Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law in the Public Interest (Nebraska Appleseed) is a left-of-center advocacy and litigation organization that supports policies including expanding immigration, granting legal status to illegal immigrants, increasing government control of health care, and expanding entitlement programs within the state of Nebraska. ¹

Finances

In 2018 Nebraska Appleseed received $2,625,116 in contributions and grants,² $41,752 in program service revenue,³ $54,104 in investment income,⁴ and $95,071 from other sources of revenue. ⁵ That year, Nebraska Appleseed reported $6,292,921 in net assets. ⁶

In 2018, Nebraska Appleseed received donations from several left-of-center foundations and advocacy organizations, including:

• The Holland Foundation, with a $250,614 grant. ⁷
• The Lozier Foundation, with a $75,000 grant. ⁸
• The Lincoln Community Foundation, with a $45,140 grant. ⁹
• The Center for Community Change, with a $22,400 grant. ¹⁰
• The Immanuel Community Vision Foundation, with a $15,000 grant. ¹¹
• The Center for Law and Social Policy, with a $10,000 grant. ¹²
• CASA De Maryland, with a $5,000 grant. ¹³
• The National Council of Jewish Women, with a $5,000 grant. ¹⁴
• American Immigration Council (AIC) with a $5,000 grant. ¹⁵
• The Blue Stem Prairie Foundation with a $1,000 grant. ¹⁶

Political Advocacy

Nebraska Appleseed promotes a left-of-center policy agenda in the state of Nebraska, taking action specifically on immigration, healthcare, and entitlement policy.

Increasing Entitlement Programs

Nebraska Appleseed advocates for the increased utilization of government-funded welfare programs, including nutrition programs and cash welfare programs. Nebraska Appleseed works to inform low-income Nebraskans about existing entitlement programs, then encourages them to apply and assists them with program applications. ¹⁷

Nebraska Appleseed has also worked on litigation to support the expansion of these entitlement programs. Nebraska Appleseed has pursued cases to expand cash welfare programs, increase food stamp access, and increase the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program in Nebraska. ¹⁸

Immigration

Nebraska Appleseed frequently advocates for left-of-center expansionist immigration policy, arguing that the federal government should grant all 800,000 individuals eligible for the Obama administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program permanent legal residency in the United States. Nebraska Appleseed has also assisted in fundraising to combat the Trump administration’s repeal of DACA,  directing supporters to a “Protect DACA” GoFundMe and providing links to left-of-center immigration organizations, including the National Immigration Law Center, the Center for American Progress (CAP), and Opportunity Agenda. ¹⁹

Nebraska Appleseed has also opposed the Trump administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status Program (TPS) for certain classes of immigrants, urging individuals admitted under TPS to contact immigration advocacy groups including the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) and the National TPS Alliance. ²⁰

Healthcare

Nebraska Appleseed supports the expansion of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and works to require that Nebraska public healthcare is administered in accordance with the policy. ²¹ Nebraska Appleseed has also engaged in several litigation projects to increase the scope of government-funded health care in Nebraska and expand access to Medicaid. ²²

Leadership

Rebecca (Becky) Gould is the executive director of Nebraska Appleseed. ²³ She began working at Nebraska Appleseed in 2001 as a staff attorney and became executive director in 2007. ²⁴

1. “About” Nebraska Appleseed. https://neappleseed.org/about
2. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax” Guidestar.org. Accessed September 16, 2020. Part I, Line 8.
3. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax” Guidestar.org. Accessed September 16, 2020. Part I, Line 9.
4. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax” Guidestar.org. Accessed September 16, 2020. Part I, Line 10.
5. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax” Guidestar.org. Accessed September 16, 2020. Part I, Line 11.
6. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax” Guidestar.org. Accessed September 16, 2020. Part I, Line 22.
7. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax” Guidestar.org. Accessed September 16, 2020. Part XV.
8. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax” Guidestar.org. Accessed September 16, 2020. Part XV.
9. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax” Guidestar.org. Accessed September 16, 2020. Part XV. Schedule I, Part II.
10. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax” Guidestar.org. Accessed September 16, 2020. Accessed September 16, 2020 Part XV.
11. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax” Guidestar.org. Accessed September 16, 2020. Schedule I, Part II.
12. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax” Guidestar.org. Accessed September 16, 2020. Schedule I, Part II.
13. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax” Guidestar.org. Accessed September 16, 2020. Schedule I, Part II.
14. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax” Guidestar.org. Accessed September 16, 2020. Schedule I, Part II.
15. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax” Guidestar.org. Accessed September 16, 2020. Schedule I, Part II.
16. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax” Guidestar.org. Accessed September 16, Part XV.
17. “Economic Justice” Indiana Appleseed. https://neappleseed.org/economicjustice
18. “Economic Justice – Class Action Litigation” Nebraska Appleseed. https://neappleseed.org/economicjustice
19. “Immigrants” Indiana Appleseed. https://neappleseed.org/immigrants
20. “Immigrants” Indiana Appleseed. https://neappleseed.org/immigrants
21. “Healthcare” Indiana Appleseed. https://neappleseed.org/healthcare
22. “Economic Justice – Class Action Litigation” Nebraska Appleseed. https://neappleseed.org/economicjustice
23. “Becky Gould” Nebraska Appleseed. https://neappleseed.org/staff
24. “Becky Gould” LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-gould-6651627/