The Community Foundation of Utah

On December 15, 65 entrepreneurs from the state’s most dynamic companies shared their expertise with 70 nonprofits, sharing new insights on ways to respond to community needs in challenging economic times. The entrepreneur-mentors were grouped by skill sets such as Finance, Bootstrapping, Fundraising, and Technology and gave one-on-one mentoring in a fast-paced, dynamic and loud environment. Before the event, nonprofits were given ‘speed pitch’ training by Brock Blake of Funding Universe.

The participants tweeted, blogged and emailed to share how exciting their interactions were. “I came away with specific, actionable advice to more effectively communicate our program. WOW!” Anthony Powers blogged: “The chance to share some thoughts, ask some questions, and hopefully provide some guidance with those who need it most was personally very satisfying. Certainly a better professional gift than the office 'white elephant.' And all it cost me was a morning.” You can see other posts on our web site and facebook page or follow the twitter feed at #cfu.  More comments and links to press coverage are posted on our web site.

Pete Ashdown, the CEO XMission, Sarah Merz, the CEO of Franklin Covey Products, Phil Hansen, the CEO of CLEARLINK, and Charley Johnson, the owner of SnugZ, shared their strategies for ‘Doing Good and Doing Well’.  Their advice: don’t wait until you have a huge company before you give back to the community. Phil suggests a portfolio approach to community engagement, allowing for experimentation.  Charley encouraged people to just get try something  Pete encouraged nonprofits to come up with approaches outside of the traditional gala and silent auction , while Sarah said that using your products as a form of giving enhances brand awareness and loyalty. In short, social responsibility pays off in employee satisfaction and profits, but profits should not be the driving factor.

We are grateful to the sponsors who underwrote 100% of the expenses for the event: CLEARLINK, Funding Universe, Salt Lake Community College, Jason’s Deli, the law firm of Jones Waldo, iTOK, and David Sorenson of Merrill Lynch.

Enlightened Entrepreneurs’ confirmed a core belief of the foundation: that the intellectual capital entrepreneurs is a vital and underutilized resource that can, when coupled with the state’s nonprofit organizations, bring new perspectives to solve complex public problems

• The entrepreneurs and nonprofits who participated

Alta Community Enrichment (ACE) began an endowment with the Community Foundation of Utah to sustain the ongoing operational needs for our arts non-profit for many years to come. By partnering with foundation our small nonprofit has access to services that most organizations our size can only dream of: we are now able to receive a wide variety of donations, invest in ways which we were not doing in the past, and connect with new donors who share our passion for the Alta/Snowbird community. We also receive high quality advice from the foundation's Board of Trustees and staff on many subjects. We are proud to be the first agency to take advantage of the foundation's unbelievable offer to manage nonprofit endowments for free. ACE has just begun our relationship with the foundation, and it has been a positive forward thinking experience for our agency. We are excited for the future years with their Board and Staff.
- Sarah Gibbs, Executive Director

The Community Foundation of Utah has added a new donor-focused service:  Fiscal Sponsorships . These are time limited arrangements to help individuals or group who are working to address a community need in line with our mission but do not yet have the (501(c) (3) status necessary to attract donors.  The need might be short term in nature without a need for permanent tax status – or the agency might be in the process of forming. In either situation, the project needs a sponsor to receive donated funds which are then passed on the project. We are pleased to have adopted four worthy projects, each fulfilling a need in our community and our world. 

Our Haitian Heroes is building housing and construction businesses in Haiti. The group was started by a group of LDS Church missionaries who had served in Haiti and grew quickly to include people from all religious backgrounds seeking to make a difference in the lives of Haitians.

The I Am Jane Foundation supports the production of Margaret Blair Young's award-winning stage play, I Am Jane, about Jane Manning James, an early African American LDS pioneer who survived the mobs at Nauvoo, the westward trek to the Salt Lake Valley and the societal prejudices of an unforgiving era. The play is showing at the Grand Theater.

Project Choix Vert supports the creation of a new tool for Internet users to make socially responsible choices in their on line activities. Judith Burton, the founder of Project ChoixVert explains the passion behind her social entrepreneurship: "I strongly feel as sentient beings we have an ethical obligation to learn, invent, share and provide technologies to cultivate social responsibility, encourage collaboration, and enhance independence. By this practice, our culture will move at an accelerated pace into a future of maximum health and well being for humans, other species and the planet."

Canyon Rim Community Garden is transforming a vacant lot on the east bench into a community garden for the benefit of area residents as well as refugees, recent immigrants and other needy families.  The Garden will offer a place to learn, share and teach one another to produce organic food.  It offers a low-cost way and enjoyable way to spend time with people of different cultures, ages, and socio-economic groups.

