FNBO Awards $880,000 in Community Development Grants

Press Release

Release Date: April 14, 2020

FNBO Awards $880,000 in Community Development Grants

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

OMAHA, Neb. April 14, 2020—First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO) has awarded a total of $880,000 in community development grants to 47 organizations in Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, South Dakota and Texas, announced Alec Gorynski, Vice President, Community Development and Corporate Philanthropy. The grants support programs related to affordable housing and neighborhood stability, as well as entrepreneurship and small business development.

“At First National Bank of Omaha, we firmly believe that we have the ability and a responsibility to help make our communities stronger,” said Gorynski. “That’s why our Community Development Grant Program directs our investments to proven community partners who are working to create positive outcomes in these areas where need is greatest and results are best realized.”

Grants for affordable housing and neighborhood stability programs will enable FNBO’s community partners to build, rehabilitate or finance approximately 550 homes across the bank’s seven-state footprint. Grants supporting entrepreneurship and small business development initiatives will create or retain approximately 2,160 jobs.

Nebraska and Iowa

FNBO awarded $593,000 in community development grants to 26 organizations across Nebraska and western Iowa. Grants supporting affordable housing and neighborhood stability programs include:

• $40,000 – Habitat for Humanity of Omaha (Omaha): supports housing construction and neighborhood revitalization in north Omaha.
• $40,000 – Project Houseworks (Omaha): provides funding for housing rehabilitation program for low-income seniors.
• $40,000 – Holy Name Housing Corporation (Omaha): provides funding for the credit rent to own program for low-income families.
• $30,000 – InCommon Community Development (Omaha): provides funding for development of multi-family housing project in the Park Avenue neighborhood.
• $25,000 – Gesu Housing, Inc. (Omaha): supports affordable housing construction in Omaha.
• $10,000 – Midwest Housing Development Fund, Inc. (Omaha): provides training and technical assistance to create affordable housing in Nebraska.
• $25,000 – NE Housing Developers (Omaha): provides funding for down payment assistance, homeownership education and housing rehabilitation program.
• $25,000 – Omaha Land Bank (Omaha): provides funding for property acquisition and pre-development program in low income neighborhoods.
• $20,000 – Habitat for Humanity of Council Bluffs (Council Bluffs): supports housing construction in Council Bluffs.
• $20,000 – 712 Initiative (Council Bluffs): provides funding for neighborhood focused housing rehabilitation and clean-up program in Council Bluffs.
• $10,000 – NeighborWorks Lincoln (Lincoln): provides funding for housing and homeownership programs in Lincoln.
• $10,000 – Lincoln/Lancaster Habitat for Humanity (Lincoln): supports housing construction and rehabilitation in the Lincoln. 
• $20,000 – Habitat for Humanity of Columbus (Columbus): supports housing construction in Columbus.
• $25,000 – NeighborWorks Northeast Nebraska (Norfolk): provides funding to help low-income families purchase homes from the Purchase/Rehab/Resell program.
• $13,000 – Fremont Area Habitat for Humanity (Fremont): supports housing construction in Fremont.   
• $20,000 – Rebuilding Together Platte Valley (Fremont): provides funding for housing rehabilitation program for low-income families.
• $10,000 – Grand Island Area Habitat for Humanity (Grand Island): supports housing construction in Grand Island.
• $15,000 – Kearney Area Habitat for Humanity (Kearney): supports housing construction in Kearney.
• $10,000 – Lincoln County Community Development Corporation (North Platte): supports housing construction in North Platte.
• $10,000 – High Plains Community Development Corporation (Chadron): provides funding for down payment assistance for low/moderate income families.

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

• $40,000 – Catholic Charities of Omaha (Omaha): provides funding for a microbusiness program, including training, technical assistance and microloans to low-income entrepreneurs.
• $50,000 – Nebraska Enterprise Fund (Omaha): provides funding for the operation of a training and lending program for small businesses in eastern Omaha and Council Bluffs.
• $35,000 – Iowa Western Small Business Development Center (Council Bluffs): provides funding for outreach, training and business coaching program for businesses in Council Bluffs.
• $10,000 – Nebraska Business Development Center (Omaha): provides outreach, training and business coaching program for businesses in north Omaha.
• $20,000 – Rural Investment Corporation (Omaha): provides training, technical assistance and micro-lending for low-income entrepreneurs in rural Nebraska.
• $20,000 – Midlands Latino Community Development Corporation (Omaha): provides funding for the operation of a training and lending program for small businesses in south Omaha.

