The Community Foundation of Utah

The Community Foundation of Utah has, for the third year, identified fifty individuals who are making a real difference in the lives of Utahns through innovation, collaboration and commitment to the common good. The ‘Enlightened 50’. They include recognized business and religious leaders, unsung advocates and volunteers, academics, bloggers, directors of nonprofits, and elected officials.

Modeled on vSpring Capital’s v100, Utah’s E-50 are nominated by a very broad pool of community members. Each of the nominees then selects five individuals who they feel most meet the criteria. The top fifty vote getters make the final list and will be recognized at an event October 11^th. This year saw 216 individuals nominated.

In choosing the final E-5-0, nominees were asked to especially consider who has exhibited creativity, entrepreneurship, and collaboration. The criteria are:

-       An innovator – pioneering original and sustainable approaches to the critical issues facing our state and its people

-       A builder – committed to community engagement and the common good

-       A visionary – most likely to make a profound mark on Utah’s quality of life

The 2012 E-50

Barbara Barrington Jones: Philanthropist

Betsy Burton: Owner, The King's English Bookshop

Brandie Balken: Executive Director, Equality Utah

Bruce Bastian: Philanthropist, The Bastian Foundation

Cathy Hoskins: Executive Director, Salt Lake Community Action Program

Dan Potts: Wildlife and Garden Educator, Salt Lake County Fish and Game

Dave Wentz: President, USANA

Deborah Bayle: CEO, United Way of Salt Lake

Deeda Seed: Community Organizer, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance

Derek Dyer: Executive Director, Utah Arts Alliance

Diane Stewart: Philanthropist

Erin Trenbeath-Murray: Executive Director, Salt Lake Headstart

Gale Dick: Co Founder, Save Our Canyons

Gina Cornia: Executive Director, Utahns Against Hunger, Director

Gina Zivikovic: Community Garden Visionary

Hans Ehrbar: Associate Professor, University of Utah

Irene Fisher: Community Advocate

Jason Mathis: Executive Director, Downtown Alliance

Jeanette Herbert: First Lady of Utah

John Netto: Entrepreneur and Homeless Advocate

Jon Huntsman Jr.: Former Governor, State of Utah

Kathy Bray: CEO, Volunteers of America

Kevin Bell: GIS Coordinator, Salt Lake City

Kyle LaMalfa: The People’s Market & Council Member, Salt Lake City

Lane Beattie: President & CEO, Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce

Levi Elder: Damn These Heels' LGBT Film Festival Director, Utah Film Center

Liz Paige: Director of Community Service, Rowland Hall-St. Mark's School

Mary Nichols: Cancer blogger, TV reporter, CBS Affiliate

Matthew Holland, PhD: President, Utah Valley University

Matthew Minkevitch: Executive Director, The Road Home

Michael Arron: Owner and Publisher, Q Salt Lake Magazine

Nassir Marrouche: Executive Director, CARMA Center

Pamela Atkinson: Community Advocate,

Peter Metcalf: President, Black Diamond Equipment

Ralph Becker: Mayor, Salt Lake City

Rebecca Chavez-Houck: State Representative, State of Utah

Robin Marrouche: Executive Director, Kimball Art Center

Sally Elliott: Commissioner, Summit County

Sara Baldwin: Senior Policy & Regulatory Associate, Utah Clean Energy

Sarah George, PhD: Director, Natural History Museum of Utah

Sarah Wright: Executive Director, Utah Clean Energy

Scotty ‘Soltronic’ Whittaker: Founder, Sol Systems Solar Mobile Solar Powered DJ Booth

Sharon Abegglen: Housing & Emergency Services Director, Salt Lake Community Action Program

Sharon Leopardi: Owner, BUG Farms

Spencer F. Eccles: Chairman, George S. & Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation

Taylor Randall, PhD: Dean, University of Utah - David Eccles School of Business

Teri Orr: Executive Director, Park City Performing Arts Foundation

Terra Cooper: Volunteer photographer, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

Timothy DeChristopher: Founder, Peaceful Uprising

Vern Hancock: Architect Temple Construction Director, LDS Church

Virginia Maruffo Martinez: Community Advocate,

Utahns are known for their resourcefulness. We have an innate ability to envision what could be within what currently exists. We strive to transform our immediate environment into something more productive, and more thoughtful. We can see the possibilities a new idea, a talented student, a fledgling enterprise and those who have come to Utah to make a new home. We are also grounded in our heritage and history. We cherish our relationship with the natural world, and work to preserve the vitality of places and institutions that make Utah great.

In this, our second annual report, we highlight the transformations made possible by our generous donors, volunteers, and partner organizations. We hope these stories of transformation and of generosity inspire each of us to keep working towards the common good for all who live in Utah.

Click here to read the report.

Thank you to Jennifer Dobner for her expertise and assistance in drafting this report, and for those who share their stories in its pages.

With the support of the Wells Fargo Foundation, we've been tracking the impact of the recession on Utah nonprofits since 2009. This report summarizes the results of our final Economic Dashboard. The good news: Nonprofits have by and large weathered the recession and learned the importance of sound financial planning. Ticket sales are up, and earned revenue is making an impact on the bottom line. The bad: Giving has yet to return to pre-recession levels, while need continues to climb. And 2,186 charities have closed their doors.

