The Utah Grantmakers Alliance (UGA) is a forum for local family foundations and donors committed to convening and collaborating to maximize their philanthropic impact.
Exclusive to Utah foundations and community donors, UGA brings individuals together to learn and share their experiences in philanthropy. The Community Foundation of Utah, along with the UGA Steering Committee, hosts convenings and curates content to provide resources for giving. Members explore strategies for more effective, impactful, and engaged philanthropy amongst their peers.
Reflecting on Glen Galaich's Fireside Chat - Member Discussion
UGA members met for a Member Discussion to reflect on Glen Galaich's presentation and share their experiences with grantmaking approaches, foundation governance, and choosing whether to give in perpetuity.
What Will Be the Future Impact of Your Giving?
UGA hosted Glen Galaich, CEO of the Stupski Foundation, for a discussion on foundation governance, building grantee relationships, and the Stupski Foundation's decision to spend down.
Speakers:
Glen Galaich, Stupski Foundation
Glen joined the Stupski Foundation as CEO in 2015, where he is invested in making significant strides in food security, economic empowerment, and palliative care for individuals and families in the San Francisco Bay Area. His professional mission is to support equity, justice, and dignity to combat systemic racism, to reduce practices of donor control that lead to resource deprivation to BIPOC communities, and to better serve others.
Brent Andrewsen, Holland & Hart LLP
Brent serves as a trusted advisor to his clients, both individuals and organizations, in all aspects of charitable planning, wealth management, and business planning. His practice focuses on nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations, assisting them with their board governance, qualification and maintenance of exempt status, and legal audits when necessary. Additionally, Brent offers clients sophisticated estate planning and tax-efficient strategies to manage their wealth and reduce their potential tax liabilities.
Utah: The Next Decade
UGA hosted Natalie Gochnour, Director of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, for a discussion on the broader demographic and community needs facing Utah over the next decade.
Speaker: Natalie Gochnour, Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute
Natalie is Associate Dean in the David Eccles School of Business, Director of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah and Chief Economist for the Salt Lake Chamber. The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, part of the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah, prepares economic, demographic, and public policy research that helps Utah prosper. The Gardner Institute is Utah’s preeminent public policy institute and a vital gathering place for policy leadership and thoughtful discourse.
Affordable Housing in Utah
UGA hosted Clark Ivory of the Clark and Christine Ivory Foundation, and Abby Ivory, Ivory Innovations, for a discussion on their experiences fostering and creating innovation in housing affordability.
Speakers:
Clark Ivory, Clark and Christine Ivory Foundation
Clark is Founder of the Clark and Christine Ivory Foundation, created in 2003 to make a positive impact on the community and be a catalyst for change. The Foundation focuses their philanthropy by supporting, at the most fundamental level, the individual, amplifying the capacity to advance economically through education, affordable housing, and sustainable communities.
Abby Ivory, Ivory Innovations
Abby is Managing Director of Ivory Innovations, an applied academic institution at the University of Utah's David Eccles School of Business dedicated to catalyzing high impact innovations in housing affordability. Ivory Innovations seeks to promote the most compelling ideas in housing affordability by working across sectors, providing monetary awards for groundbreaking innovations, and leveraging its network and resources.
Reflecting on the COVID-19 Pandemic - Member Discussion
UGA members met for a Member Discussion and shared what has changed in their giving, grantmaking, family engagement, and operational practices in response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
How Next Gen Donors are Revolutionizing Giving
UGA hosted Sharna Goldseker, Founder of 21/64, for a discussion on establishing healthy communication in multigenerational philanthropy and putting systems in place for strong stewardship.
Speaker: Sharna Goldseker
Sharna is a leading expert on multigenerational and next generation philanthropy, and as a next gen donor herself, offers a trusted insider’s perspective. As founder of 21/64, a nonprofit practice serving next gen and multigenerational philanthropic families, Sharna has mastered and developed the industry’s gold-standard tools for transforming how families who give will define their values, collaborate, and govern in the decades ahead. She has been a leading and consistent presence in the philanthropic field for two decades and is known for her quiet gravitas and insight. Sharna is the co-author of the best seller, Generation Impact: How Next Gen Donors Are Revolutionizing Giving published by Wiley.
