Best Sarpy County Grants for Nonprofits in Nebraska

The Alpha Omega Alpha/Pharos Poetry Award

To encourage students to write effective poetry. Winning poems are published in The Pharos.

The Award

Up to 5 poems will receive a $1,500 award. The winning entries will be published in The Pharos.

Summer Medical Internship Program (SMIP)

Fosters an interest in research by funding a summer research project conducted by a medical student.

The SIR Foundation Summer Medical Internship Program introduces medical students to interventional radiology research and medical device development. The goal of this program is to foster an interest in research by funding a summer research project conducted by a medical student.

Students applying for the program must show strong potential for a career in IR with proven academic success. Selected students will have an opportunity to intern with an interventional radiologist research mentor or corporate research and development mentor for 8 weeks during the summer.

SIR Foundation will provide a $6,000 stipend to help ease the financial burdens throughout their internship experience.

• Budget: Up to $6,000
• Grant Length: Eight weeks

Hilcorp Future Leaders of America Scholarship

Benefiting select communities across the United States where Hilcorp operates.

The Hilcorp Future Leaders of America Scholarship Program was developed to give back to the communities in which Hilcorp Energy Company operates to develop future leadership talent as the next innovators, educators, and business leaders.

Award Amount

Multiple scholarships awarded annually. The scholarship is comprised of up to four (4) annual awards of $2,500, for a total award of up to $10,000.

The four annual (4) awards may be received over a period of up to 6 years, allowing for deferment if needed.

GBA1 Parkinson's Disease Research Catalyst Program

The GBA1-PD Research Catalyst Program seeks to build a deeper, globally integrated understanding of GBA1-associated Parkinson’s disease by aligning efforts across geographies and maximizing the value of shared datasets and research assets. Funding will support hypothesis- driven projects with an emphasis on integrative, cross-cohort analyses and the systematic characterization and standardization of models to enable broad use by the research community.

Funding

Duration: 12 to 24 months

Award Amount: Up to $300,000. Requested support should be commensurate with work proposed.

These budgets include direct and indirect costs. For academic and for-profit institutions, no more than 15% or 10%, respectively, may go to indirect costs. 

Patrick J. Kiley / Houston AGC Scholarship

Benefiting employees, dependents of employees, and/or interns of AGC Houston member firms OR students involved in AGC Student Chapters.

Award Amounts

Multiple awards are given each year. Scholarship award amounts will vary for each selected scholarship recipient.

About the Agency

The Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment (DWEE) brings together our state's efforts in water management, energy policies, and environmental protection.

Waste and Litter Grant

The purpose of the Litter Reduction & Recycling Grant and the Waste Reduction & Recycling Incentive Grant programs is to fund activities that reduce litter and waste and promote recycling in Nebraska. This document is intended to aid grant applicants in the preparation of an application and the quarterly report by outlining what expenses the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment (DWEE) deemed eligible for reimbursement through these grant programs, and by identifying documentation that must be submitted as part of the application and quarterly report. This guidance document applies to grant applications received for the current grant period.

Major updates for 2027 Grant Year:

• No in-kind match
• Personnel benefits will not be reimbursed but can be used for cash match
• Maximum of $500,000 per entity
• Equipment will require a 50% match
• Bid threshold is now $10,000 for supplies and contractual and $25,000 for equipment
• Refer to the updated Waste and Litter Priority Points:
  • 1%-24% = 1 pt
  • 25%-49% = 5 pts
  • 50%-74% = 10 pts
  • 75%-100% = 15 pts

Nebraska Department of Economic Development

Since 1967, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) has been focused on growing and diversifying the state’s economic base, bringing new dollars, new businesses, and new people into the state.

HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME)

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocates HOME funds to Participating Jurisdictions (PJs). The State of Nebraska receives funds as a PJ and the Department of Economic Development (DED) administers the program for the State.

HOME CHDO Program

The HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) is intended to:

• Provide funds to eligible recipients for acquisition, construction, and production of affordable housing to increase the supply of decent, safe, and sanitary housing for low-to-moderate-income Nebraskans.

• Promote and advance the goals of the Nebraska Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development; and

• Provide a mechanism to leverage private investment in the development of affordable housing.

Eligible Activities Include: Construction costs for newly constructed homes for potential home buyers at or below 80% Area Median Income (AMI) (Development subsidy, gap subsidy, buyer assistance, and closing costs)

Nebraska Department of Economic Development

Since 1967, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) has been focused on growing and diversifying the state’s economic base, bringing new dollars, new businesses, and new people into the state.

HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME)

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocates HOME funds to Participating Jurisdictions (PJs). The State of Nebraska receives funds as a PJ and the Department of Economic Development (DED) administers the program for the State.

HOME CHDO Operating Program

HDO Operating expenses means reasonable and necessary costs for:

• The operation of community housing development organization. Such costs include salaries, wages, and other employee compensation and benefits; employee education, training, and travel; rent; utilities; communication costs; taxes; insurance; equipment; materials; and supplies. The requirements and limitations on the receipt of these funds by CHDOs are set forth in § 92.300(e) and (f). §92.208(a)

Within the CHDO Operating funding category, the Department may award funding for eligible operating expenses (not project related):

• Assist the organization in maintaining the current level of production and/or development of affordable housing.
• Assist the organization in increasing their capacity; including hiring new staff; and
• Assist the organization in expanding their services or coverage area.

Nebraska Public Transit

Promotes and supports safe, affordable and efficient public transit.

The Nebraska Department of Transportation's (NDOT) Nebraska Public Transit is more than transportation—it’s a lifeline. It connects residents to healthcare, education, jobs and more while fostering independence, mobility and stronger community connections.

Section 5311, Rural Public Transportation

Federal and State funding is available to support public transportation projects in rural Nebraska. This support includes reimbursement for operating expenses subsidies to purchase transit vehicles and awards to construct or renovate transit-related facilities. Eligible subrecipients of funds to administer a public transportation project include private nonprofit organizations, state or local governmental authorities, operators of public transportation services or intercity bus operators.

The Section 53|| program awards grants for operating assistance on a two-year grant cycle. Applications are due in March prior to the grant cycle ending on September 30 of that fiscal year. However, NDOT may allow new applicants to apply for funding at any time on a case-by-case basis. Existing 53|| program participants can apply for vehicles throughout the fiscal year. Startup rural transit agencies should apply for operating assistance and vehicles) at the same time.

Nebraska Dept. of Economic Development

About Us

Since 1967, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) has been focused on growing and diversifying the state’s economic base, bringing new dollars, new businesses, and new people into the state.

Our Mission

Provide quality leadership and services that enable Nebraska’s communities, businesses, and people to succeed in a global economy. We are here, equipped and ready, to assist you and your community in developing and capitalizing on economic development opportunities.

Housing Initiatives

Living here is just as important as working here. That’s why business isn’t our only focus. When you get right down to it, the strength of our communities and the people living in them are Nebraska’s foundation. It’s where it all starts.

Whether you’re looking at how we support and grow Nebraska’s rural and urban communities, or our initiatives that improve living environments, offer affordable housing, and provide funding — you’re in the right spot.

Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund (NAHTF)

The Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund (NAHTF) was established by the Nebraska Affordable Housing Act in 1996. These funds are distributed to eligible applicants to support the provision of decent, affordable housing statewide, to encourage economic development and to promote the general prosperity of all Nebraskans.

About

Nebraska Arts Council aspires to positively impact the lives of Nebraskans through the power of art. We provide programming, grants, and opportunities to foster creative innovation statewide.

Formed in 1974 by an act passed in the Nebraska Legislature, Nebraska Arts Council is comprised of 15 board members appointed by the Governor of Nebraska. Together, the board and staff partner with the State of Nebraska, National Endowment for the Arts, and Nebraska Cultural Endowment—a unique partnership among the state and private contributors.

Mission:

To promote, cultivate and sustain the arts for the people of Nebraska. In doing so, the Nebraska Arts Council provides grants and services to artists, organizations, and communities that:

• Build creative and proactive leadership in the arts.
• Forge partnerships that create and expand opportunities for the arts.
• Cultivate new resources needed to sustain the arts in Nebraska.
• Establish the arts as basic to education and lifelong learning.
• Use the arts as a catalyst for understanding among cultures.
• Advocate for increased awareness and access to the arts.

School Bus for the Arts Grants

This program provides grants for students from kindergarten to 12th grade to underwrite the cost of field trips to attend professional arts events, including concerts, dance or theatre performances, and cultural exhibits at museums or other venues.

Field trips may also include learning opportunities such as theatre workshops led by professional artists. Allowable expenses include transportation, admission fees, and associated workshop fees, if applicable.

