imprint An analysis of

philanthropic giving in
Jackson Hole.

Dec. 4, 2019

Inequitable
philanthropy
High-dollar donors’ contributions are tied
more often to social or personal cues
than empirical need. Page 8.
2 - IMPRINT • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Imprint shows impact

of your philanthropy
P
hilanthropy is a cornerstone of giving reflects our community values.
Jackson Hole. In “Inequitable Philanthropy,” Imprint
There are many sectors of Editor Tom Hallberg blends yet-to-
our community that wouldn’t func- be-published research from “Billion-
tion well, or at all, were it not for the aire Wilderness: The Ultra-Wealthy
millions of dollars donated to various and the Remaking of the American
nonprofit organizations across the West,” a book that focuses on Teton
valley. County, and interviews with local
Being such an important industry, nonprofits to explore where our big
this year we’re launching Imprint, a bucks go — and how our community
publication that explores the impact is affected by this dispersal of donor
of philanthropy in our community. dollars.
We chose this word because of We hope this section is one that
the nod it gives to impact, which is informs, sparks ideas and provokes
so much of how we measure philan- conversation.
thropic giving. It’s not just the dollars
372614 donated, though that is admittedly
sizable in Jackson Hole. It’s the impact
of the money. How does your philan-
thropy — our philanthropy — imprint
on our community? That is the central
theme we seek to explore in the sec-
tion. Imprint Editors
This year readers can explore
some of the basics of philanthro-
py — do you know what all of the
501(c)s are? (page 4) — and dive
deeper to some philanthropic
events that are well known and well
loved (think: Old Bill’s). Reporters
also tackled stories about the im-
pact of small donors (pages 5 and
14,) and industry giving trends, in-
cluding grocery store giving (page
11) and matching grants (page 12).
But the cornerstone story of this
inaugural edition explores how our
371674

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Imprint Editors: Melissa Cassutt and Tom Hallberg
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Layout and Design: Andy Edwards, Samantha Nock
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Cover Illustration: Ryan Stolp

Photographers: Amber Baesler, Bradly J. Boner, Ryan Dorgan, Rebecca

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Copy Editors: Jennifer Dorsey, Cherise Forno, Mark Huffman

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 IMPRINT • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, December 4, 2019 - 3

CONNECT.
Through Old Bill’s, the Community Foundation makes
giving smarter, nonprofits more effective, and our
community stronger.

