The Equality Fund committee awarded $200,000 to 14 organizations serving the needs of our LGBTQIA2S+ family, friends, and neighbors across the Omaha metro.
During the decision meeting, the committee elevated proposals that focused on populations with intersecting identities, such as Owlish, a first-of-its-kind agency focused on the wellbeing of older and aging LGBTQ+ adults. Additionally, it funded Omaha ForUs—a safe, collaborative space for LGBTQ+ agencies and community members to connect.
Established in 2018, the Equality Fund cultivates a community that supports, includes, and respects residents who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual, or two-spirit, plus additional sexual orientations and gender identities.
It is one of our five Community Interest Funds. Anyone can donate to these resident-led grant programs.
2022 Equality Fund Recipients
- ACLU of Nebraska • $15,000 Amplifying LGBTQIA2S+ Voices in Nebraska
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – NE • $10,000 for Show Your Pride (YOUTH) Omaha
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands • $10,500 for Visibility of LGBTQIA2S+ Affirming Mentoring
- BlueBarn Theatre • $15,000 for Big Damn Door Festival/Residencies
- Heartland Pride • $20,000 for Larger Venue to Facilitate Pride
- Inclusive Communities • $8,000 for IncluCity
- Legal Aid of Nebraska • $10,000 for LGBTQIA2S+ Name Change & Training
- Nebraska AIDS Project • $30,000 for STI/PrEP Clinical Services
- Nebraska Writers Collective • $10,000 for Louder Than a Bomb
- Omaha ForUs • $15,000 for First Staff, First Space
- Owlish • $19,000 for Capacity Building + Brand Awareness
- PFLAG Omaha • $7,500 for Omaha Latinx Project
- Planned Parenthood of the Heartland • $15,000 for LGBTQIA+ Care Coordination in Omaha
- University of Nebraska at Omaha • $15,000 for Huespring: Cultivating Collective Power, pictured
Grants made through our Community Interest Funds are strategic investments meant to increase access and equity. We ask community members to lead grant processes using their own power and understanding. Each committee is made up of residents who come from or identify with the population being served. They review proposals and decide which projects to fund based on the needs they are seeing in their community.
The Equality Fund is a collaboration between the Sherwood Foundation, Mutual of Omaha, Conagra Brands Foundation, and Peter Kiewit Foundation. It is administered by the Omaha Community Foundation.
The next grant cycle for the fund will open on January 1, 2023.
