The Fremont Area Community Foundation offers grant funding to support initiatives that contribute to civic improvement, education, health and recreation, social services, and arts and culture in Fremont, Nebraska and its surrounding communities. These grants are made available through two distinct funds: the Fremont Forever Fund, which pools contributions from multiple donors, and the Lester A. Walker Fund, established through the will of longtime Fremont Tribune publisher Lester A. Walker.
The Foundation’s grantmaking prioritizes public benefit and capacity-building across a variety of sectors. While ongoing operating expenses and deficit financing are generally ineligible for support, the Foundation considers requests for seed money, especially for start-up programs within publicly supported institutions that may catalyze further investment. Additionally, the Foundation does not fund religious organizations for religious purposes and does not make grants to individuals except through designated scholarship funds.
Eligible applicants include tax-exempt organizations as defined under IRS Section 501(c)(3), as well as public entities like schools and government institutions. Applicants denied funding must wait at least 12 months before reapplying for the same project. Applications must be submitted using the official grant application form, which can be accessed and completed online or downloaded as a PDF.
The Foundation operates on a quarterly grant cycle, with application deadlines set for the first business day of January, April, July, and October. For grant requests of $1,500 or less, organizations may instead apply through the Mini-Grants Program using a separate application form. Larger funding requests totaling $50,000 or more are evaluated only once annually in January. For such large requests, applicants are encouraged to submit a Letter of Intent by December 1 before being invited to submit a full application.
Grant applications are reviewed by the Foundation, and applicants can direct questions to Melissa Diers at mdiers@facfoundation.org or by phone at 402-721-4252. The Foundation office is located at 1005 East 23rd Street, Suite 2, Fremont, NE 68025.
Focus on seed/start-up programs; avoid ongoing operating or deficit requests.
