Another successful grant cycle concludes for us here at Snow-Redfern Foundation, and we are honored to recognize the incredible non-profit partners and outstanding individuals across Nebraska that were selected to receive funding support this year.  All of the selected organizations demonstrated commitment and dedication to improving the lives of children and youth, through various strategies.

Here is a list of all of the non-profit partners and individuals included in this year’s funding cycle, by grant program.

Project Grants

  • Lexington Public Schools
  • CASA of South Central Nebraska
  • Panhandle Public Health District
  • United Way of Western Nebraska
  • Lexington Public Schools
  • The Briggs and Barrett Project
  • Banister’s Leadership Academy
  • YWCA of Adams County
  • Camp Scott Summer Program
  • Carnegie Arts Center
  • Central Plains Center for Services
  • Panhandle Partnership, Inc.
  • Omaha Conservatory of Music
  • Alliance Public Schools
  • Prairie Loft
  • Bridgeport TeamMates
  • Alliance Recreation Center
  • Nebraska CASA Association
  • Spouse Abuse Sexual Assault Center
  • TeamMates of Scotts Bluff County
  • Carpenter Center
  • LyonHeart Equine Assisted Learning
  • Girl Scout Spirit of Nebraska
  • Families CARE, Inc.

Career Pathways Grants

  • Twin Cities Development
  • Western Nebraska Community College
  • Gering Public Schools

Priority Community Grant- Box Butte County

  • Panhandle Public Health District

Developing Communities Grant

  • Panhandle Public Health District

Capacity Grant

  • Nebraska CASA Association

Root2Rise Administration and Support

  • Panhandle Partnership, Inc.

Individual Grants- Scholarships

Hempel Family Scholarship
  • Carver Hauptman
  • Tegan Rice
  • Arielle Lawrence
K.M. Dahlstedt Scholarship
  • Avery Davies
  • Kason Loomis
  • Delaney Childers
  • Cambree Schmaltz
  • Tyler Cotton

Root2Rise Scholarships will be awarded to participants in December, 2023.

Grant opportunities for 2024 are forthcoming!

The Snow-Redfern Foundation recognizes the impactful work of 38 Nebraska non-profits through 2022 project grant funding.

Snow-Redfern Foundation’s focus is partnering with nonprofit organizations to provide them the funding, support, and other resources to do more of the things they do best for kids. Project grants are one of the ways in which that support is extended each year, with emphasis on funding projects that foster the greatest impact related to well-being, education, and basic needs of children and youth.

The Potential of All Youth

Arvilla, the founder of the foundation, believed in the potential of all youth, and that passion has been carried forward for over 70 years. Her vision was to equip young people with the skills they need to be successful members of the communities where they live, grow, and work, which was first conducted through the Nebraska Boys Ranch, and now through the foundation’s grantmaking, scholarships, and leadership programming.

“We believe that every child has potential, but not every child has the opportunity to realize it. When their opportunity is enlarged, their potential grows with it”, said Executive Director, Sara Nicholson. “Our grantmaking programs are a vehicle for realizing that potential by honoring our founder’s vision and promoting positive impact for the kids that need it most”.

$2.3 Million in Project Grant Awards

In the last 10 years, $2.3 million in project grant funding from the foundation has created opportunities and reduced barriers for nearly 162,000 children and 600 organizations across the state.  “Each year, the needs seem to multiply, and we have been blessed with the ability to help where we can, as much as we can through many meaningful interactions and partnerships”, said Board President, Brooke Shelmadine.

In addition to the project grant awards, the Snow-Redfern Foundation was the sole funder of the Youth in Power program, which is a three-year grant program awarded to Panhandle Partnership, Inc. in cooperation from Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska. 2022 grant funding was also awarded to Gering Public Schools and Panhandle Public Health for Career Pathways projects, to Panhandle Partnership, Inc. for the Root2Rise- Young Women’s Leadership program and a youth study, and to various high school seniors as scholarships for post-secondary education. Learn more about the work we do with partners at: https://www.snowredfern.org/nonprofits/.

About the Snow-Redfern Foundation

In 1951, Arvilla Snow-Redfern created a home for orphaned, homeless, neglected, and underprivileged youth and believed every young person needed home, encouragement, and training. As the foundation translates her original intent to be relevant in today’s world, the spirit and her vision are closely maintained to ensure the Nebraska Boys Ranch history continues to enrich the culture of the foundation.

