Organization: KNIGHTS OF AK-SAR-BEN FOUNDATION
Mission: TO LEVERAGE COLLECTIVE BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP TO BUILD A MORE PROSPEROUS HEARTLAND.
Activities: WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: THE FUTURE OF NEBRASKA AND THE REGION DEPENDS ON A QUALIFIED WORKFORCE AND THE CREATION OF HIGH SKILL, HIGH WAGE JOBS. HEARTLAND BUSINESSES ARE EXPERIENCING A SHORTAGE OF SKILLED WORKERS CAPABLE OF FILLING JOB OPENINGS. NEBRASKA BUSINESSES ARE HAVING TO OUTSOURCE VARIOUS POSITIONS TO OTHER STATES TO FULFILL THEIR STAFFING DEMANDS CREATING LIMITS ON BUSINESS EXPANSION THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND INHIBITING NEW BUSINESS FROM CONSIDERING RELOCATION TO OUR AREA. AKSARBEN IS COMMITTED TO MOBILIZING ITS NETWORK OF BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO WORK WITH NEBRASKA COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND BRING TOGETHER PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND PHILANTHROPIC RESOURCES TO GROW OUR WORKFORCE WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY GROWING THE NUMBER OF HIGH SKILL, HIGH WAGE JOBS.IN 2019, THE NEBRASKA TECH COLLABORATIVE (NTC), AN AKSARBEN WORKFORCE INITIATIVE, WAS CREATED WITH THE GOAL OF BRINGING OR CREATING 10,000 NEW HIGH TECH JOBS TO NEBRASKA. THE NTC HAS A PRESIDENT OVERSEEING THE WORK OF MORE THAN 50 TECH COMPANIES AND EDUCATION AND NONPROFIT PARTNERS. THE NORTHEAST NEBRASKA WORKFORCE INITIATIVE, "GROWING TOGETHER, AND AKSARBEN WORKFORCE INITIATIVE, HAS THE GOAL OF TRANSFORMING THE ECONOMY OF NORFOLK AND NORTHEAST NEBRASKA. IT RECENTLY HIRED AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO OVERSEE THE TRANSFORMATIONAL WORK. AKSARBEN'S TRANSPORTATION WORKFORCE COMMITTEE HAS HELPED SCALE THE HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM INTERN OMAHA, AND THE CENTRAL NEBRASKA WORKFORCE COMMITTEE IS WORKING TO TRANSFORM THE ECONOMY OF CENTRAL NEBRASKA.
AKSARBEN BALL: FOR OVER ONE-HUNDRED AND TWENTY YEARS, THE AKSARBEN FOUNDATION HAS ORGANIZATION THE ANNUAL AKSARBEN BALL, WHICH HAS BEEN HONORING VOLUNTEERISM AND COMMUNITY SERVICE BY RECOGNIZING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR REGION. THIS HAS BEEN AND IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF ITS MISSION AND THE LIST OF PAST RECIPIENTS IS TRULY THE HISTORY OF LEADERSHIP IN OUR COMMUNITY. OVER 1,600 ATTENDED THE 2019 AKSARBEN BALL AT THE CHI HEALTH CENTER OMAHA, ON OCTOBER 19TH. THE EVENT INCLUDED THE FORMAL INTRODUCTION OF THE 123RD ROYAL COURT HONORING MORE THAN 200 NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA FAMILIES AND PROUDLY CELEBRATED THE CURRENT 200 AKSARBEN - HORATIO ALGER SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS AND 100 AKSARBEN CAREER SCHOLARS. BUT, THE BIG REVEAL OF THE NIGHT HAD ALL FOCUS ON THE AKSARBEN CITIZENS OF THE YEAR AS AMBASSADORS FOR AKSARBEN'S NEW HEADLINING INITIATIVE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
SCHOLARSHIP & COMMUNITY GRANTS:THE AKSARBEN FOUNDATION AWARDS TWO AND FOUR-YEAR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS TO ATTEND COLLEGE IN NEBRASKA. AKSARBEN ENTERED INTO A FIVE YEAR AGREEMENT (2019-2023) WITH HORATIO ALGER TO PROVIDE 250 $10,000 SCHOLARSHIP FOR STUDENTS TO ATTEND COLLEGE IN NEBRASKA AND FOUR YEAR AGREEMENT(2019-2022) WITH METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO PROVIDE 300 $4,000 SCHOLARSHIP FOR STUDENTS PURSUING SELECTED HIGH DEMAND CAREERS. ADDITIONALLY, AKSARBEN AWARDED COMMUNITY COLLEGE WORKFORCE GRANTS TO ALL COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN NEBRASKA.AG SCHOLARSHIPS: AKSARBEN AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS TO THOSE WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE AKSARBEN STOCK SHOW AND ITSPURPLE RIBBON AUCTION. AG LEADERS SCHOLARSHIPS ARE VALUED AT $2,000 AND AWARDED TO AKSARBEN STOCK SHOW PARTICIPANTSWHO HAVE PARTICIPATED 3 YEARS AND INTEND TO PURSUE A CAREER IN AGRICULTURE. THE PURPLE RIBBON AUCTION SCHOLARSHIPS AREBASED ON THE AMOUNT OF WINNINGS THEY EARN FROM THE AUCTION.AKSARBEN FOUNDATION COMMUNITY GRANTS FALL INTO TWO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES DEPENDING UPON PROJECT BUDGET. AKSARBEN FRIENDS GRANTS ARE INTENDED FOR PROJECTS BUDGETED UP TO $10,000 IN TOTAL. THE MAXIMUM GRANT AWARDED IN THIS CATEGORY IS $1,000 AND ALL GRANT AWARDS ARE CONTINGENT UPON A MATCHING GIFT COMPONENT. WORKFORCE GRANTS ARE INTENDED FOR PROJECTS $10,000 AND ABOVE. THE MAXIMUM GRANT IN THIS CATEGORY IS $10,000 AND ALSO HAVE A MATCHING GIFT REQUIREMENT.
NTEE category: Employment
Secondary category: Community Improvement & Capacity Building