Leland J & Dorothy H Olson Charitable Foundation C/O Bridges Trust
ActiveMutual & Membership BenefitFunds Individuals
OMAHA, NEWebsite
About Leland J & Dorothy H Olson Charitable Foundation C/O Bridges Trust
The Leland J & Dorothy H Olson Charitable Foundation makes a small number of very large grants focused on strengthening local community infrastructure and direct social services. Their funding favors regional nonprofits and intermediaries (community foundations and service agencies) that deliver or enable health/rehabilitation, emergency/social services, housing improvements, and higher education support. Grants are often unrestricted or for broad program support, indicating flexible, trust-based funding for organizational capacity and service delivery.
Focus Areas
Regional community foundations / capacity building (e.g., Stanwood‑Camano Area Foundation general funds)Substance use and behavioral health rehabilitation programs (e.g., Community Alliance)Emergency and social relief services (e.g., Salvation Army support)Affordable home repair and improvement for low‑income homeowners (e.g., Habitat for Humanity of Omaha)Higher education/general institutional support (e.g., University of Nebraska Foundation)
Who They Fund
people experiencing homelessness
About Leland J & Dorothy H Olson Charitable Foundation C/O Bridges Trust
A defining feature of the Leland J & Dorothy H Olson Charitable Foundation C/o Bridges Trust is its pattern of very large, flexible grants to local service systems. Recent awards include $1,150,000 to Salvation Army for program support and more than $1 million to Stanwood Camano Area Foundation in multiple years, showing a preference for major operating or general support rather than narrow one-off awards. The foundation also backs intermediaries and institutions that move resources into community needs, from community foundations to universities and service providers. The grant history points to support for organizations that deliver direct help in Omaha and in Stanwood-area communities. In Omaha, the foundation has funded groups working on rehabilitation, food access, shelter, home repair, youth services, and education. In Washington, it has supported Stanwood Camano Area Foundation and Community Foundation of Snohomish County, alongside arts and regional service efforts. The scale of the checks suggests a funder that can underwrite meaningful portions of annual budgets, especially for organizations serving broad local needs. Its most visible recent grantees include Salvation Army, Community Alliance, Habitat for Humanity of Omaha, University of Nebraska Foundation, and Food Bank for the Heartland.
What Leland J & Dorothy H Olson Charitable Foundation C/O Bridges Trust Funds
Health and rehabilitation are central in the foundation’s recent record. It gave $1,003,639 to Community Alliance for a rehabilitation program in 2024 and $999,235 for the same program in 2023, indicating repeated backing for that service line. Food assistance and emergency support also appear often. The foundation awarded $826,926 to Food Bank for the Heartland for program support in 2025 and $150,000 to Together Inc of Metropolitan Omaha for food insecurity and homeless support in 2024. Education and youth-serving institutions receive major support as well. Omaha Public Schools Foundation received $702,175 in 2024 and $701,972 in 2023, while Westside Foundation received $454,351 in 2025. The foundation also supported higher education through the University of Nebraska Foundation, including $1,000,001 in 2023 and $225,425 in 2025.
How Leland J & Dorothy H Olson Charitable Foundation C/O Bridges Trust Gives
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$9.5M
Total Assets
$51.1M
Total Revenue
$9.5M
Total Expenses
$10.7M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $25K and $100K, with a median of $35K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$35K
75th Percentile
$100K
Geographic Reach
Regional8 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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