With the WIN grant, the Trauma-Capable Schools program will expand to serve rural Nebraska school districts. The program began in 2019 through a partnership between the Lincoln Public Schools and UNL’s Center on Children, Families, and the Law, offering online trauma-informed training for school district personnel.
Adverse experiences such as abuse, neglect, poverty, family instability and traumatic events can undermine student learning and development. The six-course, self-paced online training program equips school personnel with effective interventions to reduce classroom behavioral challenges. Research has shown that equipping teachers with consistent, effective interventions reduces classroom behavioral challenges, improves student outcomes and reduces workplace stress, thus improving teacher retention.
The WIN grant will enable the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative (NECC) to develop Nebraska’s first comprehensive licensing toolkit and mentoring program for individuals interested in opening child care centers. The initiative will provide step-by-step guidance on navigating licensing requirements.
2024 Nebraska Nonprofit Award | $122,376 – University of Nebraska Medical Center | College of Nursing Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP) Certificate
The College of Nursing launched Nebraska’s first Emergency Nurse Practitioner certificate to address ER provider shortages, specifically in western Nebraska, by equipping Family NPs with specialized emergency care training.
2024 Nebraska Nonprofit Award | $122,376 – Foster Care Closet of Nebraska
The WIN grant funded the creation of the Mobile Closet program which brings a personalized shopping experience — and essential clothing — to foster youth across Nebraska, ensuring comfort and confidence for the 3,380 children who can’t easily reach the Lincoln store.
2023 University of Nebraska Award | $110,342 – University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Law | Children’s Justice Clinic
The WIN funding enabled the Children’s Justice Clinic to add a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, strengthening law students’ advocacy as Guardians ad Litem for over 100 abused and neglected children in juvenile court.
2023 Nebraska Nonprofit Award | $110,342 – Nebraska Panhandle Area Health Education Center
This healthcare pipeline program engaged 500 youth across 17 western Nebraska counties with hands-on, healthcare-focused experiences to build local talent and improve health outcomes in rural communities.
2022 University of Nebraska Award | $92,550 – University of Nebraska at Kearney | College Readiness for Hispanics, Las Communidades y LatinX Familias en UNK
The University of Nebraska at Kearney used the WIN grant to engage Hispanic youth and families in central Nebraska through community events and campus programs to inspire college aspirations and explore career paths.
2022 Nebraska Nonprofit Award | $92,550 – Child Advocacy Center Medical Clinic in York, Nebraska
This project ensured children served by the Child Advocacy Center received comprehensive medical care after trauma, supporting a team approach that reduces harm, seeks justice, and fosters healing for families.
2021 Nebraska Nonprofit Award | $86,375 – Magdalene Omaha New Beginnings Campus | Expanded Programs for Survivors of Sex Trafficking
Magdalene Omaha used the WIN grant to expand its physical space, staff, and hybrid curriculum options to better serve survivors statewide with essential support like food security, substance abuse assistance, and job training.
2021 University of Nebraska Award | $86,375 – University of Nebraska Kearney Head Start Target STEM in Preschool
This new initiative funded up to 20 Head Start educators with four tuition-free graduate courses and personalized support to strengthen early STEM teaching practices and boost retention and success.
2020 Nebraska Nonprofit Award | $84,000 – Legal Aid of Nebraska | Health Education and Law Project (HELP)
The Legal Aid of Nebraska’s HELP program assists veterans at the Omaha VA with critical legal needs — from securing guardianship and preventing eviction to accessing earned benefits.
2020 University of Nebraska Award | $84,000 – University of Nebraska ITS | Inclusive Access and Open Educational Resources Program
WIN’s grant to the University of Nebraska ITS expanded access to free and low-cost digital learning resources, helping students save on textbooks while supporting faculty in finding affordable course materials.
2019 Nebraska Nonprofit Award | $93,000 – Nebraska Children’s Home Society Center for Children and Families | Raising Your Grandchildren
The Raising Your Grandchildren program offers a six-week education and support series for grandparents caring for grandchildren, now expanding services in Omaha and Lincoln thanks to new grant funding.
2019 University of Nebraska Award | $93,000 – University of Nebraska Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs | Counselor-in-Residence Program
The Counselor-in-Residence program places mental health professionals directly in UNL residence halls, giving students easy, immediate access to counseling and reducing barriers to seeking help.
