Heartland Community Foundation is gearing up for another Give Fest, bringing communities across Ellis, Rooks and Trego counties together for a day of giving, connection and
Oktoberfest-inspired fun on Wednesday, October 7.
This year, Heartland has committed a $110,000 match pool, giving donors an opportunity to make their gifts go even further while supporting organizations making a difference throughout the region.
Online giving opens October 1 at HeartlandGiveFest.org and continues through Give Fest on October 7. In-person celebrations will also take place simultaneously in all three counties on October 7. Give Fest continues to grow from a giving day into a celebration of the organizations and people working to make the Heartland region stronger. In 2025, 56 participating organizations raised nearly $400,000 in a single day, thanks to generous donors, matching opportunities, bonus games and tremendous community support. This year, there are 73 organizations signed up to participate.
“Give Fest is an opportunity to celebrate all the good happening across our communities,” said Sarah Meitner, Executive Director of Heartland Community Foundation. “It brings donors and nonprofits together, introduces people to organizations they may not have known about before, and gives all of us a chance to see just how much can happen when a community comes together around generosity.”
$110,000 Available in Matching Funds
During Give Fest, donations to participating funds will be matched proportionally, up to 100%, from Heartland Community Foundation’s $110,000 match pool. Donor gifts are placed in the organization’s permanent fund at Heartland, where they are invested to provide a lasting source of support for the organization’s mission. Heartland’s matching dollars are then granted to the organization for immediate needs, allowing a single Give Fest gift to make an impact both today and well into the future.
Several organizations are also highlighting specific projects or needs during this year’s event, giving donors an opportunity to learn more about how Give Fest dollars can make a difference throughout the region. With participating organizations representing healthcare, education, youth, the arts, history, human services, recreation, community development and more, donors can support the causes that matter most to them.
More Than a Giving Day
Give Fest was created to mobilize the community to give back in a big way while providing participating organizations an opportunity to share their missions and connect directly with the people they serve.
On October 7, donors can visit participating organizations in person, learn more about their work and enjoy the food, music, games, prizes and Oktoberfest spirit that have become part of Give Fest.
In-person Give Fest celebrations will be held at:
- Ellis County: Hays Rec Center Main Gym, 1105 Canterbury Dr., Hays | 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
- Rooks County: Plainville Township Hall, 108 S. Jefferson, Plainville | 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Trego County: Trego County Fairgrounds, 13th and Russell Ave., WaKeeney | 9 a.m.–4
p.m.
Visitors will have the opportunity to meet participating organizations, learn about their missions and make their Give Fest gifts in person. Donors will also have a chance to win a $50 Visa gift card and award a $100 bonus grant to their favorite participating organization.
New this year: Lunch & Happy Hour
This year, Give Fest is adding even more opportunities to gather, connect with participating organizations and enjoy the Oktoberfest spirit in each county.
In Rooks and Trego counties, community members are invited to stop by for a Brats & (Root) Beer Lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lunch is free, with free-will donations encouraged to the participating organizations of each donor’s choice.
In Ellis County, the celebration will continue into the late afternoon with a Give Fest Happy Hour from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Hays Rec Center Main Gym. Community members are invited to stop by after work for tasty bites and a menu of mocktails, visit participating organizations and make their Give Fest gifts before the celebration wraps up.
Whether donors join us for lunch, spend time visiting nonprofit booths throughout the day or stop by Happy Hour after work, Give Fest offers plenty of ways to connect with local organizations while celebrating generosity across the Heartland region.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Givers
Give Fest also provides an opportunity for young people across the Heartland region to experience philanthropy firsthand.
Through Heartland’s 5th Grade “Give Bucks” initiative, area fifth graders will visit the Give Fest celebrations throughout the day to meet participating organizations, learn about the many ways nonprofits serve their communities and choose where to donate sponsored Give Bucks.
The experience gives students something many adults never have the opportunity to do at such a young age: make their own charitable giving decisions and see firsthand how generosity can strengthen their community.
How to Give
- Online: Give at www.HeartlandGiveFest.org anytime from midnight October 1 through 11:59 p.m. October 7. Donors can support one organization or divide a single gift among multiple participating funds. You can also find the donation form here.