The DOW Combat Readiness – Medical Research Program's FY26 Translational Research Award supports innovative research aimed at improving trauma care outcomes. This program emphasizes hypothesis-driven studies that can transition promising technologies into practical solutions for enhancing casualty survivability. Applicants must provide preliminary data and utilize validated animal models, with a focus on projects that meet a minimum technology readiness level of 4, ensuring a mature translational research effort.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is funding research to enhance drug susceptibility testing (DST) for mycobacteria. This initiative aims to improve testing for tuberculosis (TB) and non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections, which are on the rise. Current methods are slow and ineffective against drug-resistant strains, making rapid DSTs essential for effective treatment and reducing transmission rates. Innovative approaches, including rapid genotypic and phenotypic methods, will be supported to address these challenges.

The Childhood Asthma in Urban Settings Clinical Research Network (CAUSE) aims to enhance asthma prevention and treatment in economically disadvantaged pediatric populations. Funded by the NIH, CAUSE supports multi-site clinical studies to identify innovative strategies and treatment targets for asthma. Utilizing systems biology, the network seeks to discover specific disease endotypes suitable for new therapeutic approaches, addressing the high burden of asthma in urban settings.

The BRAIN Initiative seeks to develop innovative tools and approaches for neuroscience research, focusing on cell-specific and circuit-specific processes within the central nervous system. This initiative encourages projects that enhance our understanding of brain architecture and function through novel technologies for characterizing neural components and advancing methods for recording and modulating neural activity. Applications are invited to address significant challenges and promote transformative breakthroughs in neuroscience.

The National Institute of Mental Health is inviting research applications for the AIDS Research Center program, which includes Developmental Centers and full Research Centers. This initiative aims to enhance interdisciplinary HIV/AIDS research through collaboration and innovative approaches across various scientific domains. The program emphasizes alignment with national strategies and encourages applications from teams skilled in fostering partnerships with diverse stakeholders. Although applications are currently not being solicited, this notice allows potential applicants time to prepare strong proposals.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is advancing research on immune tolerance through its Collaborative Network. This program aims to clarify the mechanisms of immune tolerance and develop interventions for related diseases, including transplant rejection and autoimmune disorders. Key objectives include conducting clinical trials on tolerogenic strategies and refining immune assays. This initiative is supported by regulations under the Public Health Service Act, ensuring a structured approach to improving patient outcomes.

The Clinical Data, Safety and Statistical Centers (CDSSC) program, supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), aims to enhance clinical research through comprehensive support. This includes statistical analysis, protocol development, and oversight of safety monitoring in studies related to asthma, autoimmune diseases, and transplantation. By coordinating these efforts, the program seeks to facilitate impactful research outcomes and improve public health outcomes through informed data-driven decisions.

The Translational Transplantation Tolerance Cooperative Study Group, supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, aims to advance transplant tolerance strategies that promote long-term graft survival without lifelong immunosuppression. This initiative focuses on developing, optimizing, and evaluating methods to induce immune tolerance in allogeneic transplants through collaborative efforts across multiple centers, utilizing translationally relevant models to ensure effective outcomes.

The NIAID aims to enhance our understanding of the interplay between chronic and infectious diseases through innovative precision systems biology research. By utilizing advanced technologies such as multi-omics and artificial intelligence, the initiative focuses on uncovering critical pathways that connect infections to chronic health issues. This multidisciplinary approach leverages longitudinal patient data to inform and improve prevention and treatment strategies, ultimately seeking to provide insights into disease progression and host-pathogen interactions.

The Asthma and Allergic Diseases Cooperative Research Centers (AADCRC) program, supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), aims to enhance research on asthma and related allergic diseases. This initiative fosters multi-center, multidisciplinary research to explore disease mechanisms and treatment responses. By promoting clinical trials and observational studies, the AADCRC seeks to advance understanding and improve interventions for conditions such as asthma and food allergies, ultimately benefiting public health.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is advancing organ transplantation outcomes through the Clinical Trials in Organ Transplantation in Children and Adults (CTOT-CA) program. This initiative supports multicenter clinical trials and mechanistic studies related to heart, lung, kidney, liver, and intestinal transplants, as well as non-hematopoietic cellular transplantation. By exploring immune mechanisms and innovative therapies, the program aims to enhance the success and efficacy of organ transplantation.

