Nebraska Appleseed receives $1 Million Grant from the Yield Giving Open Call

Lincoln, NE – Today, MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving announced Nebraska Appleseed as one of the Yield Giving Open Call’s awardees. Nebraska Appleseed received $1 million after a competitive application process, including two rounds of peer review and a nationwide external evaluation panel. The award recognizes organizations that advance the voices and opportunities of individuals, families, and groups that have experienced discrimination and other systemic obstacles, and organizations making positive change by reducing disparities in economic outcomes, education, health, and other critical issues.

Nebraska Appleseed is a nonprofit organization that fights for justice and opportunity for all. Since 1996, Appleseed has created lasting systemic change by building power with, elevating the voices of, and advocating alongside community members and partners to improve laws, policies, and practices that impact our lives. With a focus on poverty, children’s welfare, health care, and immigration, Appleseed takes its work wherever it can do the most good — in the courthouse, at the Capitol, and in the community — to build a just, vibrant, and inclusive Nebraska where every person can thrive.

In March 2023, Yield Giving launched an Open Call for community-led, community-focused organizations whose explicit purpose is to enable individuals and families to achieve substantive improvement in their well-being through foundational resources. 

The Open Call received 6,353 applications and initially planned for 250 awards of $1 million each. In the fall of 2023, organizations top-rated by their peers advanced to a second round of review by an external Evaluation Panel recruited for experience relevant to this cause, and underwent a final round of due diligence. In light of the incredible work of these organizations, as judged by their peers and external panelists, the donor team decided to expand the awardee pool and the award amount.

“We are deeply honored and grateful for the recognition from Yield Giving and our peer reviewers,” said Becky Gould, Nebraska Appleseed’s Executive Director. “Yield Giving’s award is an amazing acknowledgement of Nebraska Appleseed’s track record of impact and the many community members, supporters, partners, staff, and board members who have worked together to secure rights, win systemic change, and enable more Nebraskans to thrive. This contribution will advance Appleseed’s continued advocacy in the years ahead as we work to elevate community voices and needs, support and advocate alongside community leaders with lived experience, and secure the rights and resources that every person needs to thrive.”

“We are excited that our partnership with Yield Giving has resonated with so many organizations,” said Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change, which administered Yield Giving’s Open Call challenge. “In a world teeming with potential and talent, the Open Call has given us an opportunity to identify, uplift, and empower transformative organizations that often remain unseen.”

More information on the Yield Giving Open Call and other initiatives can be found at www.leverforchange.org.