2025: Steadfast Amidst Surprises

This blog is estimated to take 3 minutes to read.

Although this year was full of deep fear, sadness, and uncertainty, it also highlighted the incredible power of community, new partnerships, and bringing people together to ensure we take care of each other. With each new change, I watched organizations pivot and collaborate to meet needs during these challenging times. Our nonprofit partners are critical in creating a thriving community and we are lucky to have so many organizations stepping up right now.

We started this year with a desire to really listen and understand how we show up in the community and with our grantees. Our CEP survey results helped us understand the powerful impact of operating from a place of relationship, flexibility, and trust. The results also helped us see opportunities to go deeper in our conversations around the context and the work of the organizations we support. We want to be even better partners in creating a more equitable community and are extremely grateful for the time so many people took to share their feedback.

As a foundation, we would wonder how we could offer meaningful assistance when organizations were facing such deep cuts in their budgets, attacks from various entities, and unfair criticism. We strived to live the mantra that even if we can’t do everything, we should still do something. Our team worked hard to try and meet the moment through regular check-ins to see how people were doing, giving four times what we typically give in responsive out of cycle grantmaking, and expanding our technical assistance offerings.

We are thankful for moments of joy this year, including celebrating our milestone 25th anniversary as a foundation! Additionally, our annual Grantee Gathering over the summer allowed us to recognize the shining stars of our community. We also attended many groundbreakings and new opening events across the community as organizations have been able to start (and even complete) the DED North and South Omaha Recovery Grant projects. It has been a joy to celebrate with so many of you who are transforming neighborhoods and communities through these projects.

We know that 2026 may continue to bring fear and uncertainty. Our commitment is to continue to show up, listen, and be a partner in this work. We believe that showing up and holding space to listen is something we can all do, no matter who we are. Community will continue to be a powerful tool for all of us and we are committed to continue to nurture supportive partnerships. In a world that continues to feel more and more cruel and lacking in humanity, having spaces where joy, inclusion, and equity are promoted will be especially critical moving forward. If you have ideas on how to create those spaces that we can help promote and support, please reach out!

We hold firm in our belief to not operate in fear. We believe rest and joy are key parts of resisting fear. We hope you are able to have moments of rest and joy as we end this year and continue to work to create a more equitable community in 2026.