- In Person: Visit one of the Give Fest celebrations on October 7. Ellis County’s event runs from 9 a.m.–6 p.m., while Rooks and Trego county events run from 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Stop by one of local Heartland offices prior to Oct. 7 and we'll hold the donation until Oct. 7, so it gets matched.
o Ellis County: HCF, 1200 Main St., Suite 102, Hays, KS 67601 (There will be a day-off drop off at this location on Oct. 7, as well.)
o Rooks County: HCF, 202 W. Mill, Plainville, KS 67663
o Trego County: HCF, 110 N. Main St., WaKeeney, KS 67672 - By Mail: Mail donations to Heartland Community Foundation, PO Box 1673, Hays, KS 67601. Mailed gifts must be received by October 7 to qualify for matching funds.
- Out-of-Town Donors: Gifts may also be sent directly to a participating organization for the
organization to bring to Give Fest. Checks should be made payable to Heartland Community
Foundation with the organization’s name in the memo.
Donors can make a single gift and designate it among multiple participating organizations, making Give Fest a convenient way to support several causes at once. Leading up to October 7, Heartland Community Foundation will spotlight participating organizations and the work they are doing throughout Ellis, Rooks and Trego counties on social media.
For a complete list of participating organizations, online giving and additional Give Fest information, visit HeartlandGiveFest.org.
Participating Nonprofits Include:
Ellis County
- A Different Mindset Association
- Ag in the Classroom Fund (Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom)
- ARC Cares Fund (Arc of Central Plains)
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Serving Ellis County
- Cancer Council of Ellis County
- CASA of the High Plains
- Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas
- Catholic Tiger Mental Wellness Fund (Comeau Catholic Campus Center)
- Child Care of Ellis County
- Christmas Magic on Main Street (Hays)
- Company 5 Firefighter Legacy Fund (Ellis County Fire Services)
- Developmental Services of NW Kansas
- Ellis High School Booster Club
- Ellis County Fair Association
- Ellis County Historical Society
- Ellis County Youth Action Council
- Feeding Hays at St. Michaels
- First Baptist Church of Hays
- First Call for Help
- Fort Hays Tech | North Central Foundation
- Habitat for Humanity of Ellis County
- Hays Area Children's Center
- Hays Arts Council
- Hays Community Theatre
- Hays High Athletics Hall of Fame
- HaysMed Foundation
- Hays Public Library Foundation
- Hays Recreation Commission
- Hays Senior Center
- Hays Symphony Guild
- High Plains Mental Health Center Endowment
- Humane Society of the High Plains
- K-State Extension Cottonwood District
- Leadership Hays
- Neighbors Feeding Neighbors Fund
- Oktoberfest Hays (Volga German Centennial Association)
- Options Domestic & Sexual Violence Services
- Pete Felten Legacy Foundation
- Play Hays Foundation
- Scouting America- Coronado Area Council
- St. Joseph Parish of Hays
- STEM Harvest
- The Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays
- TMP-Marian School
- United Way of Ellis County
- USD 489 Foundation
- Victoria City Fire and ECFD Company 4
- Victoria Community Coalition Impact
- Women Who Lead
Rooks County
- A Different Mindset Association
- Ag in the Classroom Fund (Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom)
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Serving Rooks County
- CASA of the High Plains
- Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas
- Damar Community Foundation
- Damar St. Joseph Church Sustainability Fund
- Developmental Services of NW Kansas
- High Plains Mental Health Center Endowment
- Neighbors Feeding Neighbors Fund
- Northwest Kansas Ag Education Center Foundation
- Options Domestic & Sexual Violence Services
- Plainville Community Foundation Fund
- Plainville Fire Family Legacy Fund
- Plainville Kids Wrestling Club
- Plainville Memorial Library
- Rooks County Healthcare Foundation
- Rooks County Historical Society
- Rooks County Youth Action Council
- Scouting America- Coronado Area Council
- Stockton Community Fund
- Stockton Recreation Commission
Trego County
- A Different Mindset Association
- Ag in the Classroom Fund (Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom)
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Serving Trego County
- CASA of the High Plains
- Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas
- Collyer Endowment for Tomorrow
- Developmental Services of NW Kansas
- High Plains Mental Health Center Endowment
- Hutchison Memorial Scholarship Fund (Benefiting Trego County Students)
- Kelly Plaza
- Neighbors Feeding Neighbors Fund
- Options Domestic & Sexual Violence Services
- Scouting America- Coronado Area Council
- The Well — Center for Hope
- Trego Community General Public Transportation
- Trego County Food Pantry
- Trego County Historical Society
- Trego County-Lemke Memorial Hospital
- Trego County Youth Action Council
- Trego Grade School PTO
- Trego Hospital Endowment Foundation