2020 Trends in Philanthropy
UGA hosted a discussion with Nicholas Tedesco, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP), on the national trends in Philanthropy in 2020.
Speaker: Nicholas Tedesco
Nick is President and Chief Executive Officer of NCFP. Prior to joining NCFP, Nick served as a Senior Advisor in the J.P. Morgan Philanthropy Centre where he provided clients with insights and services to help meet their philanthropic objectives through innovative advice, thought leadership and opportunities for learning and collaboration. Previously, Nick served as a Relationship Manager at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he helped launch the Giving Pledge—an effort led by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett to encourage the world’s wealthiest individuals and families to commit the majority of their wealth to philanthropy. NCFP serves as a hub of learning, connection, and collaboration designed to resource and activate a community of families to be intentional philanthropic stewards.
The State of the State
UGA hosted a discussion with Pamela Perlich, Director of Demographic Research at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, on Utah’s needs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaker: Pamela Perlich, Ph.D.
Pamela is Senior Advisor at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. Prior to this role, she served as Director of Demographic Research at the Gardner Institute, where she and her team are responsible for developing and producing population estimates and projections, neighborhood indicators and demographic analyses focusing on Utah. In addition, the Demography team is responsible for the Utah State Data Center, a program affiliated with the U.S. Census Bureau that is responsible for the dissemination and interpretation of demographic and socioeconomic data.
Collaboration within Family Philanthropy
UGA hosted a discussion with Josh Kanter and Alex Eaton on facilitating conversations with families to find value alignment through philanthropy.
Speaker: Joshua Kanter, Josh Kanter Wealth Advisory Services
Josh provides personalized multi-generational family, business and legal wealth advisory services to his clients in various areas, including family meeting design and facilitation, family and business structuring, family governance, family office design, trust, estate and tax planning, risk mitigation, “blind spot” review, development of family “owner’s manuals,” philanthropy. In 2011 he founded the Alliance for a Better Utah, a nontraditional, non-governmental organization dedicated to providing balance, accountability and transparency in Utah policy and politics. He is currently a member of the board of the International Sculpture Center, and a member of the Rowland Hall capital campaign committee. Josh serves as an elected representative to the Granite Community Council, is a member of the Collaboration for Family Flourishing, and is director of the Kanter Family Foundation.
Alex Eaton, Community Foundation of Utah
Alex is Chief Executive Officer of the Community Foundation of Utah. She has over twenty-five years of for-profit and nonprofit leadership experience and has expanded the Foundation’s reach to foster greater community engagement, impact, and stewardship. She was selected for the first cohort of Designing for Social Systems at Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design and is a 21/64 Certified Advisor.
The Power of System Level Change
UGA hosted Emily Tow Jackson, President of the Tow Foundation, for a discussion on the Foundation’s commitment to collaboration and advocacy as a key to achieving social change.
Speaker: Emily Tow Jackson
The Tow Foundation, a private family foundation with $220 million in assets and approximately $15 million in annual giving, has worked to reduce juvenile incarceration in Connecticut through fostering collaboration throughout their community. The Foundation supports visionary leaders and nonprofit organizations that serve historically marginalized populations, help individuals contribute to their communities, and champion advancements and experiences that make it possible for all people to live healthy and joyous lives. In 2019, the Tow Foundation was one of nine recipients of the 10th class of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
How You Give with Impact – Member Discussion
UGA members met for a Member Discussion and shared how they engage with nonprofit organizations in discussions around impact.
The Giving State
UGA hosted a discussion with Jacob Allen and Lindsey Kneuven on The Giving State, the inaugural 2017 report on Utah’s Philanthropic Landscape.
