Our Mission

CHE was established to provide funding for public health and health-related initiatives that further the health, safety, or welfare of Lincoln residents.

Every year, CHE asks the community for bold, creative ideas to make Lincoln the healthiest community in the nation. The community has responded with ideas shaped by ingenuity and experience, all rooted in a passion for making our community a healthier place to live, work, and raise a family.

Our History

On October 1, 1997, a master agreement was signed to formally transfer ownership of Lincoln General Hospital from the City of Lincoln to Bryan Memorial Hospital (now Bryan Health). The sale of the hospital resulted in net revenues of about $37 million for the city. Then-Mayor Mike Johanns appointed the Mayor’s Task Force on Lincoln General Sale Proceeds to address the use of these funds. After a public process to gather community input, the Task Force developed a vision for a healthier Lincoln and recommended the development of the Community Health Endowment of Lincoln (CHE). CHE was officially established in 1998.

Our Values

Stewardship: Using resources prudently while growing and preserving assets

Collaboration: Partnering to develop healthy children, families, and neighborhoods

Community Expertise: Valuing good ideas from the heart of the community

Innovation: Finding new and better ways to improve the health of our increasingly diverse community