Nonprofit organizations are so deeply interwoven into the fabric of our communities that we may not even realize how often we interact with them in our daily lives. Whether you realized it or not at the time, there is a good chance that within the past year you received medical care from a nonprofit hospital, sent your kids to an after school activity such as 4-H run by a nonprofit organization, attended religious services or community events at a faith institution registered as a nonprofit, or are a member of a nonprofit union. You have most likely exercised a civic right, such as your right to vote, rights that have long been advocated for and protected by nonprofit organizations such as Nebraska Table.
Nonprofit organizations do all this forward facing work and more. They also engage in important work behind the scenes to keep public and governmental services, such as public schools and libraries, strong and functioning. They do this not only through advocating for policy that supports schools, libraries, and a host of other social services, but they often even provide direct funding for supplies and activities for children and families.
Perhaps some of the most essential services that nonprofit organizations provide are the direct services for individuals experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness, food insecurity, or mental illness. Nonprofits work to provide services that in many cases the government fails to provide to some of our most vulnerable neighbors. For instance, the city of Omaha does not provide shelter for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, and the wait list for housing assistance can be months or even years long. Luckily, nonprofit organizations fill in these gaps in federal, state, and local government resources, offering a safe place to sleep, a warm meal, and help locating permanent housing for individuals and families who need it. These are lifesaving services.
In parts of rural Nebraska, where the distances that people must travel to get to a doctor’s office or hospital can often make getting to regular checkups or appointments for routine bloodwork an undue burden, nonprofit organizations have stepped in to fill these gaps in healthcare with mobile health clinics. These clinics enable Nebraskans to access the preventative healthcare and testing that they need in order to catch medical issues before they become life threatening. Medical care is a life-saving service, and nonprofits are ensuring that this care is readily accessible to those who may otherwise not get the care they need.
Although non-profits are private entities, many of them rely on funding from the federal government to fulfill their mission. This support usually consists of grants. The federal government froze all nonprofit funding in late January of 2025, then reversed course after several legal challenges. Nevertheless, federal funding for nonprofits remains in a precarious position. Extreme confusion has resulted from these executive orders, and in many cases, grants have become either difficult to access, or entirely inaccessible for organizations who depend on them. For example, certain Title X organizations, organizations who provide family planning, contraception, cancer screenings, and STI testing services, received notice that their funding is on hold indefinitely, inhibiting them from providing these essential services to their communities. Without federal dollars, many nonprofit organizations have had to cut services, or in extreme cases even shut their doors.
Here at Nebraska Table, we encourage you to advocate for the continued federal funding of nonprofit organizations by contacting your representatives. Nonprofits provide services that we all benefit from. They make our communities healthier, happier, stronger, and in many cases, they even save lives. Make your voices heard and let your representatives know that Nebraskans need strong and well-funded nonprofit organizations.