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Nebraska Children and Families Foundation

Annual Giving
$32.5M

Nebraska Children and Families Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $32,488,885 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Varies by program
  • Grant Range: Varies by program stream
  • Geographic Focus: Nebraska statewide
  • Founded: 1997
  • Awards Made: 159 grants (2023)
  • Total Since Inception: Over $8 million (historical cumulative)

Contact Details

Address: 215 Centennial Mall South, Suite 200, Lincoln, NE 68508

Phone: (402) 476-9401

Fax: (402) 476-9486

Website: www.nebraskachildren.org

Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Media Contact: Brenda Weyers, VP Marketing - bweyers@nebraskachildren.org

Overview

Founded in 1997, the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation (NCFF) works to maximize the potential of Nebraska's children, youth, and families through collaboration and community-centered impact. Since inception, the foundation has secured nearly 400 grants and contracts and awarded over $8 million to communities throughout Nebraska. In 2023 alone, NCFF distributed $32,488,885 in grants across 159 awards. The organization has received a Four-Star rating (100% score) from Charity Navigator, demonstrating exceptional financial health and accountability.

NCFF operates primarily as a pass-through funder, administering federal and state grants to local communities and organizations. The foundation oversees 31 Sixpence Early Learning programs serving more than 1,000 at-risk babies and toddlers across the state, and has implemented Community Based Prevention Systems in seven Nebraska communities. The organization's prevention-focused approach addresses critical needs in early childhood development, child abuse prevention, school success, and youth transitions to adulthood.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Sixpence Early Learning Fund

  • Public-private partnership administered by NCFF
  • Three models: family engagement/home-based services, center-based programs, and school-child care partnerships
  • Currently funds 43 grantees across Nebraska
  • Focus: Prenatal through age 3, serving vulnerable infants and toddlers
  • Requirement: Recipients must match 100% of total program cost through existing state and federal funds
  • Awards to school districts in partnership with community-based programs meeting quality standards

Communities for Kids Plus (C4K+)

  • Part of Preschool Development Grant initiative
  • Community subgrants distributed by NCFF
  • Priority: Communities or consortiums serving children with greatest needs
  • Provides: Funding for Early Childhood Community Coordinators, quality and capacity building, early learning scholarships, bilingual childcare support
  • Recent selection: Elm Creek community (January 2024)

Connected Youth Initiative (CYI)

  • Competitive grant process
  • Target: Youth ages 14-24 involved in foster care, juvenile justice, or child welfare systems
  • Anticipated: 7-10 subgrantees selected to implement programs
  • Focus: Young people currently or previously in Nebraska foster care, contact with child protective services or juvenile justice, homeless or near homeless

Summer Youth Grants

  • May 2023: Awarded to 22 Nebraska communities
  • Focus: Youth development and substance abuse prevention through activities

Child Care Expansion Grants

  • January 2023: 16 communities received funds to expand child care availability
  • Addresses child care deserts across Nebraska
  • Funded through American Rescue Plan/LB1014

Priority Areas

  1. Home visitation programs for new parents
  2. Early childhood initiatives (prenatal through age 5)
  3. Substance abuse prevention in adolescents through youth development activities
  4. Child abuse prevention programs
  5. Programs for families at risk of entering the child welfare system
  6. Parent education and support programs
  7. After-school programs and mentoring services
  8. Respite care for parents of children with disabilities
  9. School success/truancy prevention programs
  10. Youth transition programs (helping at-risk youth transition to adulthood)

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, though the foundation's focus is clearly on Nebraska-based programs serving children, youth, and families in the priority areas listed above.

Governance and Leadership

Executive Team

  • Mary Jo Pankoke - President and CEO
  • Jennifer Skala - Executive Vice President
  • Kevin Cloonan - Chief Financial Officer
  • Dr. Joshua Cramer - Executive Vice President
  • Jennifer Thielen - Senior Vice President of Operations and Culture

Board of Directors - Executive Committee

  • Dr. Lawrence Chatters - Chair, Omaha
  • Laura Langford - Vice Chair, Omaha
  • Jason Hagan - Treasurer, Omaha
  • Mike Wortman - Secretary, Lincoln
  • Anne Steinhoff - Past Chair, Omaha

Board Members

Josh Bartee (Omaha), Liliana Bronner (Omaha), Seth Carlson (Omaha), Dr. Doug Christensen (Lincoln), Joyce Davis (Omaha), Suzanne Kotula (Omaha), Dan Mauk (Nebraska City), Andrew McCarty (Hastings), Michael J. McQuillan (Ogallala), Molly O'Holleran (North Platte), Melanie Parker, Manoj Patil (Winnebago), Carol Russell (Omaha), Ben Watson (Chadron)

Leadership Perspectives

Mary Jo Pankoke on prevention work: "Our most pressing (and expensive) social problems – chronic unemployment, drug use, crime, violence and poverty – can be mitigated and avoided if we give every child the opportunity to thrive."

