FNBO Awards $880,000 in Impact Grants

Press Release

Release Date: April 6, 2022

FNBO Awards $880,000 in Impact Grants

Grants Support Programs Related to Affordable Housing, Neighborhood Stability, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development

OMAHA, Neb. April 6, 2022—First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO) has awarded a total of $880,000 in Impact Grants to 44 organizations in Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, South Dakota and Texas, announced Spencer Danner, Vice President, Community Development, Corporate Philanthropy & Social Responsibility. The grants support programs dedicated to affordable housing and neighborhood stability, as well as entrepreneurship and small business development.

“FNBO is committed to strengthening all the communities we call home. To build a strong community, every member of the community must have access to the tools, resources and opportunities needed to succeed,” said Danner. “Our Impact Grant Program directs our investments to community partners who are working to create positive outcomes in areas that will have the greatest impacts on financial wellbeing, resulting in the long-term economic success of our communities.”

Grants for affordable housing and neighborhood stability programs will enable FNBO’s community partners to build, rehabilitate or finance an estimated 700 affordable housing units across the bank’s footprint. Grants supporting entrepreneurship and small business development initiatives will create approximately 3,500 jobs.

Nebraska and Iowa

FNBO awarded $610,000 in Impact Grants to 28 organizations across Nebraska and western Iowa. Grants supporting affordable housing and neighborhood stability programs include:

• $40,000 – Gesu Housing, Inc. (Omaha): supports the construction of five new three-bedroom homes in the Hitchcock Addition.
• $25,000 – Canopy South (Omaha): provides support for the rehabilitation or development of 3-5 housing units annually, targeting first time home buyers, middle income families and the emerging workforce.
• $20,000 – Holy Name Housing Corporation (Omaha): provides support for the CROWN program, with the goal to construct 63 new family homes and 25 units of row housing.
• $15,000 – InCommon Community Development (Omaha): provides support for neighborhood-capacity building efforts through the development of a new community resource center located in the Walnut Hill neighborhood.
• $20,000 – Metro Area Continuum of Care for the Homeless (Omaha): supports the Housing Problem Solving emergency response fund to quickly support households with flexible funds to mitigate the anticipated loss of housing.
• $40,000 – Midwest Housing Development Fund, Inc. (Omaha): provides support for technical and capacity building assistance to facilitate the creation and preservation of affordable renting housing units.
• $20,000 – Nebraska Housing Developers Association (Omaha): provides support to increase housing stability by providing down payment assistance to first time homebuyers, weatherization assistance to low-income homebuyers and financial education to homebuyers and renters.
• $25,000 – Omaha Healthy Kids Alliance (Omaha): supports the CHEER (Championing Healthy Energy Efficient Rehab) program, which provides free home repairs to families living in unsafe and unhealthy housing.
• $15,000 – Omaha Municipal Land Bank (Omaha): provides funding for Acquisitions and Dispositions program to support real estate acquisitions, maintenance and dispositions that catalyze the redevelopment of Omaha's blighted communities.
• $40,000 – Project Houseworks (Omaha): provides support for a no-cost home repair program for low-income seniors in Douglas and Sarpy Counties.
• $40,000 – Seventy Five North Revitalization (Omaha): provides support for the expansion of affordable housing options and access to homeownership for low-to-moderate income individuals around the North 30th Street Corridor.
• $40,000 – Habitat for Humanity of Council Bluffs (Council Bluffs): supports construction of two affordable housing units in Council Bluffs.
• $10,000 – Neighborworks Home Solutions (Council Bluffs): provides support for the housing and neighborhood revitalization program which creates safe, practical and decent housing for low-to-moderate income families.
• $10,000 – 712 Initiative (Council Bluffs): provides funding for the “Rock the Block” initiative, a neighborhood revitalization effort that brings neighbors and volunteers together to improve their properties and surrounding environment.
• $10,000 – Habitat for Humanity of Lincoln (Lincoln): provides funding for the construction of four affordable homes in 2022.
• $20,000 – NeighborWorks Lincoln (Lincoln): provides support for real estate development activities, including new infill and multi-unit construction, owner-occupied rehabilitation and workforce acquisition-rehab.
• $20,000 – High Plains Community Development Corporation (Chadron): provides funding for the development and construction of single-family homes for low-income families. 
• $20,000 – NeighborWorks Northeast Nebraska (Columbus and Norfolk): provides support for down payment and closing cost assistance for the purchase/rehabilitation/resell program.
• $15,000 – Fremont Area Habitat for Humanity (Fremont): provides support for affordable housing units in Fremont.
• $10,000 – Kearney Area Habitat for Humanity (Kearney): supports the construction of three affordable homes in Kearney.
• $10,000 – Lincoln County Community Development Corporation (North Platte): supports programming that will provide financial assistance to low-to-moderate income families for the purchase of their first home in North Platte.

