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Nebraska Community Foundation

Annual Giving
$15.4M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.1M
Decision Time
2mo

Nebraska Community Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $15,372,754 (2024)
  • Total Network Impact: Nearly $40 million in grants and disbursements (FY 2022)
  • Assets Under Management: $256 million ($164 million endowed)
  • Affiliated Funds: 252 funds in 270 communities
  • Geographic Focus: Statewide (Nebraska communities)
  • Volunteer Leaders: Nearly 2,000 across the state

Contact Details

Nebraska Community Foundation

  • Mailing Address: PO Box 83107, Lincoln, NE 68501
  • Physical Address: 8100 S. 15th St., Lincoln, NE 68512
  • Phone: (402) 323-7330
  • Website: https://www.nebcommfound.org
  • Accreditation: CFNS Accredited Foundation

For Grant Applications: Contact your local affiliated community fund directly. Each of the 252 affiliated funds manages its own grant-making process.

Overview

Founded in 1993, the Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF) represents a unique model in community philanthropy. Rather than making grants directly, NCF supports a network of 252 affiliated funds across 270 Nebraska communities, managing $256 million in total assets (with $164 million endowed). Since 1994, the NCF network has reinvested over $463 million in Nebraska hometowns, with $172 million distributed in just the past five years. In 2024 alone, the network provided $15,372,754 in grants through 370 awards.

NCF's mission is to "unleash abundant local assets, inspire charitable giving, and connect ambitious people to build stronger communities and a Greater Nebraska." The organization operates on an asset-based community development philosophy, teaching local volunteer leaders to raise their own funds and make their own grants based on local development priorities. NCF provides approximately 25 professional staff members who offer training, strategy development, gift planning assistance, financial and investment management, and technical support to nearly 2,000 volunteer fund leaders statewide. The organization conservatively estimates receiving another $68 million in planned gifts to benefit communities in the coming years.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Note: The Nebraska Community Foundation does not make grants directly. All grant-making occurs through 252 affiliated community funds located in communities across Nebraska. Each affiliated fund:

  • Operates independently with its own grant application process and timeline
  • Makes decisions through local volunteer advisory committees
  • Sets its own funding priorities based on community needs
  • Determines its own grant sizes and eligibility requirements

Examples of Affiliated Fund Grant Programs:

  • Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation: Betterment Grants ranging from $500 to $50,000; three funding cycles per year (deadlines: January 15, April 15, October 15)
  • Nebraska City Community Foundation Fund: Has invested over $6.2 million into the Nebraska City community over 23 years
  • Various other affiliated funds with their own grant programs and priorities

Priority Areas

Grant-making priorities vary by local affiliated fund, but common areas supported across the network include:

  • Early childhood development and education
  • Arts and culture
  • Recreation and inclusive playgrounds
  • Affordable housing and housing development
  • Healthcare and dental services
  • Leadership development
  • Heritage tourism
  • Small business and entrepreneurship development
  • Scholarships (including nursing, workforce enhancement, and Native American students)
  • Libraries and expanded learning opportunities
  • STEM education
  • Community centers and facilities

Recent Grant Examples Across the Network:

  • Early childhood education in Albion
  • New community center in Laurel
  • "Welcoming and Belonging Community Grant Challenge" in Columbus
  • Local foods in Hebron schools
  • Housing development in Ogallala and Eustis
  • Library services and 'Many Books One Community' program in Nebraska City
  • Opera house renovations in Friend
  • Inclusive playground in Sidney
  • STEM education in Norfolk
  • Pediatric dental health care in Bassett and Scottsbluff
  • Scholarships for students throughout the state

What They Don't Fund

This varies by affiliated fund. Grant-making decisions and exclusions are determined locally by each community's volunteer fund advisory committee.

Governance and Leadership

President and CEO: Jeff Yost has dedicated 25 years of his career to NCF's mission and community-led, asset-based philosophies. Contact: jeffyost@nebcommfound.org, (402) 323-7332

Director of Gift Planning: Todd Mekelburg

Professional Staff: Approximately 25 professionals located both at Lincoln headquarters and across the state, with expertise in finance, planned giving, community development, education, and communications.

