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Weitz Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$15.6M
Grant Range
$10K - $0.5M
Decision Time
5mo

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $15,584,799 (2024)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $500,000
  • Median Grant: $42,500
  • Total Awards 2024: 167 grants
  • Decision Time: 4-5 months (application to notification)
  • Geographic Focus: Omaha metro area, Nebraska

Contact Details

Address: 3555 Farnam Street, Suite 800, Omaha, NE 68131

Phone: 402-384-9309

Website: https://weitzfamilyfoundation.org

Program Associates:

  • Robia Qasimyar (organizations A-M)
  • Diana Martinez (organizations N-Z)

Overview

The Weitz Family Foundation was established in 1999 by Barbara and Wally Weitz to support community-based organizations in the Omaha metro area. Over its first 20 years, the foundation distributed almost $200 million to area organizations. The foundation formalized its application process in 2014 to increase transparency and accessibility. The foundation focuses on supporting "change-makers and innovators" by creating "equitable pathways for present and future generations." Their grantmaking emphasizes breaking the cycle of poverty through systemic change, addressing racial equity, and supporting community organizing efforts. The foundation provides flexible, unrestricted funding - with 86% of grantees receiving unrestricted support, significantly higher than the 25% median for comparable funders. According to CEP survey results, the foundation ranks in the 92nd-95th percentile for community impact and 90th-94th percentile for racial equity commitment.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Beloved Community Grant (up to $20,000)

  • Focus on "relief, recovery, and re-imagining life in Omaha"
  • Shorter application process
  • First-time applicants welcome and encouraged
  • Best entry point for new organizations
  • Application method: Online portal, annual cycle (July-August)

Capacity Building Grant (starting at $21,000)

  • Focus on facilitating success of projects, programs, or agencies
  • Longer application required
  • First-time applicants NOT eligible
  • Multi-year funding options available for established grantees
  • Application method: Online portal, annual cycle (July-August)

Weitz Fellows Program

  • Fellowship program for recent Carleton College graduates (launched 2011)
  • Fellows work with Omaha organizations

Note: Organizations may only apply for ONE grant type per application cycle. All funding is distributed as general operating support.

Priority Areas

The foundation funds across five key areas:

  • Arts: Cultural organizations and creative programs
  • Education: Educational access and equity initiatives
  • Health: Health services and wellness programs
  • Human Services: Direct services and support programs
  • Public/Societal Benefit: Advocacy, community organizing, collective action

Current Strategic Focus:

  • Organizations addressing root causes of poverty, racism, or other inequities
  • Groups engaged in advocacy and community organizing
  • Organizations supporting collective action for systemic change
  • Culturally competent and accessible direct services
  • Collaborative approaches (recognizing no single organization can address systemic issues alone)
  • Equity and accessibility as organizational commitments
  • Leadership development and preventing burnout
  • Work that serves the Omaha metro area

What They Don't Fund

  • Religious organizations
  • Sports organizations
  • Animal-focused organizations
  • Environmental organizations
  • More than 50% of a specific position's salary
  • More than 20% of total program budgets
  • Organizations primarily serving areas outside the Omaha metro
  • Overhead costs should ideally not exceed 20%

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

  • Wally Weitz, Co-Founder, Board Member
  • Barbara Weitz, Co-Founder, Board Member
  • Katie Weitz, PhD, President
  • Kate Noble Weitz, Board Member
  • Roger Weitz, Board Member
  • Drew Weitz, Board Member
  • Meredith Weitz, Board Member

Staff

  • Emily Nguyen, Executive Director
  • Robia Qasimyar, Program Associate
  • Diana Martinez, Program Associate
  • Rose Christiansen, Grants Administrator
  • Renee Fry, Policy Contractor
  • Mynesha Spencer, Inclusion Strategy Contractor

Leadership Quotes

Barbara and Wally Weitz on their philosophy: "People's lives are transformed when they have access to education and equal opportunities. Our community needs to make this a reality for everyone."

Wally Weitz on trust: "We have trust in the people doing the work to come up with the best ideas for our students and the community."

Barbara Weitz on community engagement: Her remarks at the Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center opening "served as a reminder that we should respond to social problems the same as we do natural disasters: by coming together and creating solutions for all parts of our community."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through the foundation's online portal. The foundation hosts online information sessions every July to explain the application process and answer questions. Accessibility and language accommodations are available upon request.