You can support these worthy projects of the Foundation by logging into website and accessing the Donate Now page. 

As promised, the foundation followed up the mentor and the nonprofit participants of the Enlightened Entrepreneurs 'speed mentoring' event held last December. We were curious to learn if these quick interactions had any lasting impact. In a word – yes.

"Great for all parties involved to spend a relaxed yet impactful morning to share ideas and network. If my great experience is multiplied by 150, then the event as a whole must have substantial and measurable impact to Utah as a whole. But I assume the multiplier is even greater than 150."

The mentors appreciate the opportunity to share their business expertise with the non-profits and "give back" in a meaningful way: "Terribly rewarding to offer meaningful advice to peers (executives) struggling with the same types of issues I have struggled with."

And some have – as we hoped – continued to work closely with the nonprofit sector. "It ended up having a bigger impact on me then it did on them. I joined one board and have continued to meet with a few others since. It opened my eyes to a way I could serve with my talents that I had not previously thought of."

We are excited that both mentors and nonprofits want to continue, ad so the foundation is launching a series of initiatives under the umbrella 'Enlightened Entrepreneurs". Our goal is to build on this sentiment: "I loved the energy in the room. It was a vibrant event that reignited my confidence in what could be accomplished by a stronger synergy between the two sectors." The next step is our Social Innovation Challenge described in this newsletter. As one mentor noted "This could be transformational for the companies that participate."

Our nonprofit sector is hungry for new, innovative ways to achieve results.  Entrepreneurs have a desire to help, but have limited time and want their efforts to have a measurable impact.  The Social Innovation Challenge is a high-impact, time-limited catalyst for solving ‘scalable problems’  built on innovation, accountability and impact.

The Challenge begins with nonprofits submitting one-page proposals describing a new approach to a ‘scalable problem’ - one common to many nonprofits.  Examples might include generating revenue, strengthening business practices, or marketing to a new generation.  The 15 most promising proposals will work with a team of mentors to develop a preliminary strategy, including a clear definition of the problem, expertise needed, a budget and projections for return on investment.  Challenge Sponsors will then select three finalists, who will be given a project team of experts, a budget of $5,000 and three months to develop, implement and reengineer the solution to the problem.  The teams will work with the nonprofit’s leadership to create tangible, innovative and replicable plans that can be adapted to address a similar issue for other nonprofits.  The project teams will present their results, both successes and failures, in a case-study method at a public forum.    Thus ‘scalable solutions’ to  ‘scalable problems’ will be shared broadly, increasing the capacity of many organizations.

Utah’s Enlightened Fifty or “E-5-0” is a celebration of individuals and companies who are engaging their giving minds. This program is modeled on the highly successful v-100 to recognize emerging entrepreneurs pioneered by our Board Chair Greg Warnock while at V Spring Capital.  The E-5-O is a list of community-nominated and peer-selected individuals who are a driving force in improving Utah’s future.

Leaders in the corporate, government, academic, media and nonprofit sectors were asked to nominate individuals who
·       Pioneer innovative and sustainable approaches to the critical issues facing our state and its residents.
·       Demonstrate a consistent commitment to community engagement.
·       Are most likely to make a profound mark on Utah’s quality of life.
·       Value collaboration, entrepreneurship and creativity in giving back to Utah.

Next, we will ask all those nominated to select from among the nominees the five they think best exemplify an 'enlightened entrepreneur'.   The 50 who receive the most peer votes – the E-5-O – will be recognized publicly and invited to celebrate with those like-minded.  We will make sure to send you the results directly as well.  We will continue to strengthen and support this network of innovators committed to the common good each year. Watch for the announcement a the end of June!

Thanks to these men and women who have committed their intellectual capital to the betterment of our state. 