Download the report here. And let us know if you would like specific data for your sector. Wells Fargo Nonprofit Dashboard September 2012.pdf

We have decided to change the name of our day of giving to LOVE UTAH GIVE UTAH - and we are delighted to announce that Pam Bowers with Canvas Sky Graphic design has agreed to take on our new look and name. We love the way our plans are shaping up, and are grateful for the many organizations, companies and people who have already told us they plan to 'give where they live' on March 22.

Watch this space for her fantastic work - and for more news about our efforts!

Estate Planning for Same Sex Couples CLE

Sponsored by The Estate Planning Section of the Utah State Bar and the Community Foundation of Utah’s LGBT Community Endowment Fund

Tuesday, November 6^th from 12:00 to 1:00 pm at the Utah State Bar 645 South 200 East.

There are over 50,000 gay, lesbian and bisexual people living in Utah. Many of these are in domestic relationships currently not recognized by Utah law. In addition, over 30% of same sex couples in Utah are raising children. These families face complex estate planning issues, including inheritance, taxes, guardianship of children, and planning for emergencies.

The Estate Planning Section of the Utah State Bar along with the Community Foundation of Utah’s LGBT Community Endowment Fund will sponsor a CLE on estate planning for LGBT individuals and families. The CLE will offer an overview of key issues and important topics related to estate planning for LGBT clients, and others in committed relationships outside of marriage. A panel of experts in on the subject will present including Laura Milliken Gray, Doug Fadel, and Jim Alder.

Save your spot by calling the Community Foundation of Utah, 801 559-3005 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sponsored by The Estate Planning Section of the Utah State Bar and the Community Foundation of Utah’s LGBT Community Endowment Fund - Tuesday, November 6th from 12:00 to 1:00 pm at the Utah State Bar 645 South 200 East.

There are over 50,000 gay, lesbian and bisexual people living in Utah. Many of these are in domestic relationships currently not recognized by Utah law. In addition, over 30% of same sex couples in Utah are raising children. These families face complex estate planning issues, including inheritance, taxes, guardianship of children, and planning for emergencies. The Estate Planning Section of the Utah State Bar along with the Community Foundation of Utah’s LGBT Community Endowment Fund will sponsor a CLE on estate planning for LGBT individuals and families. The CLE will offer an overview of key issues and important topics related to estate planning for LGBT clients, and others in committed relationships outside of marriage. A panel of experts in on the subject will present including Laura Milliken Gray, Doug Fadel, and Jim Alder. Save your spot by calling the Community Foundation of Utah, 801 559-3005 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

10 years ago I moved from Mexico to U.S. I felt welcomed in my new school, neighborhood, and community. My peers thought "it was cool" to be from Mexico and wanted to learn more about me. We exchanged experiences and learned about each other's cultures. Over the past few years however, I have seen how the discourse around immigration has changed in Utah.

According to the Migration Policy Institute, Utah’s immigrant population increased by 42.7 percent between 2000 and 2008. In addition, Utah was designated as one of the top destinations for refugee resettlement, with an estimated 25,000 refugees currently living in our state, nearly one-third of whom have arrived within the last ten years. These dramatic demographic shifts have led to increased anxiety among native-born U.S. residents that are not accustomed to the presence of immigrants and refugees in their neighborhoods. This anxiety has in turn led to mistrust and fragmentation within communities.

To build on the existing efforts on immigrant and refugee integration in the state, Comunidades Unidas / Communities United has launched the Welcoming Utah initiative. Through Welcoming Utah, we are part of a group of 20 affiliate organizations from different states that belong to the national initiative Welcoming America. Welcoming America is a national, grassroots-driven collaborative that works to promote mutual respect and cooperation between foreign-born and U.S.-born Americans. The ultimate goal of the Welcoming initiative is to create a welcoming atmosphere – community by community – in which immigrants are more likely to integrate into the social fabric of their adopted hometowns.

Welcoming Utah is working to build communities that embrace and celebrate the diversity and positive contributions that immigrants and refugees bring to our state. Welcoming work focuses on helping communities understand and appreciate new residents by promoting cross-cultural dialogue and interaction, support from community leaders, and positive messaging that shines a light on the many values that we all share.

A new study released by the National Conference on Citizenship titled “Civic Health and Unemployment II: The Case Builds” suggests that the presence of an organized nonprofit sector is linked to a lower level of local unemployment. The study found that there is less unemployment in counties with a higher density of nonprofits than in similar counties with fewer nonprofits. Also, the study described “the organizations that appear to be helpful” in addressing unemployment as “organizations that provide direct, tangible benefits to their members” and those groups “whose supporters perceive themselves as genuine members.”

The median increase in salaries for nonprofit directors was w whopping 1.6 % in 2010 - and for the second year in a row, a large share saw their pay either stagnate or decline in 2010. And the 'tradition' of women EDs being paid less than their male peers continues, across all size of organization, though closing (slowly). The bigger the agency, the bigger the discrepancy.  The gap between median chief-executive pay for men and women was 10.4%  in 2010 at organizations with budgets of $250,000 to $500,000, compared with 17.8%  in 2000. For organizations with budgets of $50-million or more, the gap was nearly 25% in 2010, compared with 45.6 % in 2000.  You can buy the full study here. But beware ... it is $349!

On the other side of this issue - A hike in parking fees at the Getty Museum in LA raised annual income to the Getty Trust by $1.74-million, about the same amount by which the foundation increased salaries for officers, directors, and trustees. Hmmm.

The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy report The Philanthropic Landscape: The State of Multi-Year Funding found that multiyear funding declined significantly across all foundation types and regions over the 2008-10 period. One exception: The Gates Foudnation.