OLD BILL’S 2019 Co-Challenger Match $3,464,002

Designated gifts $10,917,189
2019 Total $14,381,191
Lifetime Total $173,720,537

372550
4 - IMPRINT • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Pups socialize and stretch their legs in the Animal Adoption Center’s courtyard. The adoption center is an example of a 501(c)(3) organization.
Nonprofits: 501(c)(3) and beyond
The centerpiece of the
charitable world is just
one of many designations.
By Cody Cottier
T
he word “nonprofit” has become basically
synonymous with “charity” in popular us-
age, but that is an oversimplification. It’s
true that 501(c)(3)s — the bastions of philan-
thropic giving — comprise the bulk of the non-
profit universe, but the category contains a long
list of lesser-known cousins.
The 501(c) prefix, which introduces various
kinds of organizations under the Internal Rev-
enue Code, signifies that an organization is ex-
empt from paying federal income tax. The kind
that happens to end in (3) is certainly the most
prominent, but there are also 501(c)(1)s and (2)
s and (4)s and (5)s, all the way up to (28). Most
are obscure and hyperspecific: The status (c)
(21) applies to black lung benefit trusts, and (c)
(13) to cemetery companies.
“If you look at the tax code,” said Karen Coleman,
chief financial officer at the Community Foundation
of Jackson Hole, “there are a lot of other types.”
To be clear, not all nonprofits automatically
fall into one of these categories of tax exemption.
State law de-
termines non-
profit status,
“Most charitable whereas the
giving is driven Internal Rev-
enue Service
by a personal desire grants federal
tax exemp-
to cure an ill or tion, and the
criteria are
address a need.” different
each case. The
in
— Karen Coleman two almost al-
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF JH ways coincide,
as reflected
in colloquial
speech, but that is not necessarily true.
What unites all these groups is, broadly, a com-
munity-oriented mission. For-profit businesses
operate with the sole aim — more or less — of
providing financial benefit to their shareholders,
but nonprofits exist to further a cause or supply a
need. Essentially, they must serve either the general
public or their own membership without concern
for the bank accounts of private individuals.
“There are services that the community deems
important enough to the collective good,” said
Sharel Lund, executive director of One22, a re-
source and advocacy center. “One way that gets
demonstrated is through nonprofit status.”
The term “nonprofit” is a bit of a misnomer.
These groups are in fact allowed to make some
profit beyond basic operating expenses (for ex-
ample, to maintain a reserve fund). The word re-
fers to the fact that they cannot contribute to the
monetary gain of private individuals.
“Tax-exempt” also needs clarification. 501(c)
organizations are not free from all taxes, only
from federal income tax on the income they gen-
erate through activities related to the purpose for
which they were granted tax-exempt status.
Wyoming has the fewest nonprofits of any
state, with about 3,600, according to the Na-
tional Council of Nonprofits. But with roughly six
for every 1,000 people, it has the third most per
capita, behind Montana and Vermont.
501(c)(3)
Odds are this is what you think of when you
hear the term “nonprofit” — foundations, food
banks, churches, museums, amateur sports
leagues, animal welfare groups. The list goes on.
501(c)(3)s are by far the most common non-
profits, comprising nearly 75 percent nation-
wide, and they are generally defined by a chari-
table, educational or religious purpose. In Teton
County they range from the Jackson Cupboard
to Teton Youth and Family Services to the Off
Square Theatre Company.
Coleman, with the Community Foundation —
which facilitates charitable giving by assisting
other nonprofits and donors — explained the
philosophy behind (c)(3)s: There are certain
needs, in Jackson Hole and everywhere else,
that government programs and commercial
businesses can’t or simply don’t meet.
“Philanthropy fills a niche for society,” she
said, “by providing services that would not be
sustainable on a for-profit basis, because the
individuals or the groups that benefit from them
do not have the means.”
One crucial difference between (c)(3)s and oth-
er nonprofits is that donations to them are tax-de-
ductible. Donors can subtract most of the money
they give to such causes from their taxable income,
lowering the amount they pay each year in federal
income taxes and incentivizing charitable giving.
Nevertheless, Coleman said, these tax ben-
efits aren’t at the front of most donors’ minds
when they choose to sign a check.
“Most charitable giving,” she said, “is driven by
a personal desire to cure an ill or address a need.”
Another common misconception of (c)(3)s is
that they cannot lobby. They can’t take partisan
stances, for example by supporting any particu-
lar candidate for public office, but they can advo-
cate for certain rules and policies.
501(c)(4)
Likely the next most common after (c)(3)s,
(c)(4)s are civic leagues and social welfare or-
ganizations. Often that includes everything from
Rotary Clubs to volunteer fire stations to home-
BRADLY J. BONER/ / NEWS&GUIDE FILE
owners associations.
The important distinction for (c)(4)s is that
they can engage in political activity. These
groups don’t face the same restrictions when
it comes to supporting candidates for office, so
long as politics don’t become their main focus.
More specifically, they can’t spend more than
50% of their money on politics. But they can
still influence elections, often through advertis-
ing. That allows nonprofits like Shelter JH, for
example, to maintain tax-exempt status and be
able to “help keep great housing champions in
office,” as it proclaims on its website.
However, donations to (c)(4)s usually aren’t
tax-deductible in the way they are for (c)(3)s.
There are exceptions, but they typically also
rely on membership dues. They may be required
to disclose to members how much of their dues
are going toward political campaigning, or pay
a “proxy tax” on political expenses.
501(c)(5)
The most common kind of nonprofit under this
category is the labor union: a group of workers
in a particular industry who join together to ne-
gotiate for better pay, benefits or working con-
ditions. Some agricultural organizations with a
similar goal also belong in the (c)(5) section.
Like (c)(4)s, these groups can campaign politi-
cally to advance their members’ interests, but politics
cannot constitute the bulk of their activity. Again, as
with (c)(4)s, donations are not tax-deductible, and
they operate mostly on membership dues.
501(c)(6)
These groups essentially exist to promote busi-
ness. The category is largely comprised of trade
associations formed on a regional or national scale
— including the ponderously named National As-
sociation of Associations — but the Jackson Hole
Chamber of Commerce is one local example.
Chamber President Anna Olson was familiar with
the more common nonprofits when she switched
out of the for-profit sector, but this strange new
designation took some getting used to.
“I remember I came to the chamber and
they’d say, ‘Now you’re a (c)(6),’ and I didn’t
know anything about it,” she said. “That’s why
we have a finance manager.”
Though they work to further the interests
of businesses that do turn a profit, 501(c)(6)s
themselves do not. Besides, Olson said, the eco-
nomic boost chambers of commerce foster is a
boon to all, not just the businesses in their mem-
bership. She noted that the Chamber’s member-
ship includes many other nonprofits.
“A lot of things that take place under the
umbrella of a chamber are often for the greater
good of the community,” she said.
Contact Cody Cottier at 732-5911 or town@
jhnewsandguide.com.
 IMPRINT • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, December 4, 2019 - 5