• Scott Abbott Five Star Painting
• Paul Allen FamilyLink.com
• Lisa Allison  
• Ken Allred Primary Intelligence
• Kelly Anderson Startup Pincess
• Preston Andrew  
• Jeremy Andrus Skullcandy
• Pete Ashdown XMission
• Lindsay Atwood TruHearing, Inc.
• Jordan Avner Corporate Movement
• Seth Bailey ITOK, LLC
• Brock Blake Lendio
• Shauna Bona McKinnon Mulherin
• William Borghetti Sendside
• Cynthia Boshard Intermountain Healthcare
• Craig Bott Grow Utah Ventures
• Tim Brown BotProof.com
• Rob Brunt Blueline Services
• George Brunt Prosper, Inc.
• Stead Burwell Alliance Health Networks, Inc.
• Ryan Caldwell MoneyDeskTop
• Laura Carrera Carrera and Company
• Richard Carter University of Utah
• Hugh Cawthorne  
• Eric Child Seastone / Kinetic Enterprises
• Winn Claybaugh Paul Mitchell The School
• Sharon Cook Mountain America Credit Union
• Micquelle Corry Jones Waldo
• Brent Crabtree ConnectShare
• Patrick de Freitas  
• Julie DeLong Backyard Bookeeper
• Vern Dickman Spring Mobile
• Rolf Dixon Weber State University
• Craig Earnshaw Utah Angels
• J.I. "Chip" Everest Western Pacific Group
• Dan Eyring CLEARLINK
• Rhett Frandsen mediaFORGE
• Stephanie Frohman Economic Development Corporation of Utah
• JD Gardner Monarch
• Randy Garn Prosper Learning
• Marsha Gilford Smiths Food & Drug Stores, Inc.
• David Goldsmith Alliance Health Networks
• Steve Grizzell InnoVentures Capital Partners
• Greg Gunn Coldwell Banker Commercial
• Phil Hansen CLEARLINK
• Rachael Herrscher Todays Mama
• Paul Heslop Salt of the Earth
• Barrett Hicken WebBank
• Leo Hopf Team Hopf
• Lewis Hower University Impact Fund
• Dan Ing Prosper, Inc.
• Hunter Jackson NAVIGEN
• Charley Johnson  
• David Jolley Ernst and Young
• Paul Jones Alden Keene
• Kimberley Jones Vérité, Inc.
• John Keller  
• Anne Kennedy Gardner AJL Renewal
• Maile Keone Vacation Roost
• Robb Kunz BoomStartup
• Paul Kushlan DynaQuest Technologies
• Alexander Lawrence Weber State University
• Lance Layton FACT.25
• Darren Lee Nextpage
• Erik Leines Celtek
• Beth Levine Smart Mouth Communications
• Brady Lewis Allmoxy/ LCS/ Halcyon
• Ron Lindorf BYU Proffessor
• Mauri Love CLEARLINK
• Jeramy Lund LUND Advisory Services
• Zachary Mangum Gro Social
• Todd Manwaring Economic Self Reliance Center, Marriott School, BYU
• Lisa Marcy Marcy Law Firm
• Trent Maw Linquix, Inc.
• Carla Meine Ideal Shape
• Kent Millington Utah Valley University
• Ryan Money Franchise Foundry
• Patrick Mullen University Venture Fund
• Brent Nixon Cymphonix
• Dave Oldham Ocodes
• Russ Page Fifty Studio
• Brandt Page Launch leads
• Anthony Power Thindata
• Andrew Rail LaunchLeads
• Andrew Rail SinAm Aviation
• Sarmeesha Reddy DharmaTech
• John Richards BYU - Rollins Center for Entrepreneurship
• Judy Robinett  
• Wayne Scholle Wayne Scholle Marketing
• Brian Seethaler Redirect Community
• Chip Self  
• Michael Sharp Jive Communications
• Chris Shurian Catholic Community Services of Utah
• Jeff Smith Med Source
• David Sorenson Merrill Lynch Wealth Management - Salt Lake City
• Duke Speer CorTech
• Cortney Stewart RELAX - Calming Drink
• Dan Stewart Sun Tooling & Molding
• Stormy Switzer  
• Kent Thomas Advanced CFO Solutions
• Michelle Thompson Peacock Events
• Brent Thomson Jive Communications
• Matt Thorne Holland & Hart
• Chalyce Valgardson Ernst & Young LLP
• Adam Walden  
• Andrew White Boom Start Up
• Gloria Wilkinson Zions Bank
• Tylor Williamson RPT Installations
• Ethan Willis Prosper
• Pearl Wright Energy Solutions
• Rob Wuebker University of Utah - David Eccles School of Business
• Tony Zito mediaFORGE

We are thrilled to announce that John Barabino has joined the Board of the Community Foundation of Utah.

John most recently served in Google's Policy and Government Affairs office in Washington DC, and previously built and led Google's worldwide syndication and distribution team that signed partners such as AOL, Amazon, Apple, Dell and eBay. With a keen insight for strong business models, he was a key, early executive at several pioneering Internet companies including Google, DoubleClick and Firefly. He brings tremendous expertise in the areas of sales, business development, and strategy to growing an enterprise from start-up to industry leading position.

Currently John is consulting with Environmental Defense Fund to help drive their policy & programmatic work around the smart grid. One part of the project is the Pecan Street Project, a public-private initiative to develop a local clean-energy power system for the city of Austin, where EDF is working with the City of Austin and Austin Energy on becoming the "utility of the future". For this project John led the recruitment of private participants (which now includes IBM, Cisco, Dell, Intel, Microsoft, Oracle and others) and helped lead PSP's successful application for $10M of ARRA stimulus funding.

