Originally published on 10/11’s Pure Nebraska Program
Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF) and its network of 1,500 volunteers in 269 communities are celebrating 30 years of building a Greater Nebraska.
Over the past three decades, thousands of Nebraskans in every corner of the state have dedicated their time, talent, treasure and talk to NCF’s community-building work. Since 1994, the NCF network has amassed $256 million in assets – $164 million of which are endowed – to further its mission to unleash abundant local assets, inspire charitable giving and connect ambitious people to build stronger communities across Greater Nebraska. Since NCF’s establishment, the network has reinvested more than $553 million into rural hometowns, forever transforming the philanthropic landscape of the state and the lives of future generations who will call Nebraska home.
Through the years, NCF has remained staunchly committed to its values of keeping its work community centered and locally controlled. NCF’s 24 staff members provide expertise in accounting, legal work, investments, IRS compliance, planned giving, fundraising, communications, marketing, data management, group facilitation, leadership training and decades of experience in complex community development work. Above all, the organization supports local volunteers in their efforts to build unrestricted endowments – financial resources that grow in perpetuity and are available for whatever challenges or opportunities Nebraska hometowns face in the future.
While Nebraska Community Foundation’s impact has grown exponentially across the state, so has its reputation and influence in both the national and international non-profit realm. Not only is the organization known for its innovative community-building work and massive volunteer-led network, it has become increasingly well known for its studies on the intergenerational transfer of wealth as well as statewide youth surveys designed to better understand the perspectives and desires of young Nebraskans as they choose where they want to build their futures.
“An important part of NCF’s success is an unrelenting focus on the future,” said NCF President and CEO Jeff Yost. “What is the next generation looking for in the places they call home? How can we best prepare Greater Nebraska for the next 30 years?”
In addition to training, leadership development and peer networking throughout the year, Nebraska Community Foundation holds its largest convening every November. Known as NCF’s “Annual Celebration and Training,” the event features staff and volunteers leading breakout sessions designed to amplify the voices of rural leaders. Each session delves into a Greater Nebraska community’s proudest achievements and most significant breakthroughs. Attendees hear firsthand how these communities have navigated challenges, built strong local support and created lasting impact. Sessions also explore the profound lessons learned along the way and the key milestones that propelled their communities forward – valuable insights that can be applied across the state. This year themed “Beyond,” NCF’s Annual Celebration and Training will take place Nov. 14 in Lincoln. The day culminates in a celebratory banquet where hundreds of Nebraskans will toast to the success of the network.
“We are so proud of everything the NCF network has accomplished in our first 30 years,” said Yost. “We are also grateful for the persistence of the Nebraskans who set the stage for the next generation of emerging leaders. Community development is a long game, and NCF is proud to play its own unique role in Greater Nebraska’s unfolding story.”