Mcnamee-simmons Foundation
This organization is a private foundation dedicated to supporting various charitable causes, primarily focused on enhancing quality of life, promoting education, and preserving history. Its mission encompasses fostering the study of the Great Plains, supporting public radio and television, and promoting animal welfare. The foundation also engages in humanitarian efforts, including providing relief supplies and assistance for individuals in need. It serves a diverse range of recipients, including educational institutions, historical societies, and organizations dedicated to civil rights and community service, with a significant emphasis on initiatives within Nebraska.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
A small or local Nebraska nonprofit working in historical preservation, public media/education, animal welfare, or community services seeking modest, one-time grants and known to the funder or introduced via a referral.
Good Fit
- • Organization is based in Nebraska or delivers substantial in-state activity.
- • Mission aligns with historical societies, public radio/TV, animal welfare, or small community service projects.
- • Request size is modest (hundreds to low thousands of dollars).
- • Has an existing relationship, referral, or local reputation that could lead to preselection.
Geography
Giving is heavily concentrated in the foundation's home state (about 86% of dollars in the latest year) though four states appear across the portfolio.
Recipient Variety
The latest year funded 14 distinct, independently named recipients across multiple mission areas and the portfolio has shown 12–14 recipients per year over three years, indicating a broadly distributed recipient set for a micro foundation.
New Applicants
The foundation explicitly limits grants to preselected recipients and no public application or contact route was found; although five new grantees appeared in 2024, those likely reflect invited additions rather than an open application process.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