Board of Directors: NCF maintains an active board of directors (see website for current members).

Local Governance: Each of the 252 affiliated funds is governed by a volunteer Fund Advisory Committee of local community leaders who make grant decisions.

Leadership Philosophy - Quotes from Jeff Yost:

On community economic development: "The community economic development question is not one of jobs. The better question is: Why here? Why do I want to live, work and raise my family in this community."

On local assets: "Everything we need is right where we are!"

On approach to change: "Change happens along the lines of relationships...We're helping people try to make things. Not by burning down what's there, but by really helping to lift up all the goodness."

On "active hope": NCF embraces "active hope"—which functions both as a noun and a verb. As a noun, it's "proactive optimism for the future." As a verb, it means "creating one's own destiny."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Important: The Nebraska Community Foundation does not accept grant applications directly. All grant applications must be submitted to your local affiliated community fund.

To Apply for Grants:

  1. Identify Your Local Affiliated Fund: Visit https://www.nebcommfound.org/our-network/affiliated-funds/ to find the affiliated fund serving your community (270 communities across Nebraska have affiliated funds)

  2. Contact Your Local Fund: Each affiliated fund has its own:

    • Grant application forms and procedures
    • Eligibility requirements
    • Funding priorities
    • Decision-making timeline
    • Local volunteer advisory committee

  3. Submit Application to Local Fund: Grant applications are reviewed and decided upon by local volunteer leaders who understand community-specific needs

  4. Typical Eligibility: Many affiliated funds award grants to qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and qualified public government organizations or agencies, though this varies by fund

NCF's Role: The central Nebraska Community Foundation provides the infrastructure, training, gift planning support, financial management, investment management, and technical assistance—but grant decisions are made locally.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines vary significantly by affiliated fund.

Example Timeline (Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation):

  • Application Deadlines: January 15, April 15, October 15
  • Decision Notifications: Early March, Early June, Early December (approximately 6-8 weeks after deadline)

Other affiliated funds may operate on rolling basis, annual cycles, or different schedules. Contact your specific local fund for their timeline.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly reported at the network level, as each of the 252 affiliated funds operates independently with its own application volume and award rates.

Network-Wide Grant Activity:

  • FY 2024: 370 grants awarded totaling $15,372,754
  • FY 2022: Nearly $40 million in grants and disbursements across the network
  • FY 2019: 601 grants awarded totaling $9,800,886

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies are determined by individual affiliated funds. Contact your local fund for their specific policy on reapplications.

Application Success Factors

Since grant decisions are made by local volunteer advisory committees rather than by the central foundation, success factors are specific to each affiliated fund. However, the following principles guide the NCF network:

NCF's Asset-Based Philosophy:

  • Build on Strengths: NCF's model emphasizes "lifting up all the goodness" rather than focusing on deficits. Applications that highlight community assets and how the project builds on existing strengths align with this philosophy.

  • Local Leadership and Relationships: Grant decisions are made by community members who know the local context. Building relationships with local fund advisory committee members and demonstrating community support can be valuable.

  • Long-Term Community Impact: The network has reinvested $463 million since 1994 with a focus on sustainable improvements. Projects demonstrating lasting impact on prosperity and quality of life are prioritized.

  • Community-Driven Priorities: Each affiliated fund sets its own priorities based on what local leaders identify as emerging needs. Understanding your specific community's stated priorities is critical.

Types of Projects Funded: Based on documented grants across the network, successful applications have addressed:

  • Infrastructure and capital improvements (community centers, opera house renovations, playgrounds)
  • Educational initiatives (STEM programs, scholarships, early childhood education)
  • Quality of life enhancements (arts, culture, recreation, libraries)
  • Economic development (housing, small business support, workforce development)
  • Healthcare access (dental care, nursing scholarships)
  • Community capacity building (leadership development)

Process Tips:

  • Start by researching your local affiliated fund's specific priorities and recent grants
  • Attend local fund meetings or events if possible to understand community priorities
  • Demonstrate how your project addresses locally-identified needs
  • Show community support and collaboration
  • Present a clear budget and implementation plan
  • Explain the long-term sustainability and impact

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Apply Locally, Not Centrally: You cannot apply to Nebraska Community Foundation directly. You must apply through one of the 252 affiliated community funds serving your area.

