By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

Plans for the 10th annual Southwest Nebraska Big Give are underway with the one-day of giving scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. 

For 24 hours this fall, people can donate to their favorite non-profit organizations both in person at giving stations and on-line at swnebiggive.org. 

But before the big day, Community Chest organizers put a lot of planning and work to make the day a success. This includes getting the non-profit organizations registered for the event. 

Organizations that would like to participate in the Southwest Nebraska Big Give must register between June 1-30 on the Big Give website. This includes those groups which have participated in the past and those which would like to be included for the first time this year.

Any group which has participated in the past will be notified to re-register for the 2025 Big Give.

To join Big Give, organizations are asked to fill out an application on the website under “Register Your Non-Profit Now.” Participants must also attend a planning meeting, as well as offer support leading up to and on the day of the Big Give.

To be eligible for the Big Give, organizations must have a 501(c)3 exempt status in good standing with the IRS as well as have a physical presence and provide services for Southwest Nebraska. Private foundations and political or governmental organizations are excluded from the event. Religious organizations are also excluded except those providing community programs. All applications are ultimately approved by the Community Chest committee with non-profit status verified through Guidestar.

Coordinated by the Community Chest volunteer committee, Southwest Nebraska Big Give is one day devoted to philanthropy, where every donation - large or small - makes a difference. From midnight to midnight on Nov. 6, participating non-profits will be eligible for donations, whether they are given online or in person at “giving stations.”

Donors get to choose both how much they would like to give along with where the money should go. There will also be matching funds, provided by local businesses supporting the event, making those donations go even further. Any business or organizations which would like to be a sponsor for Big Give McCook should contact Community Chest members.

The event is now in its third year as Southwest Nebraska Big Give, originally known as Big Give McCook. But with many organizations participating from around Southwest Nebraska, the name was changed in 2023.

Organizations involved in the Big Give are also encouraged to be part of the June 19th Third Thursday in McCook, which is being hosted by the Norris Institute. While a volunteer fair/Big Give promotion was held last November, the weather didn’t cooperate. So the McCook Volunteer Fair is now part of the Third Thursday, with all non-profits are being asked to set up a table to share information about their volunteer needs, what they are doing in the community and how the public can support the organization. 

Contact Caitlin Whitehead at caitlin.whitehead1@gmail.com to signup or for more information.

Community Chest is a sub-account of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, which is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation. 

For more information about the Southwest Nebraska Big Give, visit the Big Give website or call Community Chest co-coordinators Lisa Felker or Melissa Stritt at 308-345-4240 or MCFF coordinator Ronda Graff at 308-340-3412.