Grants supporting entrepreneurship and small business development initiatives in Nebraska and western Iowa include:

• $20,000 – Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Omaha (Omaha): supports the Microbusiness and Asset Development Program, which provides business training, technical assistance and micro loans to low-income Omahans.
• $15,000 – I Be Black Girl (Omaha): supports the Catalyst program, which provides intentional space for Black women founders to actualize their entrepreneurial vision and gain economic liberation through technical assistance and capital access.
• $10,000 – Midlands Latino Community Development Corporation (Omaha): provides funding for business training and technical assistance for low-to-moderate income individuals and small businesses to create and retain jobs and to generate economic development in the Omaha and Council Bluffs area.
• $15,000 – Nebraska Business Development Center (Omaha): provides support for technical assistance programming that provides one-to-one consulting to existing and potential business owners.
• $40,000 – Nebraska Enterprise Fund (Omaha): provides support for training, coaching and mentoring programs reaching underserved micro and small businesses primarily in North and South Omaha and Western Iowa.
• $20,000 – Center for Rural Affairs Community Capital / Rural Investment Corporation (Lyons): provides technical assistance, training and microloan delivery to microenterprises with a focus on distressed communities, women entrepreneurs and minority-owned businesses.
• $25,000 – Iowa Western Small Business Development Center (Council Bluffs): provides support for the Iowa Western SBDC which offers no-cost, one-on-one technical assistance and educational resources to entrepreneurs and small businesses in Pottawattamie and Mills Counties.

Colorado

In Colorado, FNBO awarded $130,000 in Impact Grants to eight organizations. Grants supporting affordable housing and neighborhood stability programs include: 

• $15,000 – Flatirons Habitat for Humanity (Lafayette): supports the homeownership program which empowers individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency and stability.
• $10,000 – Greeley-Weld Habitat for Humanity (Greeley): supports the affordable home ownership program which helps provide a permanent pathway out of poverty for individuals and their families.
• $20,000 – Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley (Longmont): supports the construction of a duplex in Longmont to house two low-income families.
• $20,000 – Loveland Habitat for Humanity (Loveland): supports the construction of six affordable homes in the Loveland area.

Grants supporting entrepreneurship and small business development initiatives in Colorado include:

• $20,000 – Colorado Enterprise Fund (Denver): provides programming to finance and support underserved and overlooked small businesses in Northern Colorado. 
• $20,000 – DreamSpring (Denver): provides funding to support financial education and technical assistance, with a focus on women and minority entrepreneurs.
• $15,000 – Innosphere (Fort Collins): provides support for the Commercialization Program, which offers technical assistance and business support to founders who are launching and growing high-tech, B2B companies.
• $10,000 – University of Northern Colorado Foundation (Greeley): provides support for the East Colorado Small Business Development Center, with the goal to build a strong local community by helping new and existing businesses grow.

Illinois

In Illinois, FNBO awarded $85,000 in Impact Grants to five organizations. Grants supporting affordable housing and neighborhood stability programs include:

• $20,000 – Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity (Montgomery): provides support for an affordable housing program with the goal to build four new homes in 2022.
• $15,000 – Habitat for Humanity of Boone County (Belvidere): provides funding for a 2022 land acquisition and build.

Grants supporting entrepreneurship and small business development initiatives in Illinois include: 

• $20,000 – Allies for Community Business (Chicago): provides support for capital, coaching and connections program.
• $10,000 – Dekalb County Economic Development (DeKalb): provides support for the business attraction and expansion program to create jobs in DeKalb County.
• $20,000 – Waubonsee Community College Foundation (Yorkville and Geneva): provides support for management, marketing and financial coaching for existing and prospective Hispanic small business owners.

Kansas

In Kansas, FNBO awarded a $20,000 Impact Grant supporting affordable housing and neighborhood stability.

• $20,000 – Friends of JCDS/Johnson County Developmental Supports (Lenexa): provides support for housing renovations to create affordable and accessible homes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities living in Johnson County, KS.

South Dakota

In South Dakota, FNBO awarded a $20,000 Impact Grant supporting affordable housing and neighborhood stability. 

• $20,000 – Habitat for Humanity of Clay and Yankton Counties (Yankton): provides support to assist low-income families with homeownership opportunities.

Texas

In Texas, FNBO awarded a $15,000 Impact Grant supporting entrepreneurship and small business development. 

• $15,000 – DreamSpring (Denton): provides support for financial education and technical assistance with a focus on minority entrepreneurs.

For more information about FNBO’s impact initiatives, visit www.fnbo.com/impact

ABOUT FNBO
First National Bank of Omaha is a subsidiary of First National of Nebraska. First National of Nebraska and its affiliates have more than $26 billion in assets and nearly 5,000 employee associates. Primary banking offices are located in Nebraska, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming. Learn more at fnbo.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.