  • Know Your Local Fund: Each affiliated fund operates independently with its own priorities, processes, and timelines. Research your specific fund thoroughly before applying.

  • Demonstrate Community Support: Since decisions are made by local volunteer advisory committees, showing broad community support and alignment with locally-identified needs is crucial.

  • Think Long-Term Impact: The NCF network focuses on sustainable improvements to community prosperity and quality of life. Frame your project in terms of lasting change, not short-term fixes.

  • Leverage the Asset-Based Approach: Align your application with NCF's philosophy by emphasizing how your project builds on existing community strengths and assets rather than only addressing problems.

  • Wide Range of Funding Areas: The network supports diverse projects from early childhood education to housing development to arts programs. Don't self-select out—if it benefits your community, it may be fundable.

  • Significant Resources Available: With $256 million in assets and nearly $40 million in annual grants across the network, substantial funding is available, though distributed across 270 communities.

References

  1. Nebraska Community Foundation Official Website. "About NCF." https://www.nebcommfound.org (Accessed December 2025)

  2. Nebraska Community Foundation. "Affiliated Funds." https://www.nebcommfound.org/our-network/affiliated-funds/ (Accessed December 2025)

  3. Nebraska Community Foundation. "2024 Annual Report." https://www.nebcommfound.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2024-Annual-Report-WEBSITE.pdf (November 2024)

  4. Nebraska Community Foundation. "Team." https://www.nebcommfound.org/about/team/ (Accessed December 2025)

  5. GuideStar Profile - Nebraska Community Foundation (EIN 47-0769903). https://www.guidestar.org/profile/47-0769903 (Accessed December 2025)

  6. Cause IQ. "Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF) | Lincoln, NE." https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/nebraska-community-foundation,470769903/ (Accessed December 2025)

  7. Instrumentl. "Nebraska Community Foundation | Lincoln, NE | 990 Report." https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/nebraska-community-foundation-1984b04b-3cd6-4ff7-b05e-6a0d6241fb30 (Accessed December 2025)

  8. Candid (Foundation Directory). "NEBRASKA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | Foundation Directory." https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=NEBR011 (Accessed December 2025)

  9. Nebraska Community Foundation. "Looking back on Nebraska Community Foundation's 2022 achievements." https://www.nebcommfound.org/news/looking-back-on-nebraska-community-foundations-2022-achievements/ (Accessed December 2025)

  10. Nebraska Community Foundation. "Jeff Yost - President and CEO." https://www.nebcommfound.org/about/team/jeff-yost/ (Accessed December 2025)

  11. Nebraska Community Foundation. "Jeff Yost: It's Not About Jobs, It's About People." https://www.nebcommfound.org/news/its-not-about-jobs-its-about-people/ (Accessed December 2025)

  12. Nebraska Community Foundation. "Jeff Yost: Unleashing Our Abundant Local Assets." https://www.nebcommfound.org/news/jeff-yost-unleashing-our-abundant-local-assets/ (Accessed December 2025)

  13. Nebraska Community Foundation. "Jeff Yost: Nebraskans turn hope into action." https://www.nebcommfound.org/news/jeff-yost-nebraskans-turn-hope-into-action/ (Accessed December 2025)

  14. Alliance Magazine. "Nebraska Community Foundation - Reviving hope in rural communities." https://www.alliancemagazine.org/feature/nebraska-community-foundation-reviving-hope-in-rural-communities/ (Accessed December 2025)

  15. Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation. "Apply for Grants." https://midnebraskafoundation.org/grants/grants-available.html (Accessed December 2025)

  16. Nebraska City Community Foundation Fund. https://www.nebraskacitycommunityfoundation.org/ (Accessed December 2025)

  17. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. "Nebraska Community Foundation." https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/470769903 (Accessed December 2025)

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