Nebraska Recycling Council
The Nebraska Recycling Council (NRC) is a Lincoln, Nebraska-based public charity that works statewide on waste reduction, recycling, and pollution prevention through education, advocacy, and practical programs. Its website describes it as a statewide, member-based organization.
Nebraska Recycling Council at a glance
In short: Nebraska Recycling Council gave $226K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $16K), mostly in Nebraska. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $226,069
- -14.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- -17.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $16,148
- +3.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $16,101
- Total assets
- $227,144
- +1.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Nebraska (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Nebraska Recycling Council
- How to Apply
-
NRC is not currently accepting applications for its Recycling Equipment Grant program. Its website says staff are working to develop a new program, but provides no application process for that future program.
- Review Cycle
- The former program listed a deadline of the 15th of each month. That schedule is no longer active; the program closed after its remaining equipment funds were allocated.
- Deadline
- The former program listed a deadline of the 15th of each month.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3800 Vermaas Place Ste 102, Lincoln, NE 68502
Phone: (402) 436-2384
Website: https://nrcne.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Nebraska Recycling Council funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Smart Soils ($25K). Together the top 10 received $198K.
Grant Size Distribution
31 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 31 grants of 31 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Nebraska. The former equipment grant program was open to eligible Nebraska organizations, businesses, and municipalities.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Nebraska Recycling Council gives
- 21% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2024 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $226K (2025) to $265K (2024). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $226K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Smart Soils Shelton, NE | Equipment | $25,000 |
| Goodwill Industries Omaha, NE | Equipment | $25,000 |
| City of Omaha Omaha, NE | Equipment | $23,100 |
| Heartland Disposal Grand Island, NE | Equipment | $22,679 |
| Keep Cass County Beautiful Louisville, NE | Equipment | $21,997 |
| Middle Niobrara NRD Valentine, NE | Equipment | $20,000 |
| Loup Central Landfill Elba, NE | Equipment | $16,440 |
| City of Benkleman Benkleman, NE | Equipment | $15,761 |
| Curtis McCabe DBA Milliron Lincoln, NE | Equipment | $14,000 |
| City of Neligh Neligh, NE | Equipment | $13,559 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $227,144 | $570,927 | $548,381 | $226,069 | 14 | $2,349 |
| 2024 | $223,648 | $616,356 | $700,144 | $264,803 | 17 | $2,789 |
| 2023 | $288,386 | $505,930 | $493,747 | — | — | $2,979 |
| 2022 | $258,165 | $506,861 | $568,327 | — | — | $715 |
| 2021 | $320,840 | $680,618 | $612,465 | — | — | $348 |
| 2020 | $252,802 | $400,899 | $387,538 | — | — | $429 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
NRC’s stated mission is to provide education and assistance with waste reduction, recycling, and pollution prevention opportunities. Its 2025 filing describes educating and providing technical assistance to businesses in these areas.
The former Recycling Equipment Grant program funded equipment to create, expand, or enhance recycling programs. Eligible applicants included Nebraska organizations such as schools, municipalities, other government entities, nonprofits, and for-profit businesses. Among the 2025 grantees, Goodwill Industries described its mission as employing willing workers and maximizing community resources. Western Resources Group described work including community cleanup, household hazardous-waste collection, public recycling receptacles, and making animal bedding from donated cardboard.
Grantmaking
In 2025, NRC reported 14 grants totaling $226,069. Grant sizes ranged from $2,712 to $25,000, with a median of $16,100. The listed grants were primarily for equipment. Notable awards included $25,000 to Smart Soils, $25,000 to Goodwill Industries, $23,100 to the City of Omaha, $22,679 to Heartland Disposal, and $21,997 to Keep Cass County Beautiful. Goodwill Industries in Lincoln also reported receiving $25,000 in 2025.
NRC’s website says the Recycling Equipment Grant program was funded by the Nebraska Environmental Trust and had provided equipment support for more than 20 years. The program’s posted guidelines allowed up to $25,000 in equipment funding over two years and required a cash match, generally at least 20%. Those guidelines also described eligible equipment such as forklifts, balers, trailers, bins, carts, and trucks. The website now says applications are no longer being accepted due to funding restraints; the former program requirements are not current application instructions.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kimberly Carroll Steward as executive director; Danielle Easdale as president; Willa DiCostanzo as vice president; Melissa Littrell as treasurer; and Ben Newton as secretary. Directors listed are Michael Duckworth, Dave Gosselin, Rich Woodson, Jackson MacLean, and Erika Hill.
