To achieve the vision of making Lincoln the healthiest community in the nation, the Community Health Endowment (CHE) Board of Trustees recently approved grants totaling $660,590 over three years to support new projects.
Additionally, the CHE Board of Trustees announced nearly $2 million available in the 2026–2027 fiscal year. CHE’s updated funding priorities for 2026–2028 focus on improving access to healthcare, healthy food, and mental health services for targeted populations identified through local data sources such as Place Matters, Lincoln Vital Signs, and the Community Health Assessment.
The fall grant application will become available June 9, 2026, followed by a workshop for new and returning applicants on June 10. Optional idea meetings for applicants will be offered June 11 through July 17. Applications for the next grant cycle are due July 31, 2026 by noon.
Additional information about CHE’s funding priorities, workshops, and the application process is available at chelincoln.org.
The following grants, approved by the CHE Board of Trustees, begin July 1, 2026:
- Implement a structured 6-week social wellness cohort for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Lincoln. (The Arc of Lincoln, $18,840 over 2 years.)
- Expand Peer Support and wellness programming in Lincoln that reconnects at-risk Veterans. (At Ease USA, $75,000 over 3 years.)
- Expand the Active Engagement Series into a neighborhood-driven youth fitness initiative in Northwest Lincoln. (Belmont Community Center, $15,000 over 2 years.)
- Deliver no-cost, non-clinical recovery support for individuals facing mental health and substance use challenges. (CenterPointe, $130,000 over 3 years.)
- Construct an outdoor learning space to serve as a hub for education, family gatherings, and community events to residents of the Everett/Irvingdale area. (Educare of Lincoln, $25,000 over 1 year.)
- Partner with BraveBe to deliver prevention-based mental health and resilience education for caregivers of young children. (Educare of Lincoln, $18,500 over 1 year.)
- Reopen the short-term residential treatment center at the renovated 4740 A Street facility. (Houses of Hope, $55,000 over 1 year.)
- Integrate Safe Sleep into a coordinated community referral system, reaching 100 infants and caregivers annually in Lincoln. (Lancaster County/United Way of Lincoln Lancaster County, $20,000 over 2 years.)
- Provide hands-on food and nutrition education, establishing accessible food distribution points at schools, and developing robust resources like school and community gardens. (Lincoln Community Learning Centers, $165,750 over 3 years.)
- Expand access to civil legal services for immigrant and refugee communities experiencing health disparities in Lincoln. (Legal Aid of Nebraska, $20,000 over 1 year.)
- Expand maternal mental health support by increasing access to postpartum peer groups for Spanish-speaking mothers and those in North Lincoln and launching a mobile platform. (MilkWorks, $100,000 over 3 years.)
- Reduce isolation, improve access to healthy food, and support the physical and emotional well-being of older adults in Lincoln through weekly nutritious meals and programming. (Willard Community Center, $17,500 over 1 year.)
In addition, two organizations were awarded grants as winners of the Community Health Ideas Challenge (healthideaschallenge.org):
- Establish refrigerated smart lockers for expanded access to healthy foods in Lincoln, NE. (Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach, $20,000 over 1 year.)
- Implement the “One-Stop Cancer Shop” to reduce health disparities and improve early detection outcomes among underserved Lincoln residents. (The Malone Center, $14,000 over 1 year.)
