The Community Foundation of Utah

Our founding members Alan Hall, Tim Brown, CBRE Salt Lake, Scott Huntsman, Monavie and Karl Israelsen know that companies committed to their community do a better job attracting and retaining talent, capital and customers. They know that a growing economy depends on good schools, clean air, vibrant cities, strong cultural institutions and a caring environment for those less fortunate. And they are the first members of a new initiative to build a community of 'enlightened entrepreneurs' committed to enhancing the quality of life in Utah through community engagement. Join us!

Entrepreneurs for Utah's Future can donate or pledge founders' equity as a "tax advantaged" way to leverage equity for the benefit of our state), or pledge of a percentage of annual net profits or become a "Friend of the Foundation" through an annual donation. Contact Clare Aplington ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) to explore how the Community Foundation of Utah can help your company engage your giving mind.

41 people gave an estimated equivalent of one full time staff person and nearly $75,000 in time in three short months. Their interventions are saving dollars and increasing revenue in a time of great need. Talk about a Return on Investment!

Lead Student Teams

• James Oliver - University of Utah Net Impact
• Zachary King and Dave Owen - BYU Grantwell

Head Start

• Andrew Rail - SinAm Aviation
• Tim Brown - BotProof.com
• Barrett Hicken -  WebBank
• Trenton Maw -  Linquix, Inc.
• Jenny Kellis -  BYU
• Emily Gallegos - University of Utah

KUED

• Alex Lawrence  - Funding Universe
• Dan Stewart  - Sun Tooling & Molding
• Brandt Page  - Launch Sales and Marketing LLC
• Rhett Frandsen -  mediaFORGE
• Hugh Van Wagenen  - BYU
• Meagan Thornton -  University of Utah

Utah Partners for Health

• Anne Gardner  - AJL Renewal Partners LLC
• Gloria Wilkinson  - Zions Bank
• Carla Meine  - VAST LLP
• Lisa  Estrin – Health Care consultant
• Hunter Jackson, PhD  - Navigen
• Jasen Orme  - BYU
• Amber Mcneel   - University Of Utah

Utah Symphony | Utah Opera

• Lewis Hower  - University Impact Fund
• Judy Robinett  - Princeton Social Capital
• Preston Andrew  - Local One
• Brian Seethaler  - Redirect Community
• Leo Hopf  - Team Hopf
• Amy Fisler  -  BYU
• Nicloe Wu -  University Of Utah

Spy Hop Productions

• Micquelle Corry  - Jones Waldo
• Patrick  Mullen  - University Impact Fund
• Duke Speer  - CorTech
• Rob Brunt  - BlueLine Services
• George Brunt and Dan Ing  - Prosper
• Sam Hafen  - BYU
• Cory Anderson - University Of Utah

Our latest economic dashboard study revealed that, like the families they serve, the agencies Utah relies on have exhausted their savings.  Just as these families are often one crisis away from poverty, the loss of a major donation could spell the end of that agency’s programs or services.

• 35% of the 155 agencies who responded to the survey had no reserves at all, meaning that the agency was surviving donation to donation; and
• of the 60% with some reserve, 40% are already tapping into their savings or will do so shortly.

Executive Directors have tried to bear the brunt of this budgetary nightmare at a greater rate than the national average:  40% of Utah’s nonprofit Executive Directors took pay cuts, refused raises, or took other actions—including volunteering full time, compared to 30% nationally. Download the full report, sponsored by Wells Fargo here.

Funding Universe is sponsoring the first ever Social Entrepreneurs crowd pitch. They are looking for profit-based companies who aim to improve our community. There are two criteria which every pitching company must meet:

1. You must be a viable, for-profit company
2. Your business model must benefit the Utah community, for example:

• green energy and environmental solutions
  local sustainable agriculture & small-scale agri-products processing
• address social and economic problems using private sector approaches as an alternative or complement to non-profit approaches
  businesses led by minority or women entrepreneurs

This is your chance to get get the ear of people who are serious about funding social entreprenerus.

The judges are Todd Manwaring - BYU Director of the Social Entrepreneurship business plan competition;  Fraser Nelson - founding Executive Director of the Community Foundation of Utah;  Steve Grizzell - Managing Director of InnoVentures Capital Partners.

Anyone can attend for free. You'll learn how investors think, meet the hottest start-ups, and have a lot of fun. You'll also help decide the winner of the event by investing your monopoly money in the business of your choice.

November 4
11:30 - 1:30 pm MST
Karen Gail Miller Conference Room
9750 S 300 W, Sandy, UT

"ENLIGHTENED ENTREPRENEURS"

SPEED MENTORING AND NETWORKING FOR THE COMMON GOOD

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2009

We have been absolutely blown away by the response to our Enlightened Entrepreneurs event!  More than 60 of the state's best known entrepreneurs have agreed to 'engage their giving minds'  for the common good!

Check in the 'Engaged' section of this web site for the latest news on who is coming and what to expect. We are We are excited - and hope you are too!

The Community of Foundation of Utah began by asking: 'What if we could engage the state's entrepreneurs to address Utah's complex social and environmental problems? How can we provide nonprofit organizations the strategic resources they need to create sustainable positive change?"

With your help, we can.

Enlightened Entrepreneurs is a high impact day of speed mentoring, networking and discussion that will 'engage the giving minds' of Utah's social and business entrepreneurs for the common good.

Our goal is to connect peoople working to make a difference in our community.  Entrepreneurs from the state's most dynamic companies will provide one-on-one "speed mentoring" to nonprofits seeking new insights on how to respond to community needs in challenging economic times, seeding deeper collaborations between Utah's social and corporate sectors.  A panel of Utah's most impactful entrepreneurs will highlight the work of Utah companies and nonprofits working to create positive social change in their communities. Over lunch the roles will be reverse, so the nonprofits can share the work withey are doing withthe business leaders.

Engage Your Giving Mind

Join with us to build a new synergy between the public and private sectors, one that will that will make Utah an even better place to live, raise our families and grow our businesses.

Sponsor the conference: Our sponsors demonstrate a commitment to Utah's entrepreneurs and to the organizations that make our state a great place to live and work. Call (801) 559-3005 for more information.

Be an entrepreneur mentor: Share your expertise with nonprofits.  Experts are needed to share one-one one 'speed mentoring' in marketing, branding, IT, evaluation, project management, leadership/management, accounting, business development, finance, bootstrapping, technology, building networks, etc. SIGN UP HERE

Participate as a nonprofit: Bring your most perplexing challenges to the event! SIGN UP HERE

Two recent articles in the Wall Street Journal this week promote the benefits of Donor Advised Funds as a cost effective tools for giving.  They also note a trend to close private foundations and revert the assets to donor funds and endowments placed in community foundations nationwide. Read the articles here and here.

We've published out third economic dashboard focused on the continuing impact of the recession, the sector's lack of long term savings, and the increase  - and benefits - of deeper collaborations. Download the report here.  DashboardNovember09.pdf

Standard Examiner looks at Ogden's nonprofits, featuring the results of the Community Foundation's Wells Fargo Economic Dashboard studies. Read the article here:

Time to sign up for the University of Utah – Professional Education Nonprofit Academy for Excellence! The application deadline: January 15, 2010.

The Nonprofit Academy for Excellence is now accepting applications for its spring cohort. Now in its third year, the Academy offers five University certificates in nonprofit management and leadership.

To apply, visit http://continue.utah.edu/proed/nonprofit or call (801) 585-1780.