John also serves on the board of the Gill Foundation and Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). John started his career in London with The Boston Consulting Group. He is a graduate of Cambridge University in the UK and Harvard Business School, where he was a Fulbright and Baker scholar. His studies also include graduate studies at UC Berkeley's School of City & Regional Planning.

 There are times when people just want to get something started ... and the paperwork gets in the way. In the past few months we’ve created ‘fiscal sponsorship’ relationships with projects whose work is aligned with our mission to serve the common good – but who are awaiting (or may never need) formal 501(c) (3) status.  These efforts are official projects of the Community Foundation of Utah, and the foundation receives donations targeted to their efforts.  We are pleased to introduce four exciting initiatives, each fulfilling a need in our community and our world. 

Canyon Rim Community Garden is transforming a vacant lot on the east bench into a community garden for the benefit of area residents as well as refugees, recent immigrants and other needy families. 

Our Haitian Heroes is building housing and construction businesses in Haiti. Started by a group of LDS Church missionaries who had served in Haiti, the project quickly grew to include people from all religious backgrounds seeking to make a difference in the lives of Haitians.

Project Choix Vert supports the creation of a new tool for Internet users to make socially responsible choices in their on line activities.

The I Am Jane Foundation supports the production of Margaret Blair Young's award-winning stage play, I Am Jane, about Jane Manning James, an early African American LDS pioneer.

You can support these worthy projects of the Foundation by logging into website and accessing the Donate Now page. 

On a warm June night social innovators making a difference in our community gathered to share strategies and create new friendships and networks. The "Enlightened 50" or E-50 is a wonderfully eclectic group – dancers and lawyers, human rights advocates and bankers, venture capitalists and artists, academics and activists, scientists and environmentalists, entrepreneurs and government officials – all recognized by our community and their peers as the people making a difference in our state.

Greg Warnock, Chair of the Foundation thanked them on behalf of his first grandchild for "tackling incredibly complex issues and doing the heavy lifting. You do not wait to be asked to help; you simply see a problem - or two or three – and get to work on solutions."

An important element of the E-50 is its impartiality. More than 150 names were submitted by the media, public, nonprofit and corporate sector, and these nominees in turn selected the 50 individuals who pioneer innovative and sustainable approaches to the critical issues facing Utah, demonstrate a consistent commitment to community engagement, are most likely to make a profound mark on Utah's quality of life and value collaboration, entrepreneurship and creativity in giving back to Utah.

Our job is simply to facilitate these creative and passionate social entrepreneurs learn from, support and help engage with each other. We plan educational and networking events, and each Spring we'll ask you to help grow this network of people dedicated to the common good.

Congratulations!

• Rocky Anderson, High Road for Human Rights
• Scott Anderson, Zions Bank
• Pete Ashdown, Xmission
• Paul Allen, FamilyLink.com
• Christie Babalis, TheCanyons
• Kerry Bate, Salt Lake Housing Authority
• Brent Bishop, ContentWatch
• Krista Black, JK Black Systems
• Brock Blake, Funding Universe
• Anne Burkeholder, YWCA
• Jordan Clements, Peterson Partners
• Patrick Commiskey, Four Sight Partners
• Lew Cramer, World Trade Center Utah
• Gary Crocker, Crocker Ventures
• Ryan Davies, Redco
• Dave Duffin, Rumbi Island Grill
• Zeke Dumke III, Western States Management
• Linda Dunn, Bennion Center
• Jill Ellis, USTAR
• JD Gardner, Zen Print
• David E. Gee, Parr, Brown, Gee & Loveless
• Peter Giles, the Leonardo
• Natalie Gochnour, Salt Lake Chamber
• Steve Grizzell, Innoventures
• Allan Hall, Mercato Partners
• Jeremy Hanks, Doba
• Darci Hansen, Elan Woman
• Josh James, Omniture
• John Keller, World Wide Books
• Alex Lawrence, Funding Universe
• Dan Lofgren, Cowboy Partners
• Tom Love, Love Communications
• Jeramy Lund, the Lund Foundation
• Victoria Lyons, Bad Dog Rediscovers America
• Todd Manwaring, BYU
• Greg Miller, Larry Miller Group
• Jeffrey Miller, Mark Miller Subaru South Towne
• Matthew Minkevitch, the Road Home
• Richard Nelson, Utah Technology Council
• Eric Olafson, Tomax
• Dinesh Patel, vSpring
• Adam Price, Salt Lake Art Center
• Jerry Rapier, Plan-B Theater Company
• Insa Riepen, Recycle Utah
• Kayleen Simmons, People Helping People
• Will West, Control 4
• Gary Williams, BYU Marriot School
• Rob Wuebker, University of Utah
• Ze Min Xiao, Refugee Services Liaison
• Judy Zone, YouthLinc