A transformative grant from Women Investing in Nebraska will allow the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Trauma-Capable Schools training program to expand into rural districts, broadening access to trauma-informed education across the state.
The $147,909 award was announced Oct. 9 during WIN’s annual awards ceremony in Lincoln. A second $147,909 grant was also awarded to the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative to launch the state’s first comprehensive Child Care Center Licensing Toolkit. Together, the two awards total $295,818 and reflect WIN’s commitment to investing in initiatives that uplift Nebraska’s children and families.
“Receiving the Women Investing in Nebraska grant is a transformative moment for our Building Trauma-Capable Schools initiative,” said Cheryl Turner, training specialist and project lead. “The UNL Center on Children, Families, and the Law is deeply grateful for WIN’s investment in strengthening educator resilience and student well-being.”
Founded in 2019 through a partnership between Lincoln Public Schools and UNL’s Center on Children, Families, and the Law, the Trauma-Capable Schools program provides school personnel with a six-course, self-paced online training in trauma-informed practices. The training helps educators address the effects of adverse childhood experiences such as abuse, poverty, and family instability—factors that can disrupt learning and development. Research shows that these practices improve student outcomes, reduce behavioral challenges, and lower workplace stress, aiding in teacher retention.
The WIN grant will allow the program to reach more educators in rural communities, creating sustainable learning environments that support both students and teachers.
The second WIN grant will support the development of the Child Care Center Licensing Toolkit, a new initiative from the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative. The toolkit will offer step-by-step guidance and mentoring for individuals interested in opening licensed child care centers—an effort aimed at addressing Nebraska’s critical shortage of early childhood care options. A 2025 report from the Buffett Early Childhood Institute identified a statewide gap of more than 17,000 child care spaces.
“We are thrilled to support these two outstanding initiatives,” said Halley Kruse, WIN grants chair. “It’s especially meaningful to WIN that both recipients are launching efforts to uplift Nebraska’s children and families. This is an investment we believe will have a lasting impact across the state.”
WIN is a collective of 387 women philanthropists, both in and outside Nebraska, who pool their resources to fund high-impact projects. Since its founding in 2011, the group has awarded $2.5 million in grants through its partnership with the University of Nebraska Foundation.
