Who We Are
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
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.
Letter of Interest (LOI) submissions for the Spring Community grant cycle will open on January 15.
The third quarterly ELCA Congregations grant cycle is open January 1 – 31. If your congregation is eligible to apply, a letter has been sent via mail with an access code and directions on how to apply. Please reach out to Maggie at 402-829-6959 with questions.
Please note: Congregations of other denominations, churches located outside of the Immanuel Vision Foundation eligibility area and religious nonprofits are ineligible to apply.
The Immanuel Vision Foundation
Projects & programs supported
A look at some of the recent projects we have supported through 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.
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.
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