organizations and other education-focused nonprofits in Nebraska can seek funding for K–12 learning initiatives, youth education, and related community programs. Grants from OneAmerica Financial help organizations nationwide, with emphasis on places like Indianapolis and Maine, expand academic outcomes, improve financial literacy, and strengthen social service capacity, including food security and housing stability efforts.

K–12 health and physical education professionals in Nebraska and across the U.S. can receive funding for projects that expand opportunities for girls and women in sports as participants and leaders. The Society of Health and Physical Educators offers the NAGWS Legacy Award, providing US $1,000 for research, professional development, after-school programs, speakers, or similar initiatives.

K-12 health and physical education professionals in Nebraska focused on measurement and evaluation scholarship may be eligible for this national lifetime achievement recognition. With a mission to advance professional practice, Society of Health and Physical Educators honors SHAPE America members who demonstrate substantial, long-term scholarly impact in measurement and evaluation in health and physical education.

With a mission to advance health and physical education, Society of Health and Physical Educators provides Nebraska K-12 educators with a Measurement and Evaluation Honor Award recognizing outstanding contributions to its Measurement and Evaluation SIG. Individual SHAPE America members, including those connected to parent-teacher organizations, may be eligible if they meet membership and service criteria.

Graduate students in psychomotor measurement and evaluation at U.S. colleges or universities can receive support for professional expenses, including those connected to K–12 education work in Nebraska. With a mission to advance health and physical education, SHAPE America provides this award to current members who show strong potential in the field.

K–12 health and physical education professionals in Nebraska and nationwide who are long-term SHAPE America members may be eligible for the Luther Halsey Gulick Award, recognizing distinguished service to the field. Society of Health and Physical Educators annually honors one exemplary leader whose career inspires healthy, active lives for youth.

The Impact Aid Discretionary Construction Grant Program (84.041C) offers $19M in funding to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) to address urgent school facility needs. This initiative supports repairs, renovations, or replacements required to maintain safe educational environments. Grants cover projects that improve accessibility in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and ensure that facilities meet health standards. The program aims to enhance learning conditions by responding effectively to emergency situations.

Local education associations in Nebraska and nationwide can receive funding to provide full- or part-time release time for their local presidents, supporting K–12 education leadership and organizing. Focused on strengthening local affiliates, the National Education Association program also supports professional development and member engagement capacity-building for presidents and staff.

The NCUEA-NEA Urban Grants, funded by the National Education Association Staff Organization, aim to enhance membership growth through focused organizing proposals. These grants specifically support initiatives that promote density growth, bargaining readiness, and the development of new units. By prioritizing these areas, the program seeks to strengthen collective action and empower educators in their bargaining efforts.

The National Education Association's Collective Bargaining and Member Advocacy Department offers grants to support affiliates in creating student-centered initiatives through collective bargaining and advocacy. These grants aim to unite educators with communities, enhance transparency in negotiations, and advocate for students' rights, focusing on improving education funding, working conditions, and student outcomes. Affiliates can apply for funding to develop strategies that foster collaboration and promote positive learning environments.

The Aspiring Educators CREATE Grants, funded by the National Education Association Staff Organization, offer up to $2000 to strengthen the AE Program and foster impactful partnerships. Grants focus on areas such as Educator Quality, Community Engagement, Political Action, and Social Justice. Eligible organizations include state AE chapters, and submissions are accepted three times a year. This initiative encourages aspiring educators to develop their skills and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

The NEA Community Advocacy & Partnership Engagement (CAPE) Grant aims to support local affiliates in mobilizing community organizations to enhance student achievement, particularly for students of color. Key priorities include fostering initiatives for racial justice in education, engaging NEA members trained in leadership, and creating union roles for community engagement. This grant encourages collaboration between educators and community leaders to build capacity and drive positive change.