Speaker: Jacob Allen, Author, The Giving State
Jacob Allen is a Senior Partner with Cicero Group and Managing Director of the Social Impact practice, partnering with leading nonprofits and foundations to improve social impact through strategy, performance monitoring and impact evaluation (M&E), performance management, and donor and beneficiary analytics. Over the past 15 years, Jacob has worked with mission-driven organizations, including leading corporate philanthropies, international NGOs, and networks of nonprofit, direct-service providers. He has led the strategic design, implementation, and measurement of social impact programs run by Presidents Bush and Clinton, United Way, Goldman Sachs, the Alzheimer’s Association, the Nature Conservancy, and many others.
Speaker: Lindsey Kneuven, Co-Lead, The Giving State
Lindsey is the head of social impact at Pluralsight, leading all global philanthropic initiatives, implementing strategies that align Pluralsight's product, culture, community, people and brand to make a meaningful impact on the way the world learns. Prior to joining Pluralsight, Lindsey served as the chief impact officer at Cotopaxi, the first social enterprise to incorporate as a Public Benefit Corporation and receive venture funding. While there, Lindsey developed and oversaw the company's global philanthropic strategy, including all giving, supply chain initiatives and community engagements. Under her leadership, the company launched a successful and thriving model, proving to investors that an integrated social impact strategy created positive value for both the business and the world.
Multigenerational Philanthropy Member Discussion
UGA hosted a networking luncheon for UGA members to share their roles in their family foundations and explore why giving is meaningful to them. A panel discussion followed to discuss family philanthropy and explore giving values.
Speakers:
- Alli Gardner, Mark and Kathie Miller Foundation
- Erin Linder, Collected Art Services
- Ellen Rossi, Quinney Foundation
Bridging the Generational Divide in Family Philanthropy
UGA hosted a discussion with Lisa Parker, President of the Lawrence Welk Family Foundation and national expert in family philanthropy, on how families can engage multiple generations in giving.
Speaker: Lisa Parker, President, Lawrence Welk Family Foundation
Lisa brings 30 years of experience in philanthropy and nonprofit management to her work with philanthropic families. Since 1997 Lisa has been President and Executive Director of the Lawrence Welk Family Foundation, leading the Foundation’s initiatives to address poverty and seed the youth giving movement and creating youth philanthropy programs for the family’s 4th generation. Lisa serves as an advisor and board member to numerous organizations working to build and expand the philanthropic sector, including the USC Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy and the National Center for Family Philanthropy, and speaks nationally on raising charitable children, youth philanthropy, new models of giving and the evolution of family philanthropy “From Lawrence Welk to Lady Gaga.”
Benefits of Family Foundation Alliances
UGA hosted a representative of the Orange County Community Foundation to present on the success of their Family Foundation Alliance. They learned the value of their Family Foundation Alliance comes from forming a peer network, sharing best practices, identifying issues in their community, and moving toward collaborative efforts.
Speaker: Orange County Community Foundation
Innovative Social Finance for Better Communities
UGA hosted a discussion to look at innovative philanthropic solutions to social issues. Presenters shared information about social impact bonds, impact investing, venture philanthropy, and other new tools in philanthropy.
Speakers:
- Jim Sorenson, Sorenson Center for Global Impact Investing
- Mayor Ben McAdams, Salt Lake County
Opportunities and Challenges for Higher Education in Utah
UGA hosted David Buhler, Commissioner of Higher Education with the Utah System of Higher Education, and learned about the opportunities and challenges facing the state's universities and colleges. Commissioner Buhler spoke about his work to increase college attainment and success for all students in Utah, including underserved and first-generation students.
Speaker: David Buhler, Commissioner of Higher Education
Serving Refugees in Utah
UGA hosted a panel to learn about serving refugee citizens. At least 46,154 refugees have resettled in Utah since 1988. The transition from the federal resettlement agencies to local agencies is an enormous challenge for the local refugee assistance organizations and the refugees themselves. UGA learned about efforts to resettle, integrate, and support Utah’s new citizens.
Speakers:
- Dr. Shu Cheng, Executive Director at Asian Association of Utah
- Ze Min Xiao, Refugee Services Liaison for Salt Lake County
- Mara Rabin, MD, Medical Director of Utah Health & Human Rights
- Isabel Rojas, Community Collaborations Director, United Way