Unrestricted Endowments Growing Across Nebraska Community Foundation Network

Unrestricted Endowments Growing Across Nebraska Community Foundation Network

Five communities in the Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF, NebraskaHometown.org) network recently raised a combined $3.75 million to pursue hometown dreams. By the end of 2020, NCF affiliated funds in Howells, Columbus, Imperial, Keith County, and Stuart had each met a $500,000 fundraising goal. Their success means each will receive a $250,000 match, for a grand total of $750,000. That money goes straight into their affiliated fund’s unrestricted community endowment—a savings account that grows forever and provides perpetual annual payout, which offers volunteers opportunities to award locally-controlled grants for community betterment.

Currently, 80 NCF affiliated funds are building community unrestricted endowments—46 of which have an annual payout of more than $10,000. Altogether, these unrestricted endowments total more than $60 million—a substantial increase from $12 million in 2012. Grants from unrestricted endowments are creating change that may otherwise not occur across the state. Some examples include affordable housing development in Keith County, early childhood development in Boone County, non-traditional scholarships in Nebraska City, K-12 curriculum enhancement in Shickley, entrepreneurship and small business development in Valley County, youth engagement in Norfolk, and leadership development in Brown County.

Headquartered in Lincoln with employees working from hometowns in every corner of the state, Nebraska Community Foundation provides financial management, strategic development, donor education, and training in partnership with 1,500 volunteers serving 272 hometowns in 83 Nebraska counties. Since 1994, NCF has reinvested $393.1 million in Nebraska’s people and places. For information, visit NebraskaHometown.org or call (402) 323-7330.