First National Bank Awards $362,000 in Community Development Grants

First National Bank has awarded a total of $362,000 in community development grants to 29 non-profit organizations in six states in the fourth quarter of 2015. The grants will focus on achieving outcomes in four priority areas: Affordable Housing, Financial Wellness and Economic Self-Sufficiency, Economic Development, and Neighborhood Revitalization and Stabilization.

Of the Nebraska organization that received grant awards in December, listed are those in the area:

Omaha
• $25,000 – Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce: establishes a Community Development Intermediary to revitalize neighborhoods in eastern Omaha and Council Bluffs.
• $15,000 – Salvation Army | Omaha: implements financial education programming for youth and adults at the North Corps.
• $9,000 – Omaha Small Business Network: supports entrepreneurs and small business owners with specialized development accounts to capitalize or expand a business.

Lincoln
• $2,500 – Gage Area Growth Enterprise (NGage): supports small business growth, job creation and retention, and education and training in Gage County.

Fremont
• $10,000 – Low Income Ministry: provides case management services to help move individuals out of poverty.
• $10,000 – Salvation Army | Fremont: implements programming to help transition clients toward self-sufficiency.
• $10,000 – United Way | Fremont: supports programming to build up financial and employment resources to increase self-sufficiency.

First National Bank and First National Bank Fremont are subsidiaries of First National of Nebraska (www.firstnational.com), the largest privately owned banking company in the United States. First National and its affiliates have $20 billion in assets and 5,000 employee associates.