The NIAID aims to enhance infectious disease research by supporting human microphysiologic systems (MPS) development. These in vitro platforms mimic human tissue functions, promoting drug and biological product development while reducing animal use. This initiative aligns with NIH’s commitment to innovative research practices and regulatory acceptance. By focusing on MPS in infectious disease contexts, NIAID seeks to streamline therapeutic advancements and establish robust human tissue models, addressing critical challenges in understanding and treating infections.

Scholarships

Since awarding our first $500 scholarship in 1987, the Saginaw Community Foundation has awarded college scholarships to area students totaling more than $13.7 million, thanks to our generous donors. Each year, over 500 college-bound or career and technical education students benefit from our scholarship awards.

Our single application process makes it easy to potentially qualify for one or more of our 260+ scholarships.

JustJane Art Scholarship Fund for Women

Truly unique humans like Jane Marie Ewing do not populate the universe very often, and the JustJane Art Scholarship for Women was created to honor her remarkable spirit.

Jane was an artist at heart, finding joy in countless creative pursuits – whether baking delectable treats, capturing life’s beauty through photography, or expressing her imagination in fashion and digital illustration. Her zest for life was infectious, often bringing laughter through her playful “Jane Pranks”, which will forever live in the hearts of family and friends. Jane shared an inseparable bond with Kyle, each the center of the other’s universe. Tragically, Jane was taken from this world unexpectedly in 2025.

Her vibrant artistic soul touched every aspect of her life – from painting and interior design to crafting costumes for parties and pranks. Though her passion for art wasn’t fully nurtured early on, once she embraced it later in life, creativity flowed freely, illuminating the lives of everyone around her. Jane saw beauty everywhere, and her art became a reflection of that vision.

This scholarship carries forward Jane’s legacy, helping future generations cultivate their own artistic passions. It is a reminder to future generations that art has the power to transform lives.

Scholarships

Since awarding our first $500 scholarship in 1987, the Saginaw Community Foundation has awarded college scholarships to area students totaling more than $13.7 million, thanks to our generous donors. Each year, over 500 college-bound or career and technical education students benefit from our scholarship awards.

Our single application process makes it easy to potentially qualify for one or more of our 260+ scholarships.

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity – Saginaw Alumni Scholarship

Kappa Alpha Psi, an international college fraternity, was founded in 1911 and has more than 600 functioning undergraduate and alumni chapters. The motto of the fraternity is “achievement in every field of human endeavor.” Fashioning achievement as its purpose, Kappa Alpha Psi continues to unite college men of patriotism and honor in a bond of fraternity.

The Kappa Instructional Leadership League is a male youth group consisting of area high school students. The youth group is sponsored by the Saginaw Alumni Chapter in accordance with the fraternity’s National Guide Right Program.

The Saginaw Alumni Chapter has established a scholarship program in recognition and memory of the following men who were devoted and dedicated members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity: Lee Arthur, Sr., John Gibson Jr., Dr. Vernal Cambridge and George Carter, Sr.

Scholarships

Since awarding our first $500 scholarship in 1987, the Saginaw Community Foundation has awarded college scholarships to area students totaling more than $13.7 million, thanks to our generous donors. Each year, over 500 college-bound or career and technical education students benefit from our scholarship awards.

Our single application process makes it easy to potentially qualify for one or more of our 260+ scholarships.

Lisa Krukowski-Whalen Nursing Scholarship

The Lisa Krukowski-Whalen Nursing Scholarship was established to provide financial assistance to a graduating senior or college student from Saginaw County who plans to pursue a nursing career.

Mrs. Lisa A. Krukowski-Whalen graduated with honors from Bridgeport High School in 1983 and with honors from the University of Michigan School of Nursing in 1987. Lisa loved her career in nursing. She worked at St. Luke’s Hospital in the Pediatrics Intensive Care Unit. While working at St. Luke’s Hospital, Lisa also taught nursing (clinical) at Saginaw Valley State University.

Despite health complications, Lisa remained an energetic and loving person until her passing at the age of 41. It is in her spirit that family and friends have created a nursing scholarship for any deserving student in the Saginaw County.

Kenny Simon Scholarship

Kenny Simon, a member of the class 1988, met an untimely death in the summer of 1985. Kenny’s parents and friends established a scholarship fund in his honor.

The interest from this fund is to be used annually to provide a scholarship for a deserving member of the graduating class. In the event the scholarship if not applied for by students, the money will be contributed to the Special Olympics Program.