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The Lozier Foundation

Annual Giving
$35.9M
Grant Range
$1K - $7.0M

The Lozier Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $35,907,044 (approximately 210 grants)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Rolling review process, specific timeline not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $1,000 - $7,000,000 (median grant: $50,000)
  • Geographic Focus: Omaha/Metro area, Nebraska, and communities where Lozier Corporation has a footprint

Contact Details

Address: 1299 Farnam Street, Suite 1450, Omaha, Nebraska 68102

Email: FoundationAssistance@lozierfoundation.org

Phone: 402-457-8134

Website: https://lozierfoundation.org/

Overview

The Lozier Foundation was established in 1986 as a family foundation funded by Allan and Dianne Lozier. With over $459 million in assets and having distributed more than $500 million in grants since its founding, the foundation is one of Omaha's most significant philanthropic institutions. The foundation's mission is to "improve the quality of life for the underrepresented communities in the Omaha/Metro area." In 2021, Allan Lozier's legacy was commemorated with the statement: "Believing he had an obligation to leave the community better than how he found it, Allan engaged in a lifetime of philanthropy that impacted countless lives." The foundation takes a hands-on approach to its philanthropic work, most notably founding and fully funding Nelson Mandela Elementary School in North Omaha in 2015. The foundation awards approximately 210 grants annually totaling around $36 million, focusing on systemic change in education, social services, and issues affecting women and children in underrepresented communities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation offers three types of funding with no fixed application deadlines (rolling basis):

  • General Operating Support: Preferred funding type, providing ongoing operational assistance
  • Program Grants: Available for specific initiatives or projects
  • Capital Grants: Available for building projects, equipment, or infrastructure

Organizations may receive program and/or capital grants in the same calendar year as general operating support. Grant amounts range from $1,000 to $7 million, with a median of $50,000.

Priority Areas

The Lozier Foundation specifically focuses on:

  • Education: Literacy programs, K-12 education, higher education scholarships, and educational access for underrepresented populations
  • Women & Girls: Programs supporting women's empowerment, education, and economic opportunity
  • North Omaha Initiatives: Community development, education, and social services in North Omaha neighborhoods
  • Human Services: Programs addressing poverty alleviation, homelessness, mental health, employment, financial wellness, housing, and health
  • Crime Reduction and Community Betterment: Initiatives that address root causes of crime and improve community conditions

The foundation prioritizes organizations serving urban areas and underrepresented communities in the Omaha metro area and wherever Lozier Corporation has a corporate footprint (includes communities in Nebraska, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Indiana).

What They Don't Fund

Based on available information, the foundation typically does not fund:

  • Endowments
  • The arts
  • Organizations that require religious conversion before providing services

Governance and Leadership

The Lozier Foundation is governed by a board of trustees. Key leadership includes:

Dianne Seeman Lozier - Vice-Chair and Corporate Counsel for Lozier Corporation. Dianne has been instrumental in shaping the foundation's focus on women and education. She has served on or chaired boards including the Women's Fund of Omaha, Girl Scouts, College of Saint Mary, and the Domestic Violence Coordinating Council. She led the development of Nelson Mandela Elementary School.

On her philanthropic philosophy, Dianne has stated: "I grew up in a very poor family; there's no history of philanthropy that I came from; the heart was there, but the financial resources were not. I moved to Omaha in 1990 and Allan's family had been very philanthropic for generations. So that was a very different experience for me and if I think about what's important to me philanthropically, it's trying to figure out how to really make a difference."

On literacy: "Reading is a foundational building block for so much of a person's life."

On North Omaha: "North Omaha has a special place in our hearts. Focusing there is very important."

Allan Lozier (1935-2021) - Founder. Allan served as president or chairman of Lozier Corporation since 1960 and founded the foundation in 1986. The foundation has made distributions exceeding $430 million since its founding, with an emphasis on women, children, education, and the disadvantaged.

Robert A. Braun Jr. - Listed among the foundation's leadership team.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Lozier Foundation operates primarily through invitation. Organizations that have not received an application invitation should submit a formal Letter of Intent to foundationassistance@lozierfoundation.org.

