The Omaha Community Foundation awarded a total of $845,000 to 92 local nonprofits and neighborhood groups through its five Community Interest Funds. This includes the African American Unity Fund, Futuro Latino Fund, LGBTQIA2S+ Equality Fund, Refugee Community Grant Fund, and Omaha Neighborhood Grants.
For the 2023 grant cycle, OCF received 224 applications with requests totaling $3,790,950. Anyone can donate to support Community Interest Funds.
Funding decisions are made by resident-led committees that understand what investments will be most impactful in addressing the needs of their respective communities.
This model leverages the insights, connections, and lived experiences of residents who serve as both community advocates and responsive stewards of investment dollars. It democratizes philanthropy by engaging and working alongside—rather than being prescriptive and doing unto—a community.
Here are the 2023 Community Interest Funds grant recipients.
African American Unity Fund Recipients
The African American Unity Fund committee awarded $225,000 to 19 organizations supporting initiatives for the African American community in the Omaha metro. The Omaha Community Foundation received 76 applications with grant requests totaling $1,808,639.
- A Mother’s Love • $30,000 for Pregnancy Wellness Space
- All In The Family Mentoring & Support Services • $10,050 for Youth Mentoring Program
- B&B Sports Academy • $10,000 for B&B Summer Training Camp
- Bobby Byars Foundation • $15,000 for 2023 Community Safety Day
- Change of Omaha • $2,485 for Community Garden Impact Expansion
- Code Black Tech • $15,000 for Funding Capacity Grant
- Emerging Ladies Academy • $10,000 for Tech Academy
- Everyday Science and Science Support • $10,000 for STEM for All
- Great Plains Black History Museum • $10,000 for Operational Support
- J’s Braintrust Consulting Services • $5,500 for Youth Sports Officiating Training
- Juneteenth Joy Fest • $22,150 for 3rd Annual Juneteenth Joy Fest
- Kinship Refined • $15,000 for BIPOC Real Estate Professionals
- MOMentum • $5,000 for Career Empowerment Workshop
- Omaha Alternatives to Violence Project • $4,815 for Preparing Returning Citizens for Reentry
- Omaha Chapter of the Links • $15,000 for Links Locs Love
- SkateFest Omaha • $10,000 for Operational Support
- The House of Afros, Capes & Curls • $10,000 for Capacity Building
- Well-Read Women of Omaha • $10,000 for Adopt A Class
- Young Entrepreneurs of the Future • $15,000 for Life Skills To Entrepreneurship
Futuro Latino Fund Recipients
The Futuro Latino Fund committee awarded $175,000 to 12 organizations serving the Latino community. The Omaha Community Foundation received 25 applications with grant requests totaling $442,900.
- DIBS for Kids • $10,000 for DIBS Bilingual School Support Coordinator
- H2O Collective • $15,000 for D’ Colores
- Families in Action/Familias en Acción • $10,000 for Mujeres y su Bienestar
- Jackson Boxing Club • $17,500 for Operations, Equipment, and Competition Travel
- Latino Economic Development Council • $25,000 for Adelante II – South Omaha
- LIVE Leadership Camp • $20,000 for LIVE Leadership Camp
- Matters On Tomorrow • $15,000 for True Potential Scholarships
- Metro Young Latino Professionals Association • $15,000 for MYLPA Scholarship and Professional Development
- Mexican American Historical Society of the Midlands • $10,000 for Mestizaje: Nosotros Somos Todos
- MOMentum • $5,000 for Career Coaching and Support
- Omaha Classic OLG youth athletics • $17,500 for Spring Lake Baseball Field Renovation
- Park Avenue Neighborhood Association • $15,000 for Hanscom Park Mini-Pitch
Equality Fund Recipients
The Equality Fund committee awarded $200,000 to 16 organizations serving the needs of the LGBTQIA2S+ community in the Omaha metro. The Omaha Community Foundation received 30 applications with grant requests totaling $601,956.
