Cooper Foundation Awards Over $450,000 in Grants at June Meeting
Thursday, July 1, 2021
Lincoln, Neb. — The Cooper Foundation awarded a grant of $15,000 for the 2021 Lincoln Crossroads Music Festival (July 31-August 8). Now entering its second season, the festival will present over 12 events featuring classical, folk, and world music from local and global musicians, including Celtic harpist and composer Maeve Gilchrist, Tabla Maestro Sandeep Das, Edem Soul Music, Indian hip-hop star Nimo Patel and many others, as well as workshops, film screenings and discussions. The Lincoln Crossroads Music Festival brings together individuals and organizations to build transformative musical experiences, dialogue, and mutual appreciation representative of Nebraska’s cultural landscape. This year, Crossroads will launch two new initiatives, a storyteller training and collaboration with The Grid Studio. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit, https://lincolncrossroadsmusic.org.
In addition, the Cooper Foundation’s Board of Trustees awarded grants to a diverse group of arts, education, environment, and human services organizations. In total, $452,000 was awarded; grant recipients are in Lincoln unless otherwise noted.
Approved for Funding by the Cooper Foundation, June 2021
Arts
Blixt Locally Grown: $5,000
To support the inaugural year of the Blixt Fellowship program for emerging playwrights.
Flatwater Shakespeare Company: $14,000
Toward general operating support, educational programming and outreach.
Lincoln Crossroads Music Festival: $15,000
To help underwrite fees and expenses of local touring musicians for the 2021 Festival (July 31-August 8).
Nebraska Cultural Endowment: $15,000
For general operating support.
Education
Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska: $7,500
In support of the Lincoln Outreach Program for Lincoln area girls in grades K-12.
Nebraska Transition College: $7,500
To support the creation of a social, living, and work-ready skills development curriculum for individuals with disabilities.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University Honors Program: $18,000
Toward Cooper Connections at the University Honors Program, including Cooper Conversations that bring students and community leaders together for critical dialogue, and Cooper Community Scholars, an experiential learning scholarship to engage Honors students with local organizations, elected officials, and community programs.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues: $250,000
To support the Thompson Forum on World Issues series for 2022 – 2026. The Thompson Forum is Nebraska’s premiere lecture series, established in 1988 with the purpose of bringing a diversity of viewpoints on international and public policy issues to the University and the people of Nebraska to promote understanding of global issues that face us all. The Thompson Forum is a collaborative program of the Cooper Foundation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lied Center for Performing Arts, and is presented by the University Honors Program.
Environment
Conservation Nebraska: $15,000
To expand Conservation Nebraska’s Common Ground Program in Southeast Nebraska.
Prairie Loft Center for Agriculture & Outdoor Education, (Hastings, NE): $15,000
To support experiential learning programming and build capacity to assess education and community engagement efforts with families and schools.
Human Services
Center for Legal Immigration Assistance: $20,000
For general operating support.
Lincoln/Lancaster County Habitat for Humanity: $15,000
Toward technology and software to track all housing work, including new houses and the home repair program.
Lincoln Police Department $15,000
To fund the Clutch Mentor program to reduce gang membership by partnering at-risk youth on probation with an adult mentor and provide incentive programming.
St. Monica’s: $20,000
Toward technology and security upgrades for their facilities and programs.
The Bridge Behavioral Health: $20,000
To support new HVAC equipment for The Bridge’s facility.
The Cooper Foundation, established by Joseph H. Cooper in 1934, has granted over $26 million to benefit the people of Nebraska. The Foundation makes quarterly grants supporting arts, civic and community engagement, 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.