On the foundation's approach: "Despite the challenges people experienced, I saw that positive outcomes tend to stem from children and families who have supportive resources in their lives."

On pandemic impacts: "The pandemic has shined a light on glaring inequities that exist for our fellow Nebraskans and Americans."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Federal Pass-Through Structure: NCFF operates primarily as a sub-awardee for federal grants, particularly the Preschool Development Grant (PDG) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The organization receives funding with a 70% federal/30% state-private match requirement and redistributes it to Nebraska communities through various program streams.

Competitive Grant Processes: When grant opportunities become available, NCFF typically issues Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for specific initiatives. Applications are program-specific and evaluated on community needs, capacity to serve target populations, and alignment with program goals.

Community Partnership Model: Many grants require partnership structures (e.g., Sixpence requires school districts to partner with community-based programs). Communities work with NCFF to assess needs and develop plans for addressing critical early childhood needs.

Monitoring Current Opportunities: Check the NCFF website (nebraskachildren.org) and newsroom for announcements of open funding opportunities, or contact the organization directly at (402) 476-9401 to inquire about upcoming grant cycles.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines vary by program and are not publicly standardized. Federal grant cycles follow U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Education timelines. The PDG Renewal Grant operates on multi-year cycles (renewable for up to three years upon approval).

Success Rates

2023 Awards: 159 grants made (total applicant pool not disclosed)

2022 Awards: 144 grants made

The foundation does not publicly disclose application-to-award ratios or success percentages for competitive programs.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies are not publicly documented and likely vary by program stream. Multi-year initiatives like Communities for Kids and Sixpence involve ongoing partnerships rather than annual reapplication cycles.

Application Success Factors

Community-Centered Approach

NCFF emphasizes collaboration and community engagement. Successful applicants demonstrate strong local partnerships, stakeholder involvement, and capacity to use data for planning and decision-making.

Focus on Greatest Needs

Priority is given to communities and programs serving children with the greatest needs, including:

  • At-risk infants and toddlers
  • Families at risk of child welfare involvement
  • Youth involved in foster care or juvenile justice
  • Communities designated as child care deserts
  • Populations experiencing inequities in access to services

Prevention and Early Intervention

The foundation's mission centers on prevention rather than crisis response. Strong applications demonstrate how programs will prevent child abuse, family system involvement, truancy, and other negative outcomes before they occur.

Demonstrated Quality Standards

For programs like Sixpence, applicants must meet defined quality standards set by the Board of Trustees. Evidence-based practices and commitment to developmental milestones are valued.

Sustainability and Matching Funds

Many programs require cost-matching (e.g., Sixpence requires 100% match). Successful applicants demonstrate ability to leverage existing state and federal funds and sustain programs beyond initial grant periods.

Data-Driven Planning

NCFF values programs that use data to identify community needs, track outcomes, and demonstrate impact. Sixpence programs have documented success with participating children exceeding developmental milestones and entering kindergarten ready for success.

Local Coordination Capacity

Communities for Kids prioritizes funding for dedicated local coordination staff who can engage stakeholders, build collaborative infrastructure, and connect families to resources.

Example Success Story

Thedford (population 211) in a child care desert county with no licensed child care received American Rescue Plan/LB1014 funding through C4K partnership, demonstrating NCFF's commitment to rural and underserved communities.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Partnership-driven: Most NCFF grants require collaborative approaches between school districts, community organizations, and service providers. Build strong local partnerships before applying.

  • Prevention focus: Frame proposals around preventing problems (child abuse, family crisis, truancy) rather than addressing existing crises. NCFF's philosophy emphasizes early intervention.

  • Serve vulnerable populations: Prioritize programs serving at-risk infants/toddlers, families at risk of child welfare involvement, youth in foster care/juvenile justice, and communities with limited resources.

  • Demonstrate capacity for matching funds: Be prepared to match grant awards with existing state/federal funding or private resources, particularly for Sixpence programs (100% match required).

  • Monitor announcements: NCFF does not maintain continuously open application processes. Watch the newsroom and website for RFPs and competitive grant announcements tied to federal funding cycles.

  • Quality and evidence-based practices: Successful programs meet defined quality standards and demonstrate commitment to developmental outcomes and evidence-based approaches.

  • Think statewide: NCFF serves all Nebraska communities, with particular attention to underserved rural areas and child care deserts. Geographic diversity is valued.

References

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