- ACLU of Nebraska • $20,000 for Supporting and Defending LGBTQIA2S+ Nebraskans
- Benson Theatre • $2,500 for Summer 2023 LGBTQIA2S+ Artistic Programming
- BFF Omaha • $15,000 for First Friday Pride and Youth Programming
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands • $10,000 for LGBTQIA2S+ Youth Mentoring
- Healing Ribbons • $10,000 for Capacity Building
- Heartland Pride • $10,000 for Youth Pride and Scholarship Program
- Inclusive Communities • $15,000 for IncluCity Youth Camp
- Legal Aid of Nebraska • $2,500 for LGBTQIA2S+ Name Change Clinic
- Montessori Co-op School • $10,000 for Trans-Inclusion and Pride Participation
- Nebraska AIDS Project • $15,000 for Targeted Outreach and Testing
- Nebraska Writers Collective • $10,000 for All Writes Reserved Youth Spoken Word Festival
- Omaha ForUs • $20,000 for TransThrive
- OneWorld Community Health Centers • $15,000 for LGBTQIA2S+ Health Care Promotion/Access
- OutNebraska • $10,000 for Capacity Building – Supporting Programs/Operations
- Planned Parenthood of the Heartland • $20,000 for LGBTQ+ Care Coordination in Omaha
- River City Mixed Chorus • $15,000 for Unbreakable: LBGTQ+ History Through Music
The Equality Fund is a collaboration between the Sherwood Foundation, Mutual of Omaha, Conagra Brands Foundation, and Peter Kiewit Foundation. It is administered by the Omaha Community Foundation.
Refugee Community Grant Fund Recipients
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.
- 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
Omaha Neighborhood Grant Recipients
The Omaha Neighborhood Grants committee awarded $80,000 to 23 neighborhood groups combining leadership development and community building work around Omaha. The Omaha Community Foundation received 50 applications with grant requests totaling $211,687.
- Bemis Park Neighborhood Association • $5,000 for Baseball Diamond Restoration
- Benson Little League • $4,200 for Community-Led Mural Project
- BFF Omaha • $3,380 for Free Little Community Arts Center
- Blue Bucket Project • $1,040 for Neighborhood Litter Kit Lending Station
- Brown Park Neighborhood Service Organization • $3,700 for Z Street Garden Project
- Cinco De Mayo Omaha • $4,000 for Historic 24th Street Celebrations
- City Sprouts • $1,600 for Monthly Community Meals
- Field Club North Neighborhood Association • $5,000 for Cement Pad with Picnic Tables
- Free Farm • $5,000 for Increased Production, Engagement, and Sustainable Practices
- Gifford Park Neighborhood Association • $5,000 for Activating New Leaders
- Global Leadership Group Omaha • $1,100 for Community Cleanup Challenge
- Highland South-Indian Hill Neighborhood Association • $4,000 for Upland Park Canopy
- Highlander Neighborhood Association • $2,500 for Highlander Community Day
- Joslyn Castle Neighborhood Association • $4,594 for Playground Equipment for 2-5 Years Olds
- Melanin Market Omaha • $2,500 for Event Planning and Management
- Midtown Neighborhood Alliance • $2,000 for Planting 100 Trees
- Morton Meadows Neighborhood Association • $5,000 for Mizpah Lodge Community Mural
- PlaceMade • $5,000 for Skate Ramp and Trash Cans
- Prairie Lane Neighborhood Association • $2,150 for Movie Nights at the Park
- Robin Hill Recreation Association • $3,125 for Creating and Maintaining a Digital Archive
- South Omaha Neighborhood Alliance • $5,000 for Alebrije Mural
- Stony Brook Neighborhood Association • $2,741 for Planting Trees on Stony Brook Boulevard
- Stop The NonSense • $2,370 for Neighborhood Cleanups and Saturday Open Gyms
The next grant cycle will open on January 1, 2024.