Foundations

Who We Are

The Immanuel Vision Foundation

We believe that we are stronger together. Through our support, the Immanuel Vision Foundation helps create a culture of generosity and love.

Why we were created

Since 2015, the Immanuel Vision Foundation has provided financial support to nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations whose missions align with our own. More specifically, those that:

“Meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of seniors, respond to needs in community health, and support the ministry of the Church.”

This is done through:

An annual spring community grant cycle for nonprofits in the community
An annual fall grant cycle for ELCA-Lutheran affiliated organizations
Quarterly grants for Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) congregations

Cornbelt visit by the Immanuel Vision Foundation team.

Familias en Accion Immanuel Vision Foundation event.

Our impact

For nearly a decade, the Immanuel Vision Foundation has been dedicated to financially supporting the dynamic work accomplished by hundreds of organizations in Nebraska and Iowa.

572

Grants awarded since 2015

$ 1 .1M

Grant dollars awarded since 2015

Grant cycles & application

Organizations and congregations wishing to apply during an active grant cycle must apply through the Immanuel Vision Foundation’s grant portal. All deadlines are strictly upheld.

The Spring Community grant cycle is currently closed. The quarterly ELCA Congregations grant cycle will open on July 1, 2024. Please revisit us at that time for application information and deadlines.

Please note: Congregations of other denominations, churches located outside of the Immanuel Vision Foundation eligibility area, and religious nonprofits are ineligible to apply.

Click to apply

View 2024 Fall Synod-Related Recipients

View 2023 Spring Community Recipients

Eligibility requirements

Please see below for eligibility requirements and criteria, as well as how to access help with the application process.

: Demonstrate strong leadership, financial stability, and consistent planning. Implement innovation and catalytic opportunity. Clearly define objectives and strategic plans. Have developed additional, reliable sources of funding for the project/program requested.
: Seniors
The Immanuel Vision Foundation supports projects and programs that embody Immanuel’s vision that “All people will grow and age with dignity, safety, and wellness.” Immanuel’s expertise in the health and well-being of seniors, identified as the post-55 age population, makes this a particular priority area for IVF funding.

Community Health
Community Health, as envisioned by the Immanuel Vision Foundation, pertains to targeted initiatives aimed at optimizing the health and well-being of individuals and families. We prioritize proactive measures, interventions, and partnerships that tackle specific health issues while nurturing a culture of wellness. While we recognize the interconnectedness of social determinants, our grants support a spectrum of programs and services designed to prevent and address health challenges, fostering physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness.

The Church
Grants in this area support eligible ELCA congregations and Lutheran Giving affiliated organizations that reflect a heritage of faith-based service to others. Lutheran Giving affiliated organizations are eligible for funding in the fall; ELCA congregation grants are awarded quarterly.
: Organizations may only apply for grant funding if the project/program benefits people in at least one of the following geographic areas:

The state of Nebraska. Select Iowa counties: Boone, Dallas, Harrison, Jasper, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Mills, Polk, Pottawattamie, Story, or Warren.

The organization must qualify as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit federally tax-exempt organization under the regulations of the United States Internal Revenue Service.

Applicants may not apply for more than one grant per calendar year.

Applications will not be considered for organizations with an “active” grant. An “active” grant is any grant that has not yet completed its six-month reporting requirement or has been awarded but not expended. The Immanuel Vision Foundation will give preferential consideration to projects/programs not previously funded by the IVF, but will also consider historically funded projects/programs.
: Organizations that discriminate on the basis of national or ethnic origin, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status, military service, disability, or any other groups protected by law

Private foundations or “pass-through” organizations

Memorial funds or endowments

Debt reduction

Dinners, tickets, conferences, event sponsorships, or annual fund drives/appeals

Social groups or individual participants in those organizations

Field trips, tours, and conference attendance costs

Individual K-12 schools, including scholarships, activities, clubs, events, pageants, or PTA or PTO

Political organizations or projects

Direct financial aid to individuals/families

Amateur or professional sports programs of all age groups

Animal welfare
: Questions may be directed to Maggie Yaeger, Grants Coordinator, at 402-829-6959 or myaeger@immanuel.com

Immanuel Vision Foundation

Apply for an Immanuel Vision Foundation grant today.

