Cooper Awards Fourth Quarter Grants

December 23, 2016

COOPER FOUNDATION AWARDS FOURTH QUARTER GRANTS

Lincoln, Neb. — The Cooper Foundation awarded a challenge grant of $10,000 to Hastings College, Hastings, Nebraska, toward the purchase of a mobile glass blowing studio. The College will use the mobile studio to take its renowned glass program on the road to communities in Nebraska and Colorado. Their goal is to reach 1,000 high school students and art educators during the academic year with an emphasis on recruitment and promotion of the new Jackson Dinsdale Art Center to inspire a passion and appreciation of the arts. During the summer months, they expect to reach 1,000 people of all ages at art festivals and fairs through glass blowing demonstrations. In addition, they also plan outreach of their glass program to at-risk youth at community organizations throughout the state.

In total, $158,721 was awarded in the fourth quarter, supporting arts, community improvement, education, environment, humanities and human services. All grant recipients are located in Lincoln unless otherwise noted.

ARTS

Capital Jazz Society: $2,500
General operating support.

Lincoln Community Playhouse: $5,000
General operating support.

Lincoln Music Teachers Association: $2,500
To support the Music Outreach Program, which supports private music lessons for talented students who have financial need.

Lincoln Orchestra Association: $15,000
General operating support for the 2016-2017 season of concerts and educational activities.

Sheldon Art Association: $10,000
To support the 2016-2017 programs and exhibitions.

COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT

Lincoln Community Foundation: $1,000
Support for updating the Vital Signs Report. The report is designed to generate data for Prosper Lincoln, which is focused on community improvement in early childhood education, matching job skills to meet employer needs, and innovation.

EDUCATION

Community Crops: $15,000
Toward for the Young Urban Farmers program that works with schools to establish gardens and provides educational opportunities for Lincoln youth to learn about where their food originates.

Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools: $5,000
General operating support.

Hastings College, Hastings, Nebraska: $10,000
Toward the purchase of a mobile glass blowing studio.

TeamMates Mentoring Program: $7,500
General operating support for Lincoln TeamMates.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Center for Great Plains Studies: $10,200
Support for the 2017 symposium, “Flat Places, Deep Identities: Mapping Nebraska,” at Innovation Campus in Lincoln on March 30-31, 2017. The symposium is open to the public, and an Official Event of Nebraska’s Sesquicentennial celebration of statehood.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln, E. N. Thompson Forum on World Issues: $15,021
Ongoing support for the annual lecture series from the Thompson Family Fund, established by E.N. “Jack” and Katie Thompson to support this program.

ENVIRONMENT

Groundwater Foundation: $10,000
Toward general operating expenses to support the 3-year initiative, “Recharging Groundwater Education: Tools for Community Engagement and Action.”

HUMAN SERVICES

Asian Community & Cultural Center: $10,000
General operating support.

Center for People in Need: $25,000
General operating support.

Nebraska Writers Collective – $15,000
Support for the “Louder Than a Bomb: Great Plains Youth Poetry Festival.”

The Cooper Foundation, established by Joseph H. Cooper in 1934, has granted nearly $23 million to benefit the people of Nebraska. The Foundation makes quarterly grants supporting arts, education, environment, humanities and human services primarily in Lincoln and Lancaster County. For more information about grant guidelines and deadlines visit the Foundation’s web site, www.cooperfoundation.org.

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