On June 15 Grants Committee members reviewed 15 nonprofit and university proposals to select eight for site visits.

Invited submissions were due May 31, and one nonprofit withdrew from consideration due to other priorities related to the pandemic. Site visits have been postponed from June to July, and committee members and grant seekers are looking at ways to ensure they utilize social distancing and other safety measures. Zoom options will likely be offered to allow more committee members to participate, while potentially allowing a representative group to visit on-site, depending upon the situation and health guidelines at the time.

Grants Committee members each year select up to eight (four university and four nonprofit) projects to advance to site visits. The July meeting to narrow those eight down to four finalists (two university and two nonprofit) is being rescheduled.

The eight proposals advancing are:
Nonprofits:

• Blue Valley Community Action, Fairbury, Family Stability and Empowerment Program
• Center for People in Need, Lincoln, Closing the Gap
• CASA for Douglas County, Omaha, Change a Child’s Story — Expanding Project Hope Pack
• Legal Aid of Nebraska, Omaha, Help, Education and Law Project (HELP)

University of Nebraska

• University of Nebraska at Omaha, School of Music, Nebraska Heartbeats
• University of Nebraska Medical Center, Munroe-Meyer Institute, Embracing Sexual Health and Education Services for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
• University of Nebraska Information Technology Services, Inclusive Access and Open Educational Resources Program
• University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Nursing, Bilingue y Bicultural: Working Together to Advance Health

In addition, the committee discussed how the extension of the proposal period will affect the previously scheduled all-member voting period of July 23 to Aug. 13. Committee members determined the voting would be shortened to a 10-day period, beginning Aug. 1 and ending at 11:59 p.m. Aug. 10.