Go Big GIVE now full speed ahead

Nonprofits in Hamilton, Hall, Howard, and Merrick counties are setting sail with the 2026 Go Big GIVE online fundraising campaign. Early giving for the 13th annual event has already begun and the 24-hour giving day is set for Thursday, May 7. The theme for this year’s event is “Chart your course for giving.” 
Since 2013, the campaign, co-hosted by the Greater Grand Island Community Foundation and Heartland United Way, has helped 240 nonprofits across all four counties raise a combined total of $12,619,261.
Last year, nonprofits in Hamilton County received $429,913 from the total $2,007,344 raised for all 167 organizations.
“We’ve had a lot of success with Go Big GIVE and have raised a lot of dollars for nonprofits locally,” said Jennie Kuehner, Hamilton Community Foundation executive director. “We’re excited to see nonprofits wanting to take advantage of this fundraising opportunity.”
Karly Behrendt, the director of development with Heartland United Way, spoke about the ongoing impact donors can make not just for one, but for all of the nonprofits participating in Go Big GIVE.
“We were talking about the great ripple effect that Go Big GIVE has,” Behrendt said. “One donation can reach 165 organizations as one platform. It provides the opportunity for all these organizations to really have successful fundraising and then that has the ripple effect, that of the impact of their programs and services, in addition to the donor giving.”
The nonprofits involved deal with a range of issues including animal welfare, armed forces and veterans, arts and culture, community improvement, education, environment and parks, health and safety, human services, recreation and fitness, and youth development.

Boosting your donation
Donors can take advantage of the days leading up to May 7  by donating during Pre-GIVE, where they can enter drawings for incentive prizes. For Catch of the Day, a random donation will be selected once per day and the selected donation will grow by $100.
By attending the Set Sail for Giving Pre-GIVE event hosted by Lutz in Grand Island on Thursday, donors will be entered in a random drawing for Anchors Aweigh.
“It’s just a good way to encourage those Pre-GIVE donations to come in,” Behrendt said. “It’s an opportunity for a donor who is at the event to enter an organization to win a $250 prize. A random donor who has been at the event will be selected to donate to an organization of their choice with that prize.”
During the 24-hour event, donors have a chance to be entered in more random drawings through Lighthouse Loot and Moonlight Match.
“Between 10 and 11 a.m. and then also 10 and 11 p.m., they’re going to pick one minute and they’re going match the donations during that minute up to
$100 per donor, so that’s a fun prize,” Kuehner said. “Then the 13th Year Prize, between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., every 13th donation will receive $150.”
Another prize is the Nonprofit Navigator tool, which allows supporters to create their own page to encourage families and friends to donate to their organization. The page that raises the most money receives a $250 donation for the page’s organization.
Nonprofits that have raised more than $10,000 once Go Big GIVE ends will be entered in a random drawing for the $10,000 Greater Grand Island Community Foundation Endowment Prize.
“There’s also a pool of match funds that then increases the amount the organizations receive and those match funds have generally run around 5 percent of the donations,” Kuehner said.
“We have generous sponsors that provide those match dollars, so they know that they’re going to get some extra donations with that initial donation,” said Sara Kirkley, HUW director of communications. “That’s thanks to people who show up in our community every day.”
The Admiral’s Circle sponsors include Hornady Manufacturing, Greater Grand Island Community Foundation and the Heartland United Way. Captain’s Deck sponsors include S.N. “Bud” and Gloria Wolbach Foundation and Lutz.
Kirkley said local restaurants have the opportunity to become sponsors through this year’s first Dock & Dine.
“These are different places that have supported Go Big GIVE with a donation and in turn, they’re helping us spread the word with signage and they’re a way people who support Go Big GIVE can connect with like-minded businesses to get a cup of coffee or get a pizza,” Kirkley said.
Behrendt highly encourages donors to donate online to help their nonprofits get as many benefits as possible, as donations sent directly to the organizations will not be entered for online prizes.
“We encourage online donations, because it’s an easy way for donors to recognize those gifts and really enhance the giving day by qualifying for those prizes and those magical funds,” Behrendt said. “Those online gifts are the ones that are eligible for those prizes. We encourage online gifts because they help increase the opportunities for the organizations.”
Behrendt and Kirkley said Go Big GIVE continues to be a success thanks to communities that support their local organizations.
“All of our surrounding communities that have been involved with it know that this is something that has benefitted their organization, to get the word out about what they do and they want to come aboard, be part of that and see how the community can benefit their organization,” Behrendt said. “It is building those donor relationships to get involved with programs, but also raising that awareness and education for the programs that are going on.”
Kirkley noted that by supporting nonprofits, donors will be contributing to the well-being of their community as a whole.
“They’re all different organizations, but we’re all in the same boat,” Kirkley said, in a reference to the nautical theme of the event. “We’re trying to keep our communities thriving. If one sinks, it may take more down with it. We all need to work together in our communities. Here at the United Way, we say, ‘United is the way to do that.’”
Out of the 165 nonprofits participating this year, 35 of them are in Hamilton County. Four new nonprofits – Aurora Band Boosters, Hamilton County Cancer Fund, Hamilton County Trails Committee and Hampton Daycare Center Inc. – are among them.
“We’re excited to have so many organizations repeating as participants,” Kuehner said. “I think that says a lot about the benefit and value that our nonprofits are receiving from participating. We’re excited to see new nonprofits participating, also to bring awareness to their organizations.”

Local participants
The Hamilton County organizations participating in this year’s Go Big Give campaign include: 12th Street Cinema, Art Walk Aurora, Aurora Adopt-a-Pet, Aurora Band Boosters, Aurora Child Care, Aurora Library Foundation, Aurora Public Schools Foundation, Banisters Leadership Academy, Bremer Community Center, Inc., Edgerton Explorit Center, Giltner Public School Foundation, Hamilton Community Foundation, Inc., Hamilton County 4-H Council, Hamilton County Backpack Program, Hamilton County Cancer Fund, Hamilton County Fair Foundation, Hamilton County Food Pantry, Inc., Hamilton County Ministerial Association Cheer Fund, Hamilton County Senior Center, Hamilton County Trails Committee, Hamilton County Women in Philanthropy, Hamilton County Youth Center, Hamilton County Youth Engaged in Philanthropy, Hampton Daycare Center, Inc., Hampton Housing Solutions, Memorial Foundation Inc., Opportune Acres, Phillips Community Foundation, Inc., Plainsman Museum & Hamilton County Historical Society, Platte PEER Group, Prairie Plains Resource Institute, TeamMates of Aurora, The Leadership Center and Timberlake Ranch Camps, Inc.
For more information, go to gobiggive.org.