Here’s a problem most nonprofits know all too well: funding is great, but if nobody knows what you’re doing with it, you’re missing half the equation.
3Rivers Credit Union figured out how to solve both issues at once with something they’re calling the Big Give—and honestly? It’s pretty clever.
The concept is straightforward but smart. Instead of quietly handing out $225,000 in grants and calling it a day, 3Rivers built an entire campaign around the selection process. Eight nonprofit finalists get put in the spotlight for weeks, complete with public voting and community engagement. Three winners eventually walk away with $75,000 each, but here’s the kicker: all eight finalists get something valuable out of the deal—sustained public visibility they can actually use.
Why This Isn’t Your Standard Grant Program
“At 3Rivers, our involvement throughout the communities we serve gives us a firsthand look at the incredible work local nonprofits are doing every day,” said Katie Alyea, the Regional Marketing Manager leading the charge. “This is an opportunity to put significant resources behind these organizations while helping more people understand the work they’re doing and why it matters.”
Translation: the money matters, but so does getting people to actually pay attention.
The idea didn’t come out of nowhere. 3Rivers has spent years working with nonprofits across their service areas in northeast, central, and east-central Indiana, plus western Ohio. They’ve seen firsthand that a giving effort’s real impact often comes from what happens around the funding—the awareness, the connections, the momentum it creates.
“We know $75,000 can make a real difference for an organization,” Alyea explained. “But there’s also value in helping more people discover these nonprofits and the work they’re doing. Some might even find a new organization to support. We wanted the Big Give to create both outcomes.”
How The Big Give Works
The structure is designed to maximize both funding and exposure. Here’s the timeline:
- Applications open September 1–22, 2026. Any 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 3Rivers’ service areas can apply—you don’t even need to be a credit union member.
- Eight finalists get selected through an internal review process, then each gets a platform to share their story and explain what they’d do with $75,000.
- Public voting period kicks in, putting these finalists in front of the entire community (and 3Rivers’ member base).
- Three winners are announced in November, each receiving $75,000.
Full eligibility requirements and Official Rules live at 3riversfcu.org/biggive. Applications close at 11:59 p.m. EST on September 22, 2026.
The Real Strategy Behind It
“As a member-owned cooperative, reinvesting in our communities is part of how we operate, not something we do on the side,” said Don Cates, CEO of 3Rivers. “A lot of that shows up and adds up in smaller ways throughout the year: sponsorships, event support, volunteer hours. This year, we chose to build on that with something that benefits these organizations two-fold: real dollars now, and visibility they can carry forward, in a way our members and communities can see for themselves.”
It’s a win-win-win situation. Nonprofits get funding plus a megaphone. 3Rivers demonstrates its community commitment in a way that’s visible and ongoing—not just a quick photo-op with an oversized check. And community members get introduced to organizations doing work they might not have known about otherwise.
Why Other Financial Institutions Should Be Taking Notes
The Big Give isn’t just generous—it’s strategic. For nonprofits, it means real money combined with exposure to a significantly larger audience. For 3Rivers, it’s a chance to showcase their community role in an active, sustained way that goes well beyond traditional corporate giving.
If you’re a financial institution trying to figure out how to make your community investment actually resonate (and generate some goodwill in the process), this approach is worth studying. It turns a one-time transaction into an ongoing story, and that’s something both donors and recipients can get behind.
The Big Give runs from September through November, but the visibility those eight finalists gain? That sticks around long after the winners are announced.