Founder, Big Nest
Ben Downey
I build practical software for parent groups, shaped by the years I have spent doing the work.
I began volunteering with my kids’ elementary school in 2019. During the pandemic, I built online tools so the group could continue accepting donations and serving families. That work became Big Nest.
Since then, I have worked with PTO and PTG leaders around the country. The biggest lesson has been that when volunteers spend less time on paperwork, they have more time for the things they wanted to do for their school.
My goal is to build a platform that quietly carries the details and gives each new board the benefit of what the last one learned.
What guides the work
Respect volunteer time
Parent-group leaders should not have to become software experts or rebuild basic systems every year.
Carry knowledge forward
The decisions, relationships, and experience developed by one board should become a stronger starting point for the next.
I continue building Big Nest because I have seen what committed volunteers can accomplish when the tools stay out of their way. The work matters to families, to schools, and especially to the kids those communities support.