Cooper Foundation grants more than $1 million in 2007
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By the Lincoln Journal Star
The Cooper Foundation approved its highest annual grant payout in its 73-year history in this past year.
Grants totaling nearly $1.1 million were awarded in 2007 to nonprofit organizations in Lincoln and around the state. Of those, more than $945,000 will be paid in the year.
President Art Thompson said the final grant approved for the year was $8,000 to the One Laptop Per Child Foundation for 40 laptops. Under their Give One Get One Program, 20 of the laptops will be sent to a developing nation and 20 more to Lincoln.
The One Laptop Per Child Foundation’s mission is to stimulate initiatives designed to enhance and sustain the effectiveness of laptops as learning tools for children living in lesser-developed countries. The laptops coming to Lincoln will serve that same goal for children here.
The Cooper Foundation is working with the Foundation for the Lincoln Public Schools to develop plans to distribute the laptops.
The Cooper Foundation was founded in 1934 by Joseph H. Cooper, founder of the Cooper Theatres, and has granted more than $17 million to Nebraska causes.
The foundation makes quarterly grant awards supporting education, human services, the arts, the humanities, and the environment in Lincoln and Lancaster County, and throughout Nebraska.
For more information about grant guidelines and application deadlines visit the foundation’s Web site, www.cooperfoundation.org.
Grants approved in the fourth quarter (Grantees are located in Lincoln unless otherwise noted):
Asian Community and Cultural Center, $40,000: Operating and programming support for the Family Resource Program, Senior Program, and Cultural Education Program.
CenterPointe, $22,865: To buy state-of-the art hardware and software to assist clinical staff with psychological testing and diagnosis.
Fresh Start, $26,827: Support for upgraded technology, marketing, and capacity building to increase and diversify funding. Fresh Start provides transitional housing and supportive services for homeless women in Lincoln.
Friendship Home, $30,000: Salary support for a mental health counselor to serve women in emergency shelter.
Goodwill Industries, $10,000: Salary support for an employment specialist to work with immigrant and refugee job seekers.
Groundwater Foundation, $33,698: Operational funding to support executive leadership transition, board development and enhanced financial operations.
Friends of the Haymarket Theatre, $20,000: 2008 operational funding for organizational development, expanded programming and increased fundraising for the Haymarket Theatre.
Junior Achievement of Lincoln, $5,000: Matching funds to increase the number of new and upgraded donors to Junior Achievement. Junior Achievement offers work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy programs for 13,600 K-12 students in 70 Lincoln public and parochial schools.
Lincoln Children’s Zoo, $29,420: Upgraded technology and staff training to strengthen fundraising, increase staff efficiency, and improve online services to zoo visitors.
Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra, $15,000: Second-year support for the development director position.
Lofte Community Theatre, Manley, $15,000: Fund development program for this volunteer theater company that presents more than 44 performances each year with a annual attendance of more than 11,000 people from Southeast Nebraska and beyond.
Lux Center for the Arts, $15,000: To make visual art education accessible to broader, more diverse audiences.
Metropolitan Opera/Nebraska Auditions, $1,000: Support for awards for the 2008 auditions.
Mid-America Arts Alliance, Kansas City, $25,000: Support for HELP, training for 20 small, rural museums in Nebraska, to improve governance, financial management, professional skills and resource sharing among peer institutions.
Nebraska Community Foundation, $25,000: Support for the EndowNebraska marketing campaign, to promote the Nebraska Charitable Tax Credit for gifts to permanent endowments of Nebraska nonprofit organizations.
Nebraska Conservation Educational Fund, $25,000: General operating support for this new agency which works to increase public engagement in conservation policy formation in Nebraska.
Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, $10,000: Support for a lecture by Richard Louv, author of “Last Child in the Woods,” on the importance of outdoor experiences for children, at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in February, 2008.
Northeast Family Center, $30,000: Administrative support for this organization that offers services and programming for families and youth in northeast Lincoln.
Opera Omaha, Omaha, $10,000: For the book detailing Opera Omaha’s original production of Verdi’s Aida, featuring sets and costumes designed by artist Catherine Ferguson.
St. Monica’s Behavioral Health Services for Women, $31,081: Technology to enhance staff efficiency, improve client service and increase fundraising.
Strategic Air and Space Museum, $10,000: Support for Lancaster County students attending SPACE: Journey to Our Future, from Feb. 9 to May 4. Students will use interactive lessons in science, technology, engineering and math to learn how discoveries in space exploration are made.
Third Chair Chamber Players, $2,600: Support for the music program “Thomas the Tough Turkey” in collaboration with the Lincoln Children’s Museum and Lux Center for the Arts.
The Thorpe Inc., David City, $18,000: For the salary of a part-time executive director for the historic Thorpe Opera House.
United Way of Lincoln/Lancaster County, $12,707: 2007 United Way Campaign.
University of Nebraska Lincoln, E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues, $15,934: Annual support from the Thompson Family Fund, established by E.N. and Katherine Thompson to support programs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
University of Nebraska Lincoln, Psychology Department, $18,424: For the Project SAFE Coordinator at the Child Advocacy Center in Lincoln. Project SAFE provides free on-site individual and group therapy services to victims of sexual abuse, their siblings and non-offending parents and caregivers.
Wyuka Historical Foundation, $10,000: Support for planning and design of the Wyuka Park and Gardens project.
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