The Refugee Community Grant Fund advisory committee awarded $165,000 to 22 refugee-led or refugee-serving organizations. The Omaha Community Foundation received 43 applications with grant requests totaling $725,768.
The Refugee Community Grant Fund is one of OCF’s five Community Interest Funds. Anyone can donate to these resident-led grant programs.
2023 Refugee Community Grant Fund Recipients
- Access Period • $7,800 for Period Kits for Restoring Dignity
- All People’s Pantry: A Culturally Appropriate Food Pantry • $5,000 for food distributions
- American Red Cross • $2,500 for Home Fire Campaign
- AIM Institute • $7,500 for Accelerated Technical Training
- Christian Outreach Program – Elkhorn • $2,500 for Western Douglas County Community Garden
- Completely KIDS • $5,000 for assessment and liaison – Afterschool Programs
- Cornerstone Nonprofit Healthcare • $13,400 for Health Fair Project
- DIBS for Kids • $12,000 for Millard Elementary English Learner books
- Heartland Bike Share • $7,800 for Bike Share Passes for refugees
- Immigrant Legal Center • $8,500 for Ukrainian Refugee Assistance
- Intercultural Senior Center • $7,500 for Lunch for Diverse Older Adults
- International Council for Refugees and Immigrants • $10,000 for peer support, advocacy and research
- Learning For ALL • $10,000 for ESL and GED participant expansion
- MAC Foundation • $5,000 for Rising CEOS and Suit Up
- MOMentum • $2,500 for career coaching and support
- Omaha Public Library Foundation • $1,500 for refugee book giveaways
- Refugee Women Organization of Nebraska • $10,000 for New American Urban Farmers
- Refugee Women Rising • $9,000 for driver’s education
- Restoring Dignity • $8,500 for Welcome Home Program – Afghan Outreach
- St. Pius X / St. Leo School • $10,000 for English language teacher assistant
- The Furniture Project Omaha • $10,000 for warehouse and driver salary assistance
- Yates Illuminates • $9,000 for accessibility/synergies, inclusive outreach and wayfinding
Grants made through our Community Interest Funds are strategic investments meant to increase access and equity. We ask community members to lead the grant process using their own power and understanding. Each committee is made up of residents who come from or identify with the population being served. They review proposals and decide which projects to fund based on the needs they are seeing in their community.
The next grant cycle will open on January 1, 2024.