UNITED WAY OF LINCOLN AND LANCASTER

Community impact focus area: financial stability (see detailed list of programs in this focus area on schedule o).during the 2023-2024 fiscal year, funded programs reported the following:1) 3,411,694 pounds of food were distributed through partner agency programs 2) 80,564 individuals received food assistance and related support services3) approximately 70% of participating households reported income levels consistent with federal poverty guidelines

Community response/lancaster connected collaborative: this community-wide initiative strengthens coordination among local partners to prevent child maltreatment and reduce entry into higher levels of care within the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. United way serves as the fiscal and administrative lead, overseeing contracts, financial management, and reporting. The initiative is supported by funding from the nebraska children and families foundation (ncff) and the nebraska department of health and human services, totaling $384,804 for the 2024-2025 fiscal period.

Engage. Empower.graduate (eeg): women united and emerging leaders united collaborate to expand educational opportunities for students in schools with limited access to resources. This initiative funds programs that promote family engagement, early learning, behavioral health, and academic success, supporting on-time graduation and long-term achievement. In 2024-2025, $248,624 was raised and allocated to six programs: jump start to kindergarten, family literacy, behavioral health services, summer enrichment, family engagement, and community learning centers.

Women in philanthropy (wip) initiative: united way's annual helping hands auction raised funds to provide essential items such as diapers and warm clothing to families experiencing financial hardship. In 2024-2025, wip awarded $56,767 to 13 united way partner agencies to distribute these items to children and families throughout lincoln.

Lincoln community learning centers (clc): $35,000 was allocated to lincoln community learning centers. The community learning centers (clc) initiative focuses on three core outcomes: enhancing student learning and development, strengthening family engagement, and fostering connected and supportive neighborhoods.

Agency capacity building: this project received a $20,000 allocation to strengthen nonprofit capacity within the lincoln community. Cause collective, the grant recipient, supports local organizations through collaboration, education, and advocacy. The organization serves as a central hub for information sharing, training, and sector-wide coordination to enhance effectiveness and community impact.

Emerging leaders united (elu) initiative: united way's emerging leaders united (elu) affinity group raised $18,749 through its annual wingfest event to support creative learning spaces in lincoln and lancaster county elementary schools and nonprofits. These spaces provide calming, supportive environments where students in kindergarten through fifth grade can practice social-emotional and coping skills, improving classroom engagement and reducing behavioral disruptions.

Virtual book drive: an online campaign sponsored by united way's women in philanthropy and emerging leaders united groups raised $16,849 to purchase books and school supplies for children in lancaster county. During the 2024-2025 fiscal year, 4,575 books were distributed to support literacy and learning.

Lincoln partnership for economic development: united way provides support for the lincoln partnership for economic development's workforce development activity to create pathways for lincoln residents to obtain living-wage employment in our community. $15,000 has been allocated for this project.

Summer food program: a $10,000 allocation supported the food bank of lincoln's summer food program, which served approximately 1,026 participants in 2025. The program provided 55,946 nutritious meals, 25,165 breakfasts and 30,781 lunches featuring fresh produce and fruits such as strawberries and blueberries to promote healthy eating.

Data-tracking project: this project received an $8,000 allocation in a jointly funded effort with the joint budget committee to help track food pantry and food distribution efforts in the community. The goal is to determine an unduplicated count of participants served to better increase their food stability.

Project connect lincoln: a $7,500 allocation supported project connect lincoln, an annual one-day event providing direct services and resource navigation for individuals and families experiencing housing instability. The event connects participants with health and human service providers to address both immediate and long-term needs.

Stable strong successful: a $7,071 allocation supports this initiative, which strengthens coordination among community partners to ensure families can access resources that promote stability and self-sufficiency. Through case management and economic support, the program identifies service gaps and mobilizes resources to address unmet needs.

Ride united last mile delivery: in partnership with united way worldwide, doordash, and the food bank of lincoln, this program provides safe home delivery of food to households experiencing hardship. In 2024-2025, 1,072 bags of shelf-stable food were delivered with program funding totaling $6,462.

Lincoln vital signs: united way allocated $5,000 to this community wide initiative whose purpose is to update the vital signs bi-annual report and facilitate efforts to identify key community measurements, collect specific information, and analyze trends for use in identifying funding priorities and tracking outcomes.

Volunteer engagement: united way's corporate community initiative engaged employees in meaningful volunteer projects, including assembling hygiene, literacy, and school supply kits for community distribution. Corporate donations totaling $3,222 supported these workplace volunteer activities, strengthening community engagement and collective impact.

Lincoln lancaster county response fund: united way of lincoln and lancaster county, in collaboration with local funders and businesses, established the lincoln-lancaster county response fund to support nonprofit organizations affected by changes in federal funding. The fund prioritizes assistance for organizations serving families experiencing economic or situational hardship in lancaster county. Focus areas include access to childcare, housing stability and homelessness prevention, food security, healthcare access, family and survivor safety, support for individuals and families newly resettled in the community, and services addressing domestic violence. During 20242025, $70,000 was raised, with additional funding anticipated in 20252026.

Labor partners united (lpu): labor partners united is a new united way affinity group formed by members of the local workforce to advance united way's pillars of education, financial stability, and health. In its inaugural year, lpu raised and allocated $31,287 to support youth mental and behavioral health initiatives at dawes middle school and neighborhood family mobile resource centers.

Safe sleep lancaster connected: this project promotes safe infant sleep practices and seeks to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (sids) and other sleep-related infant deaths through community-based partnerships. During 20242025, $4,250 in federal grant funding from the u.s. Department of health and human services was used to purchase and distribute safe-sleep bassinets to 39 households. The project will continue through 20252026 expanding community awareness and access to safe infant sleep resources.

Combined health agencies drive (chad): united way partners with chad to raise funds for the annual campaign in lincoln. Chad programs and organizations provide medical research, patient and family services, and community education and advocacy to assist individuals and families facing chronic illness. The allocation for chad from the 2024 campaign was $494,360.

Designations: united way processed $1,463,403 in donor-designated funds. Donor-designated funds are contributions specifically directed by the donor to other nonprofit organizations. United way of lincoln and lancaster county acts in a fiscal agent capacity to collect, process, and disburse the funds. Organizations must have tax-exempt status and be compliant with the patriot act.

Program general operating costs: expenses of $476,068 were incurred by the organization to assess community needs; provide outcome measurement training to various entities in the community; provide program assessment, review, and selection; administer grants; provide financial and stewardship oversight of grant recipients; and participate in community partnerships to advance common goals in the three focus areas of education, financial stability, and health.