LINCOLN, Neb. – Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird announced Saturday that $10,000 from the Lincoln COVID-19 Response Fund was awarded to two nonprofit organizations – Nebraska Appleseed and OutNebraska. This is the seventh round of grants from the Fund, and a total of $739,000 has been granted so far to 53 nonprofit organizations serving those affected by the pandemic. The grants help nonprofits provide access to food, housing, medical information, childcare, and other support.
The Fund, hosted by the Lincoln Community Foundation (LCF), was announced March 20. To date, the Fund has received $1,077,646 in contributions, including $500,000 from strategic partners. The Fund was created to provide grants to nonprofits that support people disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
“Lincoln’s nonprofit organizations are seeing the needs of individuals and families increase across the community during this difficult time,” said Mayor Gaylor Baird. “These grants provide additional resources necessary to serve vulnerable and newly vulnerable members of our community.”
Grant recipients are identified by a committee including the City, LCF, the United Way of Lincoln and Lancaster County, the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development (LPED), the Community Health Endowment (CHE), and other philanthropic and business partners. The committee is led by a committee chaired by Bryan Seck, Director of Workforce Development for LPED. Meagan Liesveld, Executive Director of the United Way serves as Vice Chair.
“This was not a crisis any of us could have imagined just a few months ago,” said Barbara Bartle, LCF President. “It’s a testament to the strength of this community that we are responding so quickly. But much more is needed to assist our nonprofits in providing critical relief to hundreds of residents already suffering from the impacts of this pandemic.”
To make it possible to move resources quickly and adapt to evolving needs, the Fund will continue to award operating grants on a rolling basis as fundraising continues. The Fund is designed to complement the work of public health officials and expand local capacity to address all aspects of the pandemic as efficiently as possible.
Individual donors, institutions, companies, and other funders are encouraged to contribute to the Fund at LCF.org. More information, including details for nonprofits on requesting resources, is also available at the website or by calling 402-474-2345.
Strategic partners include Abel Foundation; Acklie Charitable Foundation; Allo; Ameritas; CHE; Cooper Foundation; Greater Lincoln Chamber Foundation; Harbor of Dreams; LCF; Nelnet; Rhonda Seacrest; The Sherwood Foundation; Susan Sehnert Stuart; Union Bank & Trust Company, Inc.; and J.A. Woollam Foundation.
More information on the City’s response to COVID-19 is available at COVID19.lincoln.ne.gov.
