Open Door Grant Program

The Lincoln Community Foundation’s Open Door Grants program offers flexible support to nonprofit organizations serving Lincoln and Lancaster County, Nebraska. As part of its commitment to fostering a socially and economically thriving community, the foundation provides grants to nonprofit partners that demonstrate clear and compelling needs or opportunities. The Open Door Grants are designed to strengthen the capacity of local nonprofits through funding that can be applied to operational needs, programmatic initiatives, or capital projects. The funding areas for these grants are intentionally broad, encompassing arts and culture, education and youth development, community improvement, environmental and animal welfare, and health and human services. This flexible approach allows grantees to use funds where they are most needed and impactful, whether for sustaining existing operations, launching new programs, or improving facilities. This grant program follows an open application cycle, with submissions accepted throughout the calendar year and reviewed monthly. However, the final date for submission each year is November 30. Eligible nonprofits may apply once per calendar year and are not required to wait 12 months between applications. Grant awards may be up to $20,000, and a brief evaluation is requested one year after the grant is awarded to assess outcomes and impact. Eligibility is restricted to nonprofit organizations that are recognized by the IRS as public charities (501(c)(3)) or other qualified organizations able to receive tax-deductible contributions. Applicants must either be based in or deliver services within Lincoln or Lancaster County. Organizations that discriminate based on race, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, creed, or ethnicity are not eligible, nor are applications considered for religious or political purposes. Applications are submitted through the Blackbaud Award Management platform. First-time users must create an account, while returning applicants may log in to their existing accounts. Applicants select the type of grant (Operations or Program/Capital) and respond only to the relevant set of questions. Following submission, applicants are redirected to the scholarship platform, which may be ignored. Evaluation criteria for the grant include the potential for community impact, focus on equity and inclusion, organizational size and financial health, and community reputation. The application process is intentionally simple, eliminating the need for professional grant writers. For support or inquiries, applicants may contact Trish Reimer, Vice President for Community Development & Outreach, at trishr@lcf.org or 402-474-2345.

Choose the grant type before answering questions; only answer relevant sections; strategic timing aligned with fiscal calendar is encouraged.