Cooper Foundation Approves Over $230,000 in Grants in Their Third Quarter Funding Cycle
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Lincoln, Neb. — The Cooper Foundation awarded a grant of $20,000 to OutNebraska to support the position of Community Organizer. OutNebraska is a statewide organization that promotes equity, inclusion, and celebration of the full spectrum of LGBTQ+ people. They educate businesses and nonprofits to improve workplace culture and service provision, advocate for the community with policymakers and government officials, and provide cultural, recreational, social, and civic engagement opportunities to make Nebraska a better place for LGBTQ+ people and allies to live, work, and play. The Community Organizer helps connect with volunteers and program participants to expand and deepen the engagement of those who are served.
Overall, Cooper Foundation’s Board of Trustees approved grants at the third quarter grant cycle totaling $234,543 to 18 nonprofit organizations. The foundation awarded grants to a diverse group of arts, community improvement, education, humanities and human services organizations. Grant recipients are located in Lincoln unless otherwise noted.
Approved for Funding by the Cooper Foundation, September 2019
Arts
Brownville Concert Series, Inc. (Brownville, Nebraska) – $10,000
General operating support for the 2019 concert series season.
Lincoln Choral Artists – $4,000
Support for the 40th anniversary concert season, marked with special guests, performances, and the premier of a signature piece commissioned by Lincoln Choral Artists.
LUX Center for the Arts – $15,000
General operating support for Lux’s comprehensive visual arts education programs, exhibitions, and scholarships.
Metropolitan Opera/Nebraska Auditions – $1,000
Towards the 2019-2020 Nebraska auditions.
Community Improvement
Civic Nebraska – $25,000
To support the Nebraska Counts 2020 Census campaign activities in Lincoln and Lancaster County.
Lincoln Council for International Visitors – $10,000
For a part-time executive director to expand citizen diplomacy programming.
OutNebraska – $20,000
To support the position of Community Organizer.
Sunrise Communications Inc./KZUM – $15,000
General operating support for KZUM, Lincoln’s noncommercial, listener-supported community radio station.
Education
Jewish Federation of Omaha-Institute for Holocaust Education – $10,000
General operating support for the organization’s statewide work providing educational resources, student programs, teacher training, and cultural opportunities.
Lincoln Children’s Museum – $5,400
Towards a new program, Project Celebration, and to support families with a free birthday party experience.
Lincoln Literacy – $9,600
To help enable refugee and immigrant students interested in education careers with a path toward teaching certification.
Rabble Mill – $20,000
General operating support for this organization that uses the communities of skateboarding, arts, and music to connect youth with opportunities to learn new media skills, develop their unique interests, and share their voices with the world.
Special Olympics Nebraska – $10,000
To support the Unified Champions Schools program in Lincoln schools.
Humanities
Stuhr Museum Foundation (Grand Island, Nebraska) – $20,000
Toward technology infrastructure upgrades. Stuhr Museum’s 200-acre campus features art, historical exhibits, and education and preservation programs to portray an era of pioneer town builders who created the first communities in Nebraska.
Willa Cather Foundation (Red Cloud, Nebraska) – $20,000
Support for a full-time Education Coordinator. The Will Cather Foundation is dedicated to advancing the work of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Willa Cather and preserving the historical setting and archival material associated with her life and writings.
Human Services
Nebraska Children and Families Foundation – $15,000
General operating support for this organization that works with communities to develop programs and strategies that strengthen families, prevent child abuse and neglect, and provide quality early childhood education.
Radio Talking Book Service – $5,000
To support the Radio Talking Book Network, Nebraska’s only radio reading service, where a diversity of volunteers provide daily readings of newspapers, magazines, grocery and department store ads, as well as interviews, Community Conversations, and other programming for people who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise unable to access printed material.
United Way of Lincoln/Lancaster County – $19,543
Support for the 2019 annual campaign.
The Cooper Foundation, established by Joseph H. Cooper in 1934, has granted over $25 million to benefit the people of Nebraska. The Foundation makes quarterly grants supporting arts, community improvement, education, environment, humanities and human services primarily in Lincoln and Lancaster County. For more information about grant guidelines and deadlines, call 402-476-7571, or visit the foundation’s web site, www.cooperfoundation.org.