Students in the Leading People and Projects management course at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will present three local nonprofits with awards totaling $10,000 at a reception at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 10 in the College of Business Administration atrium, 1240 R St. The students named the project Strive to Thrive Lincoln and promoted it through personal visits, emails and the media. Thirty-two nonprofits submitted proposals.
The objective of the course, which is for undergraduate seniors and graduate students, is to understand the philanthropic process by learning how to initiate funding, create requests for proposals, evaluate applications and award grants to the best applicants. The class was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Learning by Giving Foundation, which was founded by Doris Buffett, the older sister of CBA graduate Warren Buffett. The foundation partners with 35 schools to offer accredited philanthropy classes.
“This class offered a unique opportunity for students to experience the world of nonprofit organizations first-hand,” said Amber Messersmith, lecturer in management. “I was impressed with the quality of the applicants and it was a tough decision to give awards to just three. The students were thoughtful and thorough in their decision-making process and I know this experience will help them when they join the workforce.”
To be eligible for the grants, the nonprofits had to be federal 501(c)(3) status as a tax-exempt charitable organization. Applicants outlined what made their organization unique, the expected reach of their project and their ability to successfully execute it.