Access Application

The Immanuel Vision Foundation

Projects & programs supported

A look at some of the recent projects we have supported through the Immanuel Vision Foundation grants:

Mosaic - Omaha, NE (Agencies & Institutions)

Project: Creating Accessible Kitchens at Mosaic in Beatrice, Nebraska

Residents on Mosaic’s beautiful Beatrice campus expressed a desire to eat their meals in the comfort and companionship of their own homes rather than travel across campus to the dining room. However, the home kitchens were inaccessible to the residents’ unique needs. In response, Mosaic constructed two new kitchens and renovated three kitchens in five of its campus homes with IVF grant funding.

Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte Center - Walthill, NE (Community)

Project: Indigenous Health & Community Engagement

In 1913, Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte, the first Indigenous American to earn a medical degree, opened a hospital on the Omaha Reservation in Walthill, Nebraska. Today, citizens and tribal members have made it their mission to restore the building and surrounding area of Dr. La Flesche Picotte’s legacy. The center includes a wellness clinic, mental health services, a museum and gift shop, a youth programming room, collaborative workspaces, and an expansive outdoor space for honoring Indigenous heritage and customs.

Oaks Indian Mission - Oaks, OK (Agencies & Institutions)

Project: New Marshall House Cottage

With a mission to care for abused, abandoned, or neglected Indigenous American children, Oaks Indian Mission used IVF funding to build a new kind of cottage that accommodates co-ed living arrangements, as well as living quarters, for the cottage parents. This 4,000-square-foot cottage was a monumental addition to the campus and has inspired Oaks to make additional upgrades throughout the entire campus to serve children and families better.

Familias en Accion - Omaha, NE (Community)

Program: Creciendo Saludablemente Juntos/Growing in Health Together

Latina women are offered classes and group activities centered on gardening and garden education. Individuals are part of the planting and growing process from start to finish, even learning how to preserve, prepare, and serve the fresh produce they grow. In addition to the health benefits of consuming more fresh produce, the participants have gained life-long friendships, leadership skills, communication skills, and a sense of community within their neighborhood.

Dental Connections - Des Moines, IA (Community)

Program: Nolden Gentry Dental Clinic

Through the Nolden Gentry Dental Clinic, Iowa’s only school-based clinic, Dental Connections prioritizes serving children from low-income families who are less likely to have seen the dentist in early childhood and have five times more untreated cavities than children whose parents have private insurance. Poor oral health is associated with other chronic diseases, so no matter the dental need, Nolden Gentry helps students get on the right path to dental success.

Cornbelt Diabetes - Omaha, NE (Community)

Program: Diabetes & Related Conditions Screening

Nearly 10% of the American population has diabetes, some of which could have been prevented with early detection and education. Cornbelt Diabetes, in partnership with Nebraska Methodist College, operates a mobile unit that allows them to provide free diabetes screenings and education. Due to their mobility, they can travel to neighborhoods and organizations, which eliminates the transportation barriers for someone being screened and educated.

Volunteers Assisting Seniors - Omaha, NE (Community)

Program: Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program

With all of the information and constant changes Medicare enforces, decisions regarding benefits can be a daunting, confusing task. Volunteers Assisting Seniors’ mission is to simplify the lives of its seniors by enabling them to make informed decisions regarding their benefits. They focus on empowering seniors to make informed decisions through free, unbiased guidance via workshops or one-on-one assistance.

Stained glass window in the St. Stephen Llutheran Church.

St. Stephen Lutheran Church - Urbandale, IA (Congregations)

Program: Backpack Buddies

Backpack Buddies is a hunger-fighting program that provides a backpack containing breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for two days each Friday to over 100 elementary students. As an extension of the Food Bank of Iowa’s Backpack Program, Backpack Buddies was created after discovering that many more students were experiencing food insecurity and weren’t being served. A weekend’s worth of food is life-changing for some of these students and relieves some of the financial hardships of buying food for families.

Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church - Perry, IA (Congregations)

Program: Mt. Olivet Sleep Space

Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church uncovered a need within its community, so they now provide beds/bed frames, mattresses, mattress pads, bedding, pillows, and towels to those in need. Many individuals served by the Mt. Olivet Sleep Space come from multi-generational households where family members must sleep on the floor. Every individual’s circumstances are different, so the Sleep Space individualizes its service to each recipient’s needs and serves with dignity.