What Aksarben Foundation does

The Aksarben Foundation (legal name: Knights of Ak-sar-ben Foundation) is a private nonprofit foundation founded in 1895 and headquartered at 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 800, Omaha, Nebraska. Its mission is to convene Nebraska leaders across business, education, government, and philanthropy and to lead initiatives aimed at growing the state's economy. The Foundation operates a portfolio of programs and events that includes the annual Aksarben Ball (held since 1895), the Aksarben Scholarship Program (over $65 million distributed since inception), the Court of Honor and Most Honored Citizen awards, the Farm Families recognition program (Pioneer and Heritage Farm Awards), and Community Grants distributed across Nebraska's 93 counties.

The Foundation generates revenue through donations and corporate sponsorships rather than product sales. In 2024-2025, 232 students received $446,877.55 in scholarships, with 72% of recipients pursuing STEM majors, 95% from Nebraska, and 31% first-generation college students. Sponsorship and event underwriting come from regional employers such as Kiewit, FNBO, and Medica, as well as national platforms including Google. Distribution of programs occurs through partnerships with all six Nebraska community colleges, the TeamMates Mentoring Program, the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development, and Bo Jones / Career Pathway.

In 2021 the Foundation established the Nebraska Tech Collaborative (NTC) as a wholly owned operating subsidiary to address tech workforce challenges and talent attraction/retention. Recent additions include the 2026 Women in Tech Summit co-hosted with Kiewit, the Nebraska Emerging Talent Awards (NETA) delivered through six regional events with 36 awards, and a Technology Workforce Dashboard developed with Lightcast. The Foundation employs 1-10 staff and is led by President Sandra Reding, with Mike Cassling serving as 2026 Chair of the Board of Governors.

Name

Aksarben Foundation

Legal name

Knights of Ak-sar-ben Foundation

Website

https://aksarben.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1895

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Aksarben Foundation is a 130-year-old Omaha-based nonprofit that convenes Nebraska leaders and delivers scholarships, community grants, and workforce development programs — including the Nebraska Tech Collaborative, the Aksarben Ball, and the Women in Tech Summit — across the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Community foundation services
• Workforce development programs
• Scholarship program administration
• Nonprofit education grants
• Leadership recognition awards

Headquarters

HQ city

Omaha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Fundraising and Donations: The Aksarben Foundation raises funds through its annual Aksarben Ball, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations. Proceeds fund scholarships for Nebraska students, workforce development initiatives, and community grants.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support various initiatives including the Women in Tech Summit, Nebraska Emerging Talent Awards, and other workforce development programs. Sponsors include companies like Kiewit, Google, FNBO, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Aksarben Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation that administers scholarships and internship programs for Nebraska students, distributes community grants to local initiatives, and runs recognition programs for farm families and civic leaders. It also operates workforce development initiatives (notably through the Nebraska Tech Collaborative), hosts events such as the annual Aksarben Ball and the Nebraska Women in Tech Summit, and provides data resources such as a technology workforce dashboard built with Lightcast.

Product overview

The Aksarben Foundation is a nonprofit organization (not a technology product company) that operates multiple initiatives and programs focused on workforce development, education, and community support in Nebraska. Its portfolio includes: the Nebraska Tech Collaborative (NTC) for tech talent development, the Nebraska Emerging Talent Awards (NETA) for workforce recognition, the annual Nebraska Women in Tech Summit and Awards, the Aksarben Scholarship Program providing over $65 million in scholarships since the mid-1900s, Community Grants for regional initiatives, the Farm Families Program recognizing agricultural legacy, and the annual Aksarben Ball celebration. Additionally, the Foundation supports a technology workforce dashboard developed with Lightcast for state tech workforce data analysis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nebraska Tech Collaborative (NTC): Talent and workforce initiative under Aksarben Foundation focused on developing, attracting, and retaining tech talent and entrepreneurs in Nebraska
• Nebraska Emerging Talent Awards (NETA)
• Women in Tech Summit
• Aksarben Scholars Program
• Spirit of Aksarben

Products and services

• Aksarben Scholarship Program Scholarship program that has awarded over $65 million to Nebraska and western Iowa students since the mid-1900s, supporting students pursuing higher education at Nebraska colleges and universities with focus on STEM fields.
• Nebraska Tech Collaborative (NTC) A talent and workforce initiative under the Aksarben Foundation that addresses tech workforce challenges in Nebraska, partnering with employers, educators, and community colleges to develop strategies for attracting and retaining tech talent.
• Nebraska Emerging Talent Awards (NETA) Regional awards program recognizing outstanding apprentices, interns, mentors, and employers who are strengthening Nebraska's workforce and creating meaningful career pathways across the state.
• Nebraska Women in Tech Summit An annual summit organized by the Nebraska Tech Collaborative and Kiewit Corporation that brings together innovators, leaders, and changemakers to inspire and empower women in technology careers, featuring panel discussions, interactive sessions, and awards.
• Nebraska Women in Tech Awards Awards recognizing exceptional women in technology across categories including Tech Innovator, Rising Star, Mentor of the Year, Diversity Champion, and Tech Community Impact.
• Community Grants Grants provided to support community improvement efforts and regional initiatives across Nebraska's communities.
• Farm Families Program Program recognizing farm families who have maintained continuous ownership of their farms for at least 100 years (Pioneer Award) or 150 years (Heritage Farm Award), honoring agricultural legacy in Nebraska.
• Aksarben Ball Annual celebration since 1895 that honors individuals and families who have contributed to Nebraska, featuring the Most Honored Citizen award, Court of Honor inductees, and scholarship fundraising.
• Technology Workforce Dashboard A technology workforce dashboard developed in partnership with Lightcast that provides demographic and job data about tech jobs in Nebraska, serving as a resource for policymakers and educators to address industry needs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 232 students received $446,877.55 in scholarships in 2024-2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, minor and major.

• LightcastcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLabor market consulting firm partnered with Aksarben Foundation to release an updated technology workforce dashboard providing demographic and job data for Nebraska's tech sector, built in partnership with the Nebraska Tech Collaborative.
• University of Nebraska at Omaha (Center for Public Affairs Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreviously partnered with the Center for Public Affairs Research at UNO to create an earlier version of the technology workforce dashboard for Nebraska.
• Don't Panic LabscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoftware engineering firm that partnered with Nebraska Tech Collaborative on a software engineering skills assessment to identify gaps in Nebraska's tech workforce.
• TeamMates Mentoring ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting students from middle school through college by providing mentorship, career exploration, and access to internships that bridge education and employment.
• Nebraska's Six Community CollegescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with all six of Nebraska's community colleges (Metropolitan Community College, Southeast Community College, Mid-Plains Community College, Northeast Community College, Central Community College, Western Nebraska Community College) for scholarship support and workforce development.
• Kiewit CorporationflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-host of the Nebraska Women in Tech Summit along with Aksarben Foundation's Nebraska Tech Collaborative. Kiewit serves as presenting sponsor and hosts the summit at Kiewit La Vista.
• GoogleflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the Nebraska Women in Tech Summit and supporter of the Nebraska Tech Collaborative's workforce dashboard initiative.
• MedicaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealth plan company partnering with Aksarben Foundation on the Small Towns Matter promotion, providing bike helmets to students at rural Nebraska schools.
• FNBO (First National Bank of Omaha)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor of the Nebraska Women in Tech Summit 2026.
• Bo Jones / Career PathwaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNebraska-based platform built in collaboration with Aksarben Foundation and Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development to connect students with employment and educational opportunities through video content.
• Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development (LPED)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development organization collaborating with Aksarben Foundation to expand access to internships and strengthen the talent platform for Nebraska employers.
• Iowa Western Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity college partner offering scholarships for STEM majors in collaboration with Aksarben Scholarships and Internships initiative.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Lumina Foundation: Large national foundation focused on post-secondary attainment and workforce development. Comparable in mission around talent pipelines and education-to-employment pathways, though operating at much larger national scale.
• Cleveland Foundation: The first U.S. community foundation (1914), with a comparable model of community grantmaking, scholarship administration, civic awards, and convening around regional economic issues.
• Chicago Community Trust: One of the oldest and largest community foundations in the U.S., combining donor-advised giving, scholarship programs, and civic leadership convening. Comparable as a multi-program community foundation, though much larger and older in scope.

Regional players

• Greater Kansas City Community Foundation: Regional community foundation serving the Kansas City metro with scholarship, grantmaking, and civic engagement programs. Comparable structure and Heartland-region mission profile to Aksarben.
• Iowa West Foundation: Regional community foundation serving western Iowa and the Council Bluffs area adjacent to Aksarben's western Iowa scholarship footprint. Comparable model of place-based giving and workforce initiatives in a neighboring geography.

Direct peers

• Sherwood Foundation: Nebraska-rooted family foundation supporting education, community, and the arts. Comparable mix of grantmaking, scholarship activity, and cultural recognition, including arts leadership awards.
• Nebraska Community Foundation: Statewide Nebraska community foundation focused on community development, philanthropy, and place-based giving across all 93 counties. Most direct geographic and functional peer to Aksarben's community grant and rural engagement work.
• Peter Kiewit Foundation: Nebraska-based foundation focused on education, workforce, and community outcomes. Highly comparable in mission and regional footprint, with similar emphasis on scholarships and talent development in Nebraska.
• Omaha Community Foundation: Community foundation serving the same Omaha geography as Aksarben with similar grantmaking, scholarship, and civic convening functions. Direct local competitor for donor attention and grantmaking dollars in Nebraska.

Emerging players

• Strada Education Foundation: National nonprofit focused on the connection between education and meaningful employment through research, philanthropy, and partnerships. Comparable focus area to Aksarben's Nebraska Tech Collaborative and workforce development agenda.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/aksarbenfoundation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLAdByvabAzBDXr1AsecMXAjP6RWMhrRrP
• Facebookfacebook.com/aksarbenfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aksarben-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/aksarbenfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Aksarben Foundation