To achieve the vision of making Lincoln the healthiest community in the nation, the Community Health Endowment (CHE) of Lincoln’s Board of Trustees recently approved grants totaling $1,683,762 over three years to support new projects.
Additionally, the CHE Board of Trustees announced that more than $624,000 is available for the Spring 2027 grants (projects beginning July 1, 2027), with additional funding available for multi-year grants extending into future years.
CHE’s funding priorities 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 spring grant application will become available December 16, 2026, followed by a workshop for new and returning applicants on January 6, 2027. Optional idea meetings for applicants will be offered January 7 through February 12. Applications for the next grant cycle are due February 26, 2027 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 Community Health Endowment Board of Trustees, begin January 1, 2027:
- Provide continued access to behavioral health assessments and support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Lincoln. (Apace, formerly Region V Services, $50,440 over 2 years.)
- Expand access to healthcare through culturally responsive case management, language support, referrals, transportation, and healthcare navigation. (Asian Community & Cultural Center, $379,020 over 3 years.)
- Fund a Street Outreach Coordinator at The Gathering Place to connect individuals experiencing hardship with mental health crisis support, housing resources, and ongoing care. (Community Action Partnership of Lancaster and Saunders Counties, $270,000 over 3 years.)
- Improve healthcare access and chronic disease management through culturally responsive education, outreach, and community partnerships. (El Centro de las Américas, $183,142 over 3 years.)
- Expand mental health services for parents and caregivers through individual and group therapy, increasing access to treatment for families participating in behavioral health programming. (Family Service Lincoln, $56,160 over 3 years.)
- Increase access to healthcare, chronic disease management, and prevention education. (Indian Center, Inc., $20,000 over 1 year.)
- Establish a 24/7 behavioral health crisis intervention center at Health 360, expanding access to immediate crisis stabilization, outpatient treatment, medication management, and ongoing care. (Lutheran Family Services, $400,000 over 3 years.)
- Renovate and improve accessibility, safety, and essential building systems at The Meeting Place to preserve and strengthen the community recovery campus. (The Meeting Place, Inc., $100,000 over 2 years.)
- Expand access to mental health support for Lincoln students by strengthening youth mentoring, training mentors and school facilitators, and evaluating the mental health benefits of mentoring. (TeamMates of Lincoln, $105,000 over 3 years.)
- Equip a new community-based healthcare clinic within the Cultural Centers of Lincoln Collaborative to expand access to primary care, urgent care, behavioral health services, and chronic disease management. (TL Consultants Health Foundation, $75,000 over 1 year.)
Additionally, three capacity-building grants were approved through the Community Health Endowment’s new Technical Assistance Grant Program:
- Strengthen organizational leadership, operations, and long-term sustainability through implementation of a nonprofit operating system that supports culturally responsive services . (Asian Community & Cultural Center, $15,000 over 1 year.)
- Evaluate patient access and experiences to identify opportunities to improve scheduling, communication, transportation, and navigation of primary healthcare services in Lincoln. (Bluestem Health, $15,000 over 1 year.)
- Evaluate bicycle donation, repair, inventory, and distribution processes to develop a modern management system that improves efficiency, tracks community impact, and supports expanded bicycle access. (Lincoln Bike Kitchen, $15,000 over 1 year.)