For organizations that receive an invitation:

  1. Review eligibility: Examine the foundation's mission, values, funding priorities, and eligibility requirements
  2. Complete application: Follow guidelines in your invitation to complete the application via Goapply (online platform)
  3. Submit required documents: Upload a completed Major Donor Data Sheet along with your application
  4. Submit supporting materials: Reference the provided checklists to ensure completeness (the foundation provides separate application guides for general programs, capital projects, and education initiatives)
  5. Contact your program officer: Available to provide the Goapply user guide and answer questions

Decision Timeline

All applications are reviewed on a rolling basis as they are received. There is no application window or due date. Specific timelines from submission to decision are not publicly disclosed. Organizations should contact foundationassistance@lozierfoundation.org for more specific information about decision timeframes.

Success Rates

The foundation awarded 242 grants in 2023, 243 in 2022, and 320 in 2021. However, specific acceptance rates or the number of applications received are not publicly disclosed. The foundation's invitation-based model suggests a selective process, though organizations not initially invited can initiate contact through a Letter of Intent.

Reapplication Policy

Specific reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants are not publicly disclosed. Organizations should contact the foundation directly at foundationassistance@lozierfoundation.org to inquire about reapplication guidelines.

Application Success Factors

While the foundation does not publish detailed guidance on what makes applications successful, several patterns emerge from their funding history and leadership statements:

Alignment with Core Mission: The foundation's focus on underrepresented communities is central. Dianne Lozier emphasized the importance of "really making a difference" in addressing societal problems "that are not likely to go away soon" like homelessness and mental health struggles. Applications should demonstrate clear impact on underrepresented populations.

Geographic Connection: Strong preference for organizations serving the Omaha metro area, particularly North Omaha, and communities where Lozier Corporation operates. Dianne Lozier stated: "North Omaha has a special place in our hearts. Focusing there is very important."

Recent Funding Examples: Major 2023 grants demonstrate the foundation's priorities:

  • Omaha Community Foundation: $7 million for general operating support
  • Mental Health Innovation Foundation: $2 million for general operating support
  • Women's Fund of Greater Omaha: $800,000 for general operating support
  • Justice For Our Neighbors - NE: $625,000 for general operating support

These grants show support for intermediary organizations, mental health initiatives, women's empowerment, and immigrant services.

Education Focus: The foundation's creation of Nelson Mandela Elementary School demonstrates commitment to innovative educational solutions. Dianne Lozier noted in 2014 that she "noticed the low reading and math scores in the community" and "hypothesized that revised teaching and educational strategies would make a positive impact." Education grants should emphasize literacy, evidence-based approaches, and closing achievement gaps.

Preference for General Operating Support: While program and capital grants are available, the foundation explicitly states it "prefers to provide ongoing general operating support," suggesting they value sustainable organizational health over project-specific funding.

Community Grantmaking: Through Lozier Corporation's Community Grants program, over 60 nonprofits in five communities where Lozier operates received support in 2024, with organizations chosen by Lozier employees. This demonstrates grassroots engagement and employee-driven philanthropy.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Submit a Letter of Intent if not invited: The foundation primarily works with invited organizations, but organizations can initiate contact through a formal Letter of Intent to foundationassistance@lozierfoundation.org
  • Emphasize North Omaha and underrepresented populations: Geographic focus on North Omaha and serving underrepresented communities throughout the Omaha metro area is essential to alignment
  • Consider requesting general operating support: The foundation explicitly prefers providing ongoing general operating assistance over restricted project funding
  • Focus on systemic issues: Leadership statements indicate interest in addressing long-term societal problems (homelessness, mental health, literacy, poverty) rather than temporary interventions
  • Demonstrate educational impact: With major investments in literacy and K-12 education, including founding their own school, education proposals should show evidence-based approaches and measurable outcomes
  • Multi-year relationships matter: Large grants to organizations like Omaha Community Foundation ($7M) suggest the foundation values sustained partnerships with trusted intermediaries
  • Women and girls as a priority: With significant funding to Women's Fund of Omaha and Dianne Lozier's leadership focus, programs benefiting women and girls align strongly with foundation values

References

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