Jeff Yost

Over the next 50 years, Nebraska will experience the largest intergeneration transfer of wealth in its history – more than $600 billion. Due to outmigration, much of it will end up in places other than Nebraska. If only a small portion of this wealth – just 5 percent – were given back through charitable gifts and endowed in community funds, we would have millions, even billions of dollars each year to invest in hometowns where young families can prosper. In the 21st century economy, people can live and work just about wherever we want, so the economic development question isn’t one of jobs… it’s why here? Why do I want to live, work, and raise my family in this community?

Jeff Yost is President and CEO of Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF), a grassroots organization dedicated to empowering community leaders to build and sustain their hometowns. Yost teaches around the world about asset-based community development and generative network building. Yost’s passions include helping community volunteers understand their individual and collective potential, entrusting local leaders with responsibility and authority in their communities, and inspiring confidence in the future of Nebraska and our hometowns. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.