Charity and Nonprofit Organizations Across Nebraska

Nebraska's charitable sector stretches from foundations in Omaha office parks to volunteer-run groups in towns of a few hundred people. Our directory holds 107 charity and nonprofit listings across the state, from the American Lung Association on West Dodge Road in Omaha to the Elwood Area Foundation in Gosper County. The counts shown above tell you where listings cluster. This page explains why they cluster there, who oversees these organizations, and how to reach the right one without wasting a trip.

In this directory, a charity nonprofit is an organization set up to serve a public purpose rather than to pay profits to owners. That covers health associations, community foundations, family service agencies, youth sports leagues, environmental groups and crisis support centers. Many hold federal tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Others are incorporated as Nebraska nonprofit corporations but hold a different status, or run as a program of a larger parent organization. Ask which applies before you donate or sign up for help.

Listings also fall into two practical groups. Direct service providers, such as the Lincoln Crisis Pregnancy Center or the Ogallala Womens Resource Center, are the places you contact when you need help. Grantmakers, such as the community foundations in Kearney, Grand Island and Hastings, collect local gifts and pass them on as grants and scholarships. Calling the wrong type wastes time, so check the name and the stated purpose first.

Who Oversees Charities and Nonprofits in Nebraska

No single Nebraska office supervises every charity. Responsibility is divided among several bodies, and knowing which one handles your question saves time.

State registration and federal status are separate questions. A group can be incorporated in Nebraska without IRS recognition, and a gift to it may not be tax-deductible. Ask for the organization's employer identification number and look it up in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search before making a large gift. Very small groups may be exempt from some filing and registration rules, so a missing registration is not automatically a warning sign. When in doubt, call the Attorney General's office.

Omaha, Lincoln and Sarpy County: Where Most Nebraska Listings Sit

Eastern Nebraska holds the bulk of the state's population and its listings. Douglas County, which includes Omaha, has 42, and Lancaster County, home to the state capital of Lincoln, has 33. Together they hold roughly seven in ten of our Nebraska entries. Large donor bases and a concentration of employers make it easier to sustain staffed offices there.

In Omaha, the American Lung Association office at 8990 West Dodge Road (402-502-4950) is a typical example of a national health organization with a local base. Offices like this often deliver programs through regional staff, phone lines and online tools, so ask whether the service you need is available in person before you drive over.

Lincoln's listings show the capital city's civic mix. Capital Soccer Association is at 1701 K Street (402-464-5425). The Groundwater Foundation, which focuses on water education, is at 5561 South 48th Street (402-434-2740). The Lincoln Crisis Pregnancy Center is at 4247 O Street (402-483-4247), and the J G Moore Foundation is at 4502 L Street (402-486-4242).

South of Omaha, Sarpy County has five listings in Bellevue and Papillion. In Bellevue you will find the Mongolian Womens Development Foundation at 2219 Capehart Road (402-996-0616), the Green Bellevue Committee at 4522 Borman Street (402-733-6660), and the Homeless for the Holidays Project at 4514 Primrose Lane (402-408-9507). The Papillion Community Foundation is at 122 East 3rd Street (402-331-3917). Because Sarpy County sits inside the Omaha metro area, many of its residents also use organizations across the county line in Douglas County.

Rural Nebraska: Community Foundations and Regional Organizations

Outside the metro areas, the pattern changes. Rural counties rarely support dozens of separate charities. Instead, one community foundation or regional group often carries a large share of local giving and grantmaking. In Buffalo County, the Kearney Area Community Foundation is at 412 West 48th Street (308-237-3114). Grand Island has the Grand Island Community Foundation at 410 West 2nd Street (308-381-7767), and Hastings has the Hastings Community Foundation at 800 West 3rd Street (402-462-5152). In Gosper County, the Elwood Area Foundation operates from 507 Smith Avenue (308-785-2160).

This setup has a practical effect. A rural foundation may manage scholarship funds, community improvement grants and emergency relief from the same office. If the service you need is not listed in your county, foundation staff can often point you to the nearest provider, and they often know which local groups are currently active.

Western Nebraska covers long distances. Scottsbluff is more than 400 miles by road from Omaha, so local organizations are often the only practical option. The Regional West Foundation is at 615 South Beltline Highway West in Scottsbluff (308-633-1289). The Ogallala Womens Resource Center is at 1008 West 1st Street (308-284-3700). Farther east, Lincoln County has six listings centered on North Platte, including Saint Francis Community Services at 1827 West A Street (308-534-5101).

Other listings show the range of work across the state. The Salvation Army in Beatrice is at 1618 Carlyle Street (402-223-3341). The Center For Rural Affairs is at 104 East Main Street in Hartington (402-254-6893). The National Audubon Society listing at 44450 Elm Island Road near Gibbon (308-468-5282) sits in the Platte River valley, known for the spring gathering of sandhill cranes.

Before You Visit a Nebraska Charity: Calls, Documents and Donations

Call first. Many small Nebraska nonprofits are run by volunteers or part-time staff and keep irregular hours. A short call confirms the address, the days someone is in, and whether you need an appointment.

If you are asking for assistance, expect to bring a photo ID and proof of where you live. Programs funded locally often serve only specific counties, and some ask for income documents. If one organization cannot help, ask for a referral. Nebraska also has a statewide 211 helpline that connects callers to local health and human services.

