Fremont Area Big Give — 24‑Hour Drive

The Fremont Area Big Give is basically a one-day money sprint for local nonprofits — and this year’s version starts at midnight on Thursday, May 7. The event is run by the Fremont Area Community Foundation, and 78 organizations from Fremont and the wider Dodge County area are taking part. The pitch is simple: pick a group, give online, and help local charities stack up unrestricted dollars they can actually use where they need them most. (ruralradio.com) ### What is this, exactly? It’s a 24-hour online giving challenge. People donate through the Fremont Area Big Give website, and participating nonprofits compete not just for direct gifts but also for bonus prize money funded by sponsors and partners. That extra layer matters — a small burst of donat(ruralradio.com) organization raises on its own. (fremontareabiggive.org) ### Who’s behind it? The organizer is the Fremont Area Community Foundation. The foundation underwrites the event, runs the platform, and lines up local business and individual sponsors to fund prize pools. So this is not just a loose community campaign — it’s a structured local fundraising system with rules, incentives, and a built-in audience that comes back every spring. (fremontareabiggive.org) ### How big is this year’s drive? This is the 10th annual Fremont Area Big Give, and 78 nonprofits are participating in 2026. That gives the event real scale for a regional fundraiser — not one marquee charity, but dozens of organizations spanning arts, education, community services, faith groups, and other local causes. If you li(fremontareabiggive.org)ist. (ruralradio.com) ### Can people give before May 7? Yes — and that’s one of the useful details here. Early giving opened on May 1, so donations have already been able to come in before the official 24-hour window. But the main event still runs from midnight to midnight on May 7, which is when the public push, social sharing, and prize competition all concentrate. Minimum online donations are $10. (ruralradio.com) ### Why does the “unrestricted” part matter? Because unrestricted money is the kind nonprofits usually need most. Donors often like funding a specific project, but groups also have to cover rent, payroll, repairs, fuel, software, and all the boring stuff that keeps services running. A day like this (ruralradio.com)ommunity foundations love this model. (fremontareabiggive.org) ### What has it done before? The recent numbers are not tiny. Last year’s Fremont Area Big Give raised more than $480,000 for area nonprofits. The event site says that since 2017, the giving day has generated more than 17,000 gifts and nearly $3.5 million overall. So even though this looks like a one-day campaign, turns out it has become a durable local funding pipeline. (ruralradio.com) ### What should donors watch for? The main thing is timing and visibility. Groups often push hardest during the day because prize structures can reward participation spikes, not just giant checks. That means a modest gift can matter twice — once as a donation, and again if it helps a nonprofit quali(ruralradio.com)d give. (fremontareabiggive.org) ### Bottom line? This is a local fundraising day, but it works like infrastructure. Fremont-area nonprofits get a shared platform, a shared spotlight, and a shot at extra prize dollars — and donors get one place to back the groups they want to keep alive. For a lot of smaller organizations, that kind of concentrated day can do more than weeks of ordinary asking. (fremontareabiggive.org)