2018 Nebraska Nonprofit Award | $91,500 – Sherman County Prevention Coalition | Every School After School
Every School After School is expanding to 15 more schools, providing curriculum, training, and support to deliver quality, affordable after-school programs for thousands of students where families need accessible care.
2018 University of Nebraska Award | $91,500 – UNMC College of Nursing West Division in Scottsbluff | Geriatric and Mental Health Project for Rural Nebraska
This initiative will expand mental health access for more than 16,000 older adults in Nebraska’s Panhandle through specialized clinics, cognitive and dementia assessments, and on-site training to help retain nurse practitioners in the region.
2017 Nebraska Nonprofit Award | $85,000 – Brain Injury Alliance of Nebraska | Brain Injury and Domestic Violence: Making the Connection and Improving Care
A new training program equips domestic violence shelter staff and health care providers to identify signs of traumatic brain injury in survivors—often mistaken for other conditions—expanding a pilot that found 60% of participants showed possible indicators.
2017 University of Nebraska Award | $85,000 – UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute | Statewide NICU Feeding and Swallowing Follow Up
A statewide initiative will provide portable, radiation-free swallowing evaluation equipment and specialized training for speech pathologists, making follow-up care more accessible for NICU graduates and their families outside Lincoln and Omaha.
2016 Nebraska Nonprofit Award | $62,500 – Food Bank for the Heartland | Kids Cruisin’ Kitchen
Food Bank for the Heartland’s Kids Cruisin’ Kitchen delivers healthy summer meals to food-insecure Nebraska children—and, in Omaha, even parents—addressing a reality where 1 in 5 kids face uncertain access to food.
2016 University of Nebraska Award | $62,500 – University of Nebraska Medical Center | Simulation in Motion-Nebraska
UNMC’s Simulation in Motion-Nebraska brings mobile, high-tech training trucks to rural communities, giving first responders and health professionals free, realistic emergency simulations tailored to local needs.
2015 Nebraska Nonprofit Award | $53,700 – Tabitha EngAGE
Tabitha launched EngAGE, a program offering personalized care coordination for adults 65+ at risk due to limited income, health conditions, or psychosocial concerns, serving 28 Nebraska counties.
2015 University of Nebraska Award | $53,700 – University of Nebraska–Lincoln | Center for Science, Mathematics and Computer Education
Primarily Math, a University of Nebraska–Lincoln program, used funding to train teachers in high-need districts, strengthening their math knowledge and improving K–3 mathematics education statewide.
2014 Nebraska Nonprofit Award | $75,950 – Third City Community Clinic
A grant to Third City Community Clinic funded urgent medical and dental care, updated equipment, and covered pharmaceutical costs, helping uninsured families access essential health services and increasing the number of patients served.
2014 University of Nebraska Award | $75,950 – University of Nebraska–Lincoln | HearU Nebraska
HearU Nebraska provided 217 hearing aids to 127 children statewide and purchased infant testing equipment, ensuring access to hearing care for families in need and supporting children’s language, cognitive, and educational development.
2013 Nebraska Nonprofit Award | $76,750 – Nebraska Children and Families Foundation | Project Everlast
Project Everlast, a partnership supporting young adults transitioning from foster care to independence, expanded into Lincoln and northeast Nebraska with grant funding.
2013 University of Nebraska Award | $76,750 – University of Nebraska at Omaha | Women and IT Engagement Link
The grant supported programs from middle school immersion to high school computing recognition and UNO initiatives, all aimed at encouraging women to pursue technology careers.
2012 Nebraska Nonprofit Award | $77,425 – Nebraska Alliance of Child Advocacy Centers
A statewide initiative trained 1,767 professionals and community members on preventing, identifying, and reporting child abuse and neglect through tailored sessions for law enforcement, youth organization leaders, mandatory reporters and online learners.
2012 University of Nebraska Award | $77,425 – UNMC College of Nursing | Mobile Nurse-Managed Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Project
Funding supported 504 supervised training hours for UNMC nurse practitioners to assess and care for 27 older adults in rural Kearney, enhancing provider experience and improving geriatric health services.