Nebraska Recycling Council is led by Kimberly Carroll Steward, Executive Director on every filing since 2024; 1 of 11 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kimberly Carroll Steward
Executive Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$28K (2024) → $78K (2025)
Danielle Easdale
President
Vice President → President, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jackson Maclean
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rich Woodson
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carla Stagemeyer
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dave Gosselin
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Erika Hill
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Duckworth
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ben Newton
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Willa Dicostanzo
Vice President
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melissa Littrell
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (12)
- Former: Frank Uhlarik (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Kim Burge (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Melissa Mercier (2022–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Suzanne Gates (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Haley Nolde (2021–2023) — Executive Director
- Former: Anna Baum (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Heather Creevan (2020–2021) — Past Executive D
- Former: Nicole Frankl (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Keri Frankl (2021) — Director
- Former: Cliff Fleener (2020) — President
- Former: Gene Hanlon (2020) — Director
- Former: Joe Worthing (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $78K, to Kimberly Carroll Steward (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Nebraska Recycling Council
How much does Nebraska Recycling Council give each year?
Nebraska Recycling Council gave $226K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $265K across 17 grants.
What is Nebraska Recycling Council's typical grant size?
Nebraska Recycling Council's median grant in 2025 was $16,101, and its average grant was $16,148, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Nebraska Recycling Council give grants?
Nebraska Recycling Council gives mostly in Nebraska: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Omaha, NE (3 grants).
Does Nebraska Recycling Council give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on Nebraska Recycling Council's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Equipment" (13 grants).
Who are Nebraska Recycling Council's largest grantees?
Nebraska Recycling Council's largest 2025 grantees include Smart Soils ($25,000), Goodwill Industries ($25,000) and City of Omaha ($23,100), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Nebraska Recycling Council?
Nebraska Recycling Council reported $227K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $571K.
What does Nebraska Recycling Council fund?
NRC’s stated mission is to provide education and assistance with waste reduction, recycling, and pollution prevention opportunities. Its 2025 filing describes educating and providing technical assistance to businesses in these areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Nebraska Recycling Council?
NRC is not currently accepting applications for its Recycling Equipment Grant program. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Nebraska Recycling Council's EIN?
Nebraska Recycling Council's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1946040. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 12, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 22, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Nebraska Recycling Council's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Lincoln Community Foundation Inc
Lincoln, NE
Lincoln Community Foundation funds nonprofit operations, programs, and capital projects in arts and culture, community improvement, education and youth, the environment and animals, and health and human services. Its 2024 grants had a median of $23,420, with awards ranging from $5,027 to $1,585,362; Open Door Grants serve organizations in or providing services in Lincoln/Lancaster County, Nebraska. It accepts Open Door Grant applications year-round and reviews them monthly.
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Hirschfeld Family Foundation Inc
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The Hirschfeld Family Foundation funds specific, time-limited projects benefiting disadvantaged or vulnerable people, including health, education, housing, and community services, with priority for Central and Western Nebraska. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts ranged widely; it accepts preliminary applications from eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits and reviews them on an ongoing basis.
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World Resources Institute
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World Resources Institute funds work on climate, forests and ecosystem restoration, sustainable food and water systems, oceans, cities, clean energy, and related sustainability issues, supporting organizations in the U.S. and internationally. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,268 to $2,016,536, with a median of $81,258; it also offers a Global Forest Watch Small Grants Fund, but the available information does not say whether it accepts unsolicited requests generally.
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Christensen Charitable Foundation Inc
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Immanuel Community Vision Foundation
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The foundation supports nonprofits, ELCA congregations, and affiliated organizations serving seniors, community health, and the ministry of the Church, primarily in Nebraska and Iowa. In 2025, grants ranged from $7,500 to $390,000, with a median of $30,000; spring community grants are generally up to $75,000, with a separate Senior Impact category offering requests up to $300,000. It accepts requests through specified grant cycles, including a spring letter-of-interest process for community grants.
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Total Given
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Ash Grove Charitable Foundation
Overland Park, KS
The Ash Grove Charitable Foundation funds 501(c)(3) public charities and community initiatives, with a focus on infrastructure and education—especially STEM—and broader community well-being. Its 2024 grants ranged from $1,000 to $25,000, with a median of $5,000, in Ash Grove’s service markets; the largest shares went to Kansas, Utah, Oregon, Missouri, and Texas. Organizations can register on its website to review guidelines and apply, and requests are considered quarterly.
Assets
$13.9M
Grants
106
Total Given
$719K
More similar funders
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Nebraska Recycling Council funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 8, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/nebraska-recycling-council-morg_8e2f3167278a4af3a1db8440b6e015c7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_201946040_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Nebraska Recycling Council funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/nebraska-recycling-council-morg_8e2f3167278a4af3a1db8440b6e015c7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-08. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Nebraska Recycling Council's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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