The Sherwood Foundation is a nonprofit organization that invests in organizations and initiatives dedicated to making an impact in Nebraskan local communities. To assist in this process, The Sherwood foundation provides grants for applicable organizations and initiatives.

The Sherwood Foundation’s vision statement is created around ideals of social justice and proactive reinforcement. It believes that social justice can only be achieved through the “establishment and maintenance of policies, practices, attitudes and actions that provide equitable power, access, opportunities, treatment, impact, and outcomes for all”.

Limiting assistance to non-profit organizations predominantly serving Nebraska, the Sherwood Foundation only funds tax-exempt organizations (under section 501(c)(3)), government entities, schools and churches of Nebraska.

The Sherwood Foundation limits grants to organizations addressing one of their focus- categories. Four categories constitute the foundation involvement: Urban Community Partnerships, Omaha Public Schools, Rural Community Partnerships, and Early Childhood Education.  If an organization addresses one of the four categories and is in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service, they are applicable to apply for a Sherman Foundation grant.

Displayed on their website, The Sherwood Project gladly supports programs and practices that bridge the opportunity gap for families and promote student success, promote resources to education, health and societal contribution and encourage sustainable systems.

Some examples of programs funded by the Sherwood Project are discussed in a Youth Transition Funder Group (YTFG) interview with Sherwood Foundation’s Jerry Bexten.

According to Bexten, the foundation has organized many education and poverty programs. Bexten’s work with the organization is targeted towards 5-12 education and funded by early childhood education programs of the Buffet Early Childhood Fund. Represented through their education grants, the Sherwood Foundation supports the development of education and “strengthens focus on science maths and literacy”, Bexten tells TYFG.

In addition to their investment in early childhood education programs, this last school year, the foundation directed aid to school drop-outs and at-risk-youth. Opening a re-engagement center (the D2 (Directions and Diploma) Center), the foundation provided personalized education assistance and graduate programs for individuals aged 16 to 20.

Similarly, the Sherwood Foundation held a Multiple Pathways to Graduation summit last November. Bexten states that during this conference, through determining the locality of educational gaps, stakeholders assessed the development of future programs.

Sources: YTFG, Sherwood Foundation
Sources: Sherwood Foundation