Application Timeline

  1. Mid-July: Applications open; online information sessions hosted
  2. Late August: Application deadline
  3. September-October: Foundation team reviews all applications
  4. During Review: Organizations may be contacted for additional questions
  5. November: Board of Directors meets to review funding recommendations
  6. Mid-December: All applicants notified of funding decisions via email
  7. Following Year: Grant agreements sent and signed; funding distributed throughout the calendar year
  8. January-June: Site visits conducted with current and potential grantees

Next Application Cycle: Applications for 2027 funding will open in July 2026.

Decision Timeline

Approximately 4-5 months from application submission to notification. Specific timeline:

  • Application close: Late August
  • Notification: Mid-December
  • Funding distribution: Throughout following calendar year

Success Rates

The foundation received applications and awarded 167 grants in 2024 and 156 grants in 2023. Specific acceptance rate percentages are not publicly disclosed. The foundation's approach emphasizes careful review of each application submitted.

Reapplication Policy

Unsuccessful applicants are welcome and encouraged to reapply. The foundation specifically recommends that organizations who have never been grantees or who have applied previously but were not selected should apply for the Beloved Community grant, describing it as "the best way to get introduced to the Weitz family and foundation team." There is no waiting period or restriction on reapplying in subsequent grant cycles.

Organizations can request feedback on their applications in early 2025 (or the year following their application).

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's 2024 grant review reflections and stated priorities, successful applications demonstrate:

Key Evaluation Criteria

Collaboration (Quality over Quantity)

  • The foundation values meaningful partnerships, not just lists of collaborators
  • Clearly articulate how your organization works with others to address systemic issues
  • Describe specific collaborative efforts and their impact
  • Foundation statement: "Addressing systemic inequities means no one organization can do it alone"

Equity and Accessibility Journey

  • Be transparent about where your organization is in its equity journey
  • The foundation appreciates "genuine honesty and vulnerability" about organizational growth
  • Share both progress and areas for improvement
  • Recognize equity work as an ongoing, lifelong commitment
  • Foundation observation: They value organizations who "transparently shared where they are making progress"

Leadership Development

  • Highlight emerging leadership within your organization
  • Demonstrate innovative approaches to your work
  • Show how you're preventing leadership burnout
  • Describe "new ways of doing the work"

Addressing Root Causes

  • Emphasize how your work addresses racial equity specifically
  • Focus on systemic change, not just symptoms
  • Connect your work to breaking cycles of poverty
  • Show engagement in advocacy or community organizing

Transparency and Honesty

  • Provide "complete, direct, and honest answers" in your application
  • Be authentic about organizational challenges and growth areas
  • The foundation ranks in the 91st percentile for transparency (CEP survey)

Concrete Examples

  • The foundation plans to ask more explicitly about organizational successes in future applications
  • Provide specific examples of achievements and impact
  • Demonstrate measurable outcomes where possible

What Sets Applications Apart

  • Unrestricted funding approach: 86% of grantees receive unrestricted support
  • Multi-year potential: 48% receive multi-year grants (vs. 11% median)
  • The foundation uses a collaborative application review process, not field-specific experts
  • First-time applicants should apply through Beloved Community Grant
  • Keep overhead costs at or below 20% of budget

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Start with Beloved Community Grant: If you're a first-time applicant, this is your entry point - the foundation explicitly recommends this as the best way to get introduced to them
  • Be transparently honest: The foundation values vulnerability and authenticity over perfection - share your equity journey, including challenges
  • Emphasize collaboration: Show meaningful partnerships with quality, not just quantity - explain how you work with others to address systemic issues
  • Focus on racial equity: Applications should clearly articulate how your work addresses racial equity and systemic inequities, not just immediate needs
  • Leverage their flexibility: With 86% unrestricted funding and 48% multi-year grants, emphasize how flexible support enables your mission
  • Plan for the long cycle: Applications open mid-July for funding that starts the following calendar year - plan at least 18 months ahead
  • You can reapply: Unsuccessful applicants are encouraged to try again - the foundation welcomes persistence and relationship building

References

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