If you are giving money, ask for a written receipt. The IRS requires a written acknowledgment from the charity for any single gift of $250 or more before you can deduct it. If you plan to volunteer with children, ask about background checks and training.

Finally, verify the location. Two of our listings, including the Nelson Family Foundation at 1901 1st Avenue (402-873-3949) in Otoe County, show Nebraska in place of a city name. Phone numbers and addresses also change over time, so confirm by phone before you travel, especially for small rural offices.

Nonprofit organizations operating in Virginia must register with the state attorney general's charitable trust section and comply with state solicitation licensing requirements in addition to meeting federal IRS requirements for tax-exempt status. Virginia's charity registration process helps protect residents from fraudulent fundraising operations.

Donors in Virginia can verify that a charity is properly registered with the state by contacting the Virginia Attorney General's office or searching the state's online charity registration database before making a contribution.

Nonprofits seeking grant funding in Virginia should explore state-level grant programs administered through the Virginia Department of Health, Department of Education, or community services block grant programs. Many Virginia foundations also fund local nonprofits through competitive grant cycles that typically open annually.

Giving, Volunteering and Seeking Help Across Nebraska Through the Year

Charitable demand in Nebraska follows the seasons. Winter brings heating, shelter and food needs, and organizations such as the Homeless for the Holidays Project in Bellevue are built around the holiday period. Spring and summer can bring flood and storm recovery work in river valleys. After major floods and storms, local foundations often open disaster relief funds that accept gifts from anywhere.

Giving also follows geography. In Omaha and Lincoln, online giving days and large workplace campaigns concentrate donations. In smaller communities, a single fundraiser, a county fair booth or a church supper can cover a program's budget. A gift of a few hundred dollars may matter more to a small-town foundation than the same gift to a large national group.

Volunteering is often the fastest way in. The Beaver Lake Association near Plattsmouth (402-235-2241), the Greater Wahoo Development Foundation in Wahoo (402-443-4001) and the Gardner Foundation in Wakefield (402-287-2538) are community-scale organizations where an extra pair of hands is noticed quickly. The Early Intervention Program at 254 West 4th Street in Superior (402-879-3774) is another small-town listing worth a call. For help in the Panhandle, start with the Regional West Foundation and the other organizations in Scotts Bluff County.

Many rural offices share space or staff with other groups, so a direct call usually gets a faster answer than an email. Ask what the organization does, who it serves and what you should bring.

Start with three checks. Search the Nebraska Secretary of State's business records to confirm the organization is incorporated and in good standing. Then look up its employer identification number in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search to confirm federal status and see recent Form 990 filings. Finally, contact the Nebraska Attorney General's office to ask whether the group is registered to solicit or has drawn complaints. Be cautious of pressure to give immediately, requests for gift cards or cash, and names that closely imitate well-known charities. A genuine organization will give you its address, phone number and EIN on request.

Complaints about deceptive or aggressive fundraising go to the Nebraska Attorney General's office, which enforces the state's charitable solicitation laws. If the problem involves a raffle, bingo game or similar fundraiser run by a nonprofit, the Charitable Gaming Division of the Nebraska Department of Revenue licenses and monitors those activities. Concerns about how a tax-exempt organization spends its money can also be reported to the IRS. Keep receipts, emails, mailers and notes on the date and time of any phone call, because documents make it easier for investigators to act on your report.

No. Federal tax-exempt status does not automatically exempt a building or land from Nebraska property tax. The organization generally must apply in the county where the property is located, and the county board of equalization decides whether the property qualifies based on how it is actually used. Decisions can be appealed to the Nebraska Tax Equalization and Review Commission. Sales tax exemption is a separate process handled through the Nebraska Department of Revenue. Because forms and deadlines change, ask the assessor in your county, whether Douglas, Lancaster or a rural county, for current requirements before you file.

Western Nebraska has fewer listings, so call ahead and ask for referrals. In Scottsbluff, the Regional West Foundation is at 615 South Beltline Highway West (308-633-1289). The Ogallala Womens Resource Center in Keith County is at 1008 West 1st Street (308-284-3700), and Saint Francis Community Services in North Platte is at 1827 West A Street (308-534-5101). Distances between towns are long, so ask whether services are offered by phone, whether staff travel, and which counties' residents qualify. Dialing 211 can also connect you to services near you.

A community foundation mainly raises and invests local money, then awards grants and scholarships. A direct-service charity uses its funds to run programs such as crisis support, food assistance or education. In our Nebraska listings, the Kearney Area Community Foundation, Grand Island Community Foundation, Hastings Community Foundation and Elwood Area Foundation are examples of the first type. The Salvation Army in Beatrice is an example of the second. If you want a grant for a local project, contact a foundation. If you need direct help, contact a service provider. Foundations can also help donors set up named funds.

Begin by filing articles of incorporation with the Nebraska Secretary of State and appointing a board of directors. Next, obtain an employer identification number from the IRS, then apply for federal tax-exempt recognition under section 501(c)(3) if your purpose qualifies. After that, ask the Nebraska Department of Revenue about state tax exemptions, and ask the Attorney General's office whether you must register before soliciting donations. Adopt bylaws, keep meeting minutes and track finances from the first day. Fees and forms change, so check each agency's current instructions before you file anything.