Matching grants make for stronger schools

St. Gerald Catholic School in Ralston has brand-new windows, making the school safer and more energy-efficient, thanks to a challenge grant made possible by a grant from the Lavigne Foundation.

Once again, Catholic elementary schools in the Archdiocese of Omaha are encouraged to apply for the Lavigne Foundation’s Challenge Grant for Elementary School Infrastructure and School Hardening, said Bonnie Nebuda, Stewardship and Development Officer for the Archdiocese of Omaha.

In 2023, the Lavigne Foundation launched a $1 million challenge grant to help Catholic schools with infrastructure projects.

“These grants help to ensure that schools can strengthen their facilities, so they are sustainable far into the future,” Nebuda said. “We are fortunate for the generosity of the Lavigne Foundation and their commitment to Catholic schools in northeast Nebraska.”

The deadline to apply for the grant is Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. Selections will be made in October, and recipients will be notified in November.

Selected schools will have between Jan. 1, 2026, and Dec. 31, 2026, to raise $200,000 to unlock a matching gift of $200,000. All gifts must be solicited in that time period from private donors in cash. Pledges and government funding are not eligible.

Interested schools can apply for a grant here. For more information, contact Nebuda at blnebuda@archomaha.org.