At the outset of 2025, we dubbed it the “Year of Invitation.” We love Nebraska. Our affiliated funds love Nebraska. We wanted to share everything we love about our state with anyone willing to listen! Turns out that the rest of the network wanted to do the same. What unfolded over the following 12 months was inspiring, uplifting, and affirming. We invite you to enjoy this recap of 2025. Maybe you’ll find your community represented, or maybe you’ll be inspired to try something new in your hometown next year. Maybe both!
Wishing you a vibrant year and much success in 2026!
Your Friends at Nebraska Community Foundation
Community Success
The hometowns in the NCF network continue to impress with their success. Our volunteers are amazing at discovering and amplifying their communities’ assets.
Cruise down highway 91
Visit McCook, Nebraska’s Hot Spot
Experience the Sandhills
Discover Nebraska City
Creating belonging, building endowments in Brown County
The 2025 NCF Communities Bus Tour was one for the books
Thayer County collaboration cultivates opportunity
Growing the Holt County ecosystem
Funding Shickley’s future
Sharing NCF’s Message
We took the opportunity to share our good work with visitors near and far this year. Whether through a guest column in a local newspaper or a podcast interview, our volunteers made their voices heard!
Jarrod McCartney: Writing our own Greater Nebraska stories
From Nepal to Nebraska: Rediscovering the power within communities
Many more communities featured on the Growing Small Town Nebraska Podcast
Youth Engagement
The future success of Nebraska hometowns depends on strong relationships between leaders of all generations. The NCF network continued to invite young Nebraskans to take part in community-building efforts, and youth surveys indicated students’ love of Greater Nebraska.
The next generation finds its future in Greater Nebraska
Interns see abundance in Thayer County
Bertrand engages youth through music
Nebraska Community Foundation unleashes Hometown Interns
The Year of Invitation begins at home
Have a great story to share in 2026? Reach out to our Community Storyteller, Michael Wunder, at mwunder@nebcommfound.org.