Colorado

In Colorado, FNBO awarded $145,000 in community development grants to 10 organizations. Grants supporting affordable housing and neighborhood stability programs include: 

• $15,000 – Flatirons Habitat for Humanity (Boulder): supports housing construction and rehabilitation in the Boulder area.
• $15,000 – Greeley Habitat for Humanity (Greeley): supports housing construction in in the Greeley area.
• $15,000 – Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley (Longmont): supports housing construction in the Longmont area.
• $10,000 – High Plains Housing Development Corporation (Greeley): provides funding for new affordable housing development in Greeley.
• $10,000 – Loveland Habitat for Humanity (Loveland): supports housing construction and rehabilitation in the Loveland area.

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

• $20,000 – Innosphere (Fort Collins): provides funding for the operation of technology start-up/small business incubator and development program.
• $15,000 – Colorado Enterprise Fund (Denver): provides funding for technical assistance and operation of a microloan fund for small businesses in northern Colorado. 
• $25,000 – DreamSpring (Denver): provides funding for technical assistance and operation of a microloan fund for small businesses in northern Colorado.
• $10,000 – Front Range Community College Small Business Development Center (Fort Collins): provides funding for technical and development assistance to small businesses. 
• $10,000 – University of Northern Colorado (Greeley): provides funding to support small business start-up and growth for Latino small business owners.  

Illinois

In Illinois, FNBO awarded $70,000 in community development grants to six organizations. Grants supporting affordable housing and neighborhood stability programs include:

• $10,000 – Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County (DeKalb): supports housing construction in the DeKalb area.
• $10,000 – Habitat for Humanity of Boone County (Belvidere): supports housing construction in the Belvidere area. 
• $15,000 – Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity (Aurora): supports housing construction in the Aurora area. 

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

• $15,000 – Fox Valley Entrepreneurship Center (Batavia): provides funding for a 90-day business accelerator program.
• $10,000 – Waubonsee Community College Small Business Development Center (Sugar Grove): provides bilingual advisory services to Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs and small businesses.
• $10,000 – Accion Chicago: provides financial training and resources to entrepreneurs in Boone, Kane, DeKalb and Kendall counties.

Kansas

In Kansas, FNBO awarded a $20,000 community development grant supporting affordable housing and neighborhood stability.

• $20,000 – Johnson County Developmental Supports: provides funding for affordable housing units for working adults with developmental disabilities.

South Dakota

In South Dakota, FNBO awarded $30,000 in community development grants to three organizations. Grants supporting affordable housing and neighborhood stability programs include: 

• $10,000 – Habitat for Humanity of Clay and Yankton Counties (Yankton): supports housing construction in the Yankton area.

• $10,000 – Mitchell Regional Habitat for Humanity (Mitchell):  supports housing construction and rehabilitation in the Mitchell area.
• $10,000 – Huron Housing Authority (Huron):  provides funding for housing rehabilitation programs in the Huron area.

Texas

In Texas, FNBO awarded a $22,000 community development grant supporting entrepreneurship and small business development. 

• $22,000 – DreamSpring: provides funding for training, technical assistance and micro lending for low-income entrepreneurs in Collin and Denton counties.

“Due to the unforeseen circumstances related to COVID-19 and the financial impact it’s having on individuals and families in our communities, our second 2020 grant application period focusing on education and workforce development will be redirected so that it provides short- and long-term support for those that are most financially impacted by the current crisis,” said Gorynski. FNBO will award housing stability grants to organizations providing direct financial assistance for short-term housing needs and for short-term health and human care needs. In addition, FNBO will award workforce stability grants to organizations providing services that generate long-term impacts related to workforce development.

For more information, visit www.fnbo.com/community/