Annual Reports 2025
Letter From Leadership
Looking ahead with gratitude to you
Read the Full Letter
After celebrating our 50th anniversary in 2023, in 2024 Humanities Nebraska moved from reflecting on our work of the past 50 years to a forward-looking question: what does Nebraska need from us now and in the future?
Through a thoughtful strategic planning process with HN board and staff, we arrived at four broad strategic directions to guide us. First and foremost, our programming should be “leading the way for human connection in Nebraska.” This is rooted in our mission of helping people explore what connects us and makes us human, and its success requires work in three additional strategic areas. It means network-building: “identifying and strengthening intentional relationships and emergent voices.” In our communications, we should be “projecting a fresh voice for the humanities.” And having sufficient resources to succeed means “increasing organizational capacity and resiliency.”
Underneath these four strategic directions we have been working on underlying goals, tactics, and benchmarks. But what it all really boils down to is that we stay focused on our unique statewide mission, engage with the people and organizations all over the state who believe in the value of the humanities in our lives and our communities, and be good stewards of our resources as we do this.
As a nonprofit that works hard to derive funding from a variety of sources to succeed in our mission, we know how vital our donors are to fueling our ability to sustain and build robust humanities programs in Nebraska. We are deeply grateful for your steadfast support of HN in 2024!
We are also very thankful for the strong relationship we have with the Nebraska Cultural Endowment and Nebraska Arts Council, forming a truly unique public-private partnership that enhances the cultural vitality of Nebraska. And as our state’s nonprofit partner with the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), we are committed to ensuring that federal funding helps enrich communities of all sizes throughout the state.
As we journey together through 2025, HN will continue to explore ways to further our mission across Nebraska. We hope that you will continue on that journey with us. Thank you for all you do!
*Other income includes Earned Income ($28,943), Interest Income ($15,5970), Miscellaneous Income ($89) and does not include additional gains on investments of $531,603. **Does not include cost share from grantees and volunteers totaling $1,552,650
View Full 2024 ReportHumanities Nebraska served people in 143 communities in 2024.
Nebraska Chautauqua: Weaving a Nation
In July, HN launched a new Chautauqua related to the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Held in Norfolk, “Weaving a Nation” shared many different and sometimes unexpected perspectives. Scholars included Angel Vigil presenting El Vaquero, Jessica Downing-Ford presenting Abigail Adams, and Taylor Keen presenting his own ancestor, Omaha Chief Big Elk. Other scholars presented workshops on other little-known stories of our nation’s founding.
Speakers Bureau
The HN Speakers Bureau presented 387 programs in communities large and small, attended by 15,561 Nebraskans. Five new speakers joined the Speakers Bureau with fascinating topics, including “The Role of Music During the Holocaust” and “Aesop in America.”
Prime Time Family Reading
With 43 Prime Time Reading series in 2024, HN reached a significant milestone: 500 program series have now been offered across the state. In 2024, more than 1,700 underserved kids and their family members experienced the value of reading and discussing books together. Staff also created and distributed 398 adventure themed summer reading kits to families in 30 communities. These books, toys, and discussion guide are a proven way to help kids maintain school skills during summer.
Governor's Lecture in the Humanities
Best-selling author Amy Tan was the featured speaker at the 29th annual Governor’s Lecture on September 24. In partnership with the E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues, Tan’s talk was attended by more than 1,400 people in person and online.
Nebraska State Poet
In October, Nebraska State Poet, Matt Mason, met his goal of leading workshops or speaking events in all 93 Nebraska counties before the end of his term in December 2024.
Nebraska Warrior Writers
Attended by a total of 76 veterans, Nebraska Warrior Writers held 16 workshops each during spring and fall 2024. Divided between Lincoln and Omaha with an online participation option, most weeks included a visit from a published author to provide tips and encouragement. Participants also enjoyed discussions, camaraderie, and receiving new books. The group ended 2024 by beginning work on their second anthology, which is anticipated for publication release during the first half of 2025.
National History Day: Nebraska
HN joined Nebraska Wesleyan University once again in sponsoring National History Day: Nebraska with funding support from the D.F. Dillon Foundation.
Capitol Forum on America's Future
Fourteen Nebraska high schools participated in Capitol Forum on America’s Future using the Choices curriculum from Brown University, provided to them by HN. Among 850 participating students, delegations from each school attended Capitol Forum Day in March to discuss immigration, terrorism, international trade, climate change, and nuclear proliferation. Students also heard from Sen. Pete Ricketts, Gov. Jim Pillen, Secretary of State Bob Evnen, and several state senators and staff.
Museum on Main Street
“Voices and Votes: Democracy in America” completed its Nebraska tour in January 2024 with a final stop at Omaha’s Great Plains Black History Museum.
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