Grant Recipients

2022 Project Grant Recipients: Alliance Public Schools, Camp Scott, Carnegie Arts Center, City Sprouts, Crawford TeamMates Mentoring Program, DIBS for Kids, Hay Springs School-Community Foundation, Omaha Conservatory of Music-Panhandle program, CASA of South-Central Nebraska & District 10 Probation, Dawson County Parent-Child Protective Services, Inc, Families CARE, Inc, Lexington Public Schools, Lexington Public Schools Backpack Program, Maryland Living Center, Panhandle Public Health District, United Way of Western Nebraska, We Can Do This, Alliance Recreation Center, Banister’s Leadership Academy, Carpenter Center, Chadron Recreation Center, Cirrus House, Inc, EPIC! For Girls, Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska, Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy, Kearney Public Schools, LyonHeart Equine Assisted Learning, Nebraska CASA Association, Nebraska Children’s Home Society, Omaha Street School, Inc., Panhandle Partnership, Inc., Prairie Loft, TeamMates of Scotts Bluff County, WhyArts, Inc., African Culture Connection.

2022 Program Grant (Youth in Power) Recipients: Panhandle Partnership, Inc. (in cooperation with CAPWN and Blue Agate Collaborative).

2022 Root2Rise Young Women’s Leadership Program Recipients:  Panhandle Partnership, Inc. (in cooperation with Blue Agate Collaborative)

2022 Youth Study Recipients:  Panhandle Partnership, Inc (in cooperation with Blue Agate Collaborative and GIS and Human Dimensions, LLC)

2022 Career Pathways Recipients:  Panhandle Public Health District and Gering Public Schools

44 new project grants have been awarded to nonprofits across Nebraska!

Helping young people is the inspiration that moves us—but where does it lead?

Experience has guided us toward three pathways where we can foster the greatest change: Basic Needs, Well-Being, and Education. In each, we have met so many exceptional, caring people who are impacting young lives every day.

Our role is to provide the funding that empowers the work they do.

As our 2021 grant cycle finalizes, we are encouraged by the inspirational work being done by our nonprofit partners, including through their recent grant applications.

This year’s project grant cycle challenged applicants to align their grant goals with their local public health district’s Community Health Improvement Plans, so we are excited to see how they can increase impact for children in their region.

The most prevalent connections cited were mental health and access to services with basic needs being the most common priority area.

“In the past few years, we have seen an increase in the number of applications seeking to address food insecurity and unmet basic needs for children.  This year, however, we saw more applications that intend to focus on well-being and children’s mental health”, said Grant Committee Chairman, Jared Mracek. 

In fact, over 50% of the applications cited strategies directly linked to mental health in some capacity, including some applications that were additionally focusing on basic needs and education.

“Mental health is an important part of overall health and well-being. It includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being, affecting how we think, feel, and act. It is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood”, shared Executive Director, Sara Nicholson.

Our focus is giving these 44 grant recipients the funding, support, and other resources to do more of the things they do best.

Join us in acknowledging this year’s project grant awardees!

  • Nebraska Family Support Network
  • Camp Scott
  • CASA- South Central NE-Franklin County
  • Lexington Public Schools Backpack Program
  • CASA Connection
  • YWCA Adams County
  • African Culture Connection
  • Carnegie Arts Center
  • TeamMates of Scotts Bluff County
  • Nebraska 4H Foundation
  • CASA of South Central Nebraska
  • Panhandle Partnership dba CAPWN
  • United Way of Western Nebraska
  • Panhandle Public Health District
  • Willow Branch Foundation
  • Fillmore County CASA
  • CASA for York County
  • Compass
  • City Sprouts Inc
  • Poverty Impact Network, Inc
  • Omaha Conservatory of Music
  • Dawson County Parent-Child Protective Services
  • Panhandle Partnership Inc
  • Nebraska Children’s Home Society
  • CASA of Northeast Nebraska Inc
  • Alliance Recreation Center
  • Lexington Public School
  • Mystic Rhoads Productions Inc
  • Carpenter Center
  • PlainsWest CASA
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Nebraska
  • Threads of Grace
  • DIBS for Kids
  • Southeast Nebraska CASA
  • Family Navigation Program- CASA
  • Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska
  • Alliance Bulldog Backpack Program
  • WhyArts Inc
  • Trails West CASA Inc
  • Banister’s Leadership Academy
  • Cirrus House
  • LyonHeart Equine Assisted Learning
  • Families CARE Inc
  • Banister’s Leadership Academy