Creighton Grant Funds Student-Built Tech for Nonprofits

A close to $400,000 National Science Foundation grant will pay students to build software applications for campus and community partners.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Financial Aid

Wide view of a red-brick university building under open sky with a bare concrete entry step and a single leafless tree beside the facade. — Creighton University received a nearly $400,000 National Science Foundation grant to fund Creighton For Good, a program where students build software for campus and community organizations. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Creighton University faculty received a National Science Foundation grant of close to $400,000 to fund Creighton For Good, a program in which students build technology applications for organizations. The first app in development is Bluejay Bites, a food-waste app that manages surplus food from catered campus events.

Why it matters

The program pairs paid student work with real organizational needs, offering hands-on software experience while addressing practical problems for partners in Omaha and across Nebraska. It also gives local organizations a way to commission custom technology they might not otherwise afford.

The National Science Foundation grant totals close to $400,000, with student pay as its largest budget item. The program aims to bring two to four students per semester onto partner projects, though the number of partner organizations beyond the first projects has not been specified.

The players

Creighton University

A private Jesuit university in Omaha, Nebraska, which received the grant and is the first organization to commission technology from the program.

National Science Foundation

An independent U.S. federal agency that funds basic research and education, and which awarded the grant supporting Creighton For Good.

Bike Walk Nebraska

A statewide advocacy organization promoting bicycling and walking, and a partner on a separate Creighton For Good project.

The details

Organizations bring a list of needs to the Creighton For Good team, which works with them to define technical requirements. Students check in with the commissioning organization at natural points during development before delivering a finished product. Torin O'Connor has been on the team since March and continued the work over the summer and into the fall with a new student team.

March: Torin O'Connor joins the Creighton For Good team.
Summer: O'Connor continues the project with Creighton alumni.
Fall: O'Connor continues the project with a new student team.

Roadmap

The grant is a National Science Foundation award that funds applied education initiatives at universities. Creighton For Good applies that funding to a paid, student-run software model that gives students practical development experience.

Students in the program are paid for their work, offering a funded way to gain software experience. Local organizations can commission custom applications for their operations through the program.

The takeaway

Students interested in paid, hands-on software work may find programs like Creighton For Good a practical route to real project experience. Organizations with technology needs can explore whether a partnership fits their goals.