Cooper Foundation

05/20/2026

The Lincoln Hygiene Network (LHN) is Lincoln–Lancaster County’s only hygiene and period product bank, providing essential period, body, dental, and hair care items to children, seniors, and families in need. In March, LHN received a $15,000 Cooper grant for general operating support. Learn more about their mission at, https://www.lincolnhygienenetwork.org/

❌ ZERO, NULL, NONE ❌
This is the amount of federal programs that exist for health and hygiene supplies.

Which is why our passion grows daily to assist our neighbors and distributing partners with hygiene supplies.

Hygiene is not a luxury.

https://www.lincolnhygienenetwork.org/

05/01/2026

Give to Lincoln between May 1 and May 28! View participating nonprofits at www.GiveToLincoln.com.

Lincoln’s One Big Day of Giving is back! 🎉 Nearly 500 local nonprofits are participating in the 15th annual Give to Lincoln Day on Thursday, May 28.

🎁 Gifts made between now and May 28 make an even BIGGER impact thanks to the $650,000 match fund provided by Lincoln Community Foundation and many generous sponsors, including Presenting Sponsor – West Gate Bank.

View participating nonprofits and give TODAY at www.GiveToLincoln.com.

04/27/2026

In March, ECHO Collective received a $25,000 Cooper grant to support organizational capacity and retain staff who deliver entrepreneurship programs for refugee and immigrant women in Lincoln. Learn more at, https://echocollectivene.org/

✨️Entrepreneur Spotlight✨️⁠
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Marcela Willeke was born and raised in Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia, known as the “City of Parks,” and moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, in 2019. She holds a degree in Business Administration with a specialization in finance and has professional experience in banking, healthcare, and as a barista. Driven by her passion for coffee and inspired by her mother, Marcela founded Coffee Is Our Religion, a brand centered on coffee, chocolate, and accessories for coffee lovers. Her mission is to provide high-quality products that promote well-being, energy, and balance in everyday life. In her free time, Marcela enjoys skating, swimming, exploring nature, listening to music, and empowering women to turn their strengths into meaningful achievements.
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📸 Out of Box Studio
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Let's welcome Marcela to the ECHO family in the comments below! ⬇️

04/24/2026

Cooper Foundation was an early investor in this project, initiated in 1973 to commission modern sculptures at rest areas along Nebraska's I-80 to celebrate the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976. Known as “Nebraska’s 500 Mile Sculpture Garden,” it was an innovative approach to public art, placing sculptures outside traditional museum settings and civic buildings. Since then, we have supported repair and conservation activities, and the recent application to place the sculptures on the National Register of Historic Places, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the installation and its unique place in this country’s public art landscape. We featured the project in a 2014 report - learn more here: https://cooperfoundation.org/portfolio-posts/2014-fall/

04/10/2026

JOIN OUR TEAM! We’re hiring a part-time Administrative Coordinator! We are looking for a self-starter with experience in administrative support, has excellent organizational skills, and interest in working with nonprofit organizations.
Apply by April 30 at https://cooperfoundation.org/hiring-new-position-part-time-administrative-coordinator/

04/03/2026

The Cooper Foundation awarded a grant of $10,000 to Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) to support Artist INC, a professional development and entrepreneurship program for working artists in collaboration with the LUX Center for the Arts. Artist INC provides artists with tools for sustaining creative careers through eight in-person sessions led by trained artist facilitators.
The Alliance is a Regional Arts Organization that serves Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. M-AAA works to strengthen and support artists, cultural organizations, and communities throughout the region. Learn more at, https://www.maaa.org/
In total, the Foundation awarded $479,500 to 17 diverse nonprofit organizations at the March board meeting. See the full press release to learn about the grant recipients, https://cooperfoundation.org/about/news/

04/01/2026

We are hiring a part-time Administrative Coordinator to work closely with the Foundation’s staff to ensure efficient operations and accurate recordkeeping. The ideal candidate is a self-starter with experience in administrative support, has excellent organizational skills, and interest in working with nonprofit organizations. This role coordinates office operations and supports financial administration, grantmaking, and communication activities for a small team.
Learn more and apply by April 30 at https://cooperfoundation.org/hiring-new-position-part-time-administrative-coordinator/

03/26/2026

The event with Shaylyn Romney Garrett is coming up, and it's even more exciting…Come for the conversation, stay for the chance to win, and experience a night of powerful stories and big ideas.
📅 Tuesday, March 31st, 2026
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Lied Center for Performing Arts
Free tickets available on Lied Center for Performing Arts website!

Big news 👀✨
Our event with Shaylyn Romney Garrett is coming up, and we’re making it even more exciting…

We’re giving away tickets to The Moth Mainstage show coming to Lincoln this spring featuring five incredible storytellers! 🎤

📝 Register for the giveaway at the event

Come for the conversation, stay for the chance to win, and experience a night of powerful stories and big ideas.

📅 Tuesday, March 31st, 2026
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Lied Center for Performing Arts
Free tickets available on Lied Center for Performing Arts website!

02/27/2026

Congratulations Morrie! The Cooper Foundation thanks you for your leadership and strengthening the Playhouse’s role as a cultural cornerstone for Lincoln and the surrounding region.

Long-time Executive Director Morrie Enders Announces Upcoming Retirement

After 16 years of transformative leadership, Lincoln Community Playhouse Executive Director Morrie Enders will retire this fall. Since 2009, Morrie has helped strengthen the Playhouse, expanding education programs, deepening community partnerships, and building a strong foundation for the future.
A Board-led national search for the next Executive Director will launch soon. Morrie will remain in his role through the fall to ensure continuity for staff, artists, volunteers, and audiences.

Please join us in thanking Morrie for his extraordinary leadership and lasting impact on the Playhouse and our community.

02/26/2026

Wellbeing Initiative received a $15,000 grant from the Cooper Foundation towards certified peer support services for individuals experiencing mental health and/or substance use challenges. Wellbeing Initiative works to promote wellness and recovery through peer-led programming that is low-barrier and grounded in lived experience. Services are free, accessible through walk-ins and brief intakes, and delivered by Certified Peer Support Specialists. Wellbeing is focused on expanding these services to rural Nebraska. Learn more at, https://www.wellbeinginitiatives.org/