To achieve the vision of making Lincoln the healthiest community in the nation, the Board of Trustees of the Community Health Endowment of Lincoln (CHE) will make $3.28 million available in the 2025-26 fiscal year. Of this amount, nearly $800,000 will be available for new projects with the remaining funds allocated to previously approved projects. This is the largest allocation to community grant making in the history of CHE.
The Place Matters Mapping Project has informed CHE’s funding priorities. See more about Place Matters here: https://www.chelincoln.org/placematters/. Additionally, CHE funding will focus on mental wellness and human connection.
Early and Adequate Prenatal Care: Lincoln-Lancaster County's goal is that 80.5% of pregnant women receive early and adequate prenatal care which is defined as the percentage of women who received care prior to the fifth month and more than 80% of the appropriate number of visits for gestational age. CHE welcomes applications that address geographic disparities in prenatal care, with a focus on low-income and minority women, and census tracts with the lowest rates (70% or below) as identified by Place Matters 5.0.
Healthy Food Access: Place Matters data and community surveys reveal a geographic disparity in healthy food access in Lincoln. CHE welcomes applications that advance health equity by increasing healthy food distribution, access, availability, and consumption in Lincoln's underserved census tracts as identified by Place Matters 5.0.
Youth Fitness: While Lincoln’s goal is that 80% of LPS students can pass a standardized aerobic fitness test (PACER), only 13 census tracts (16.9%) meet that goal. CHE welcomes applications that advance health equity and address geographic disparities in youth fitness and youth sports participation, with a focus on census tracts in Lincoln with the lowest PACER pass rates as identified by Place Matters 5.0.
Mental Wellness and Human Connection: Local data reflects a growing concern about mental wellness in Lincoln. CHE welcomes applications regarding mental wellness, such as mentoring, support/peer groups, alleviation of isolation, or similar initiatives rooted in increased human connection and prevention.
Information about this upcoming cycle and how to apply can be found on the CHE website.
