In the last 31 years, Nebraska Community Foundation’s (NCF) (NebraskaHometown.org) network of 256 affiliated funds has invested nearly $600 million into communities, underscoring NCF’s mission to unleash abundant local assets, inspire charitable giving and connect ambitious people to build stronger communities and a Greater Nebraska. The NCF network benefits 266 communities in 82 of Nebraska’s 93 counties, stretching from the panhandle to the Missouri River. Building robust unrestricted endowments is key to ensuring communities maintain the capacity to pursue innovation on their own terms. An unrestricted endowment generates investment income year after year, which volunteer-led fund advisory committees can use to make grants. More than 50 affiliated funds have annual payouts of at least $10,000, and 20 communities are currently answering homegrown fundraising challenges that will grow their unrestricted endowments.
“We have seen exponential and remarkable growth in our network, especially over the last few years,” said NCF President and CEO Jeff Yost. “We owe that success to our incredible volunteers who everyday invite their family, friends, neighbors and fellow Nebraskans to join them in building vibrant, diverse, welcoming and resilient communities that can only exist in Greater Nebraska.” Hundreds of those invitees convened in La Vista on Nov. 13 for NCF’s 2025 Annual Fund Training and Celebration, themed “You Belong Here.” NCF volunteers and fellow ambitious Nebraskans gathered for a day of peer learning and training on a variety of topics including fundraising, marketing, impact grantmaking, community economic development and more. For information, visit NebraskaHometown.org.