Diverse donors are the secret to success

Smaller Jackson organizations
rely on a plethora of givers
to fill their coffers.
By Emily Mieure

S
ometimes children walk up to Marty Anderson
and hand him a few dollar bills they know will
be used to help other kids during the holidays.
The Santa Claus Fund treasurer then makes sure ev-
ery penny goes toward that mission. He said those dona-
tions add up to make a difference in other people’s lives.
Large financial contributions also help, but they
aren’t the only ones that matter.
“We get $5 donations, and we get $5,000 dona-
tions,” Anderson said. “It’s all across the board.”
The Santa Fund buys toys and clothes for children
from families in need. The organization’s hundreds of
volunteers (or elves) help make sure all funds raised
go toward gifts.
“Each kid chooses exactly what they want, and we
buy it,” Anderson said.
Nonprofits in Teton County collect all types of do-
nations from all types of donors.
The budgets of the community’s nonprofits vary
widely. The Santa Fund makes do with a $45,000
annual budget, while the Jackson chapter of Par-
ents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, or
PFLAG, works with about $4,000 a year.
“Our average gift is $40 or less,” PFLAG facilita- BRADLY J. BONER / NEWS&GUIDE

tor Mark Houser said.
Houser said he receives gifts as little as $10, but it
all helps.
“Every dollar we have gives us monies to put into
programming because we are a volunteer organiza-
tion,” Houser said.
Jackson PFLAG celebrates diversity and ensures
Jackson and the state of Wyoming embrace people of
diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.
The organization hosts support group meetings,
brings educational speakers to the community, puts
on movie nights and advocates for equal rights.
Houser said PFLAG’s donor base is mostly private
individuals, but some Jackson businesses give their
support, too. A small budget works for the nonprofit
because it has volunteers who give their time.
Mark Houser, facilitator for the Jackson chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, said his organization
is funded through private donations and works with a small budget supplemented by volunteers who give their time. Like
most nonprofits in Jackson, PFLAG also benefits from Old Bill’s matching funds.
The Santa Fund and Jackson PFLAG, along with community’s ability to raise undesignated matching
most nonprofits in Teton County, rely on Old Bill’s dollars is incredible.”
Fun Run to meet their annual fundraising goals. The bulk of donations to many Teton County non-
“We have tremendous support in this community,” profits goes through Old Bill’s. But contributions are
Houser said. welcomed any time of year and in any form.
The Community Foundation of Jackson Hole’s Old If you’d like to donate to or volunteer for the Santa
Bill’s fundraiser is an annual event that matches indi- Fund or Jackson PFLAG, visit SantaClausFund.org or
vidual donations. JacksonPFLAG.com.
“It’s an extra $15,000 for us,” Anderson said. “We Learn more about Old Bill’s and other nonprofits at
also have a donor that, if we fall short, they are always CFJacksonHole.org.
willing to step up to the plate.”
“Old Bill’s is unique,” said Karen Coleman, chief Contact Emily Mieure at 732-7066 or courts@
financial officer at the Community Foundation. “Our jhnewsandguide.com.

Every year 1 in 5
OF us will experience a
mental health
ISSUE.



  

 




  

 




 



 
   
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6 - IMPRINT • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Old Bill’s is a tradition that spreads cash

a professional triathlete, former NCAA Di-
The original match vision 1 runners, even an Iditarod veteran
in 1997 was $500,000, or two were among the field of more than
600 participants who turned out for Sat-
and the yearly event urday’s charity race.”
has grown from there. The concept was, of course, the brain-
child of Mr. Old Bill himself, the anony-
By Chance Q. Cook mous figure who, along with Mrs. Old Bill,
donated a matching grant of $500,000

T
he Sept. 17, 1997, edition of the
Jackson Hole Guide seemed
to have some reference to Old
Bill’s in every section.
The lead editorial — titled “Jack-
son Hole run for funds shows heart”
— boasted the success of the inau-
gural campaign that was closing in on
$2 million.
“In the era of $100 million NBA con-
tracts, $52 million property purchases and
$30 million motion picture deals, $2.2 mil-
lion seems like petty cash,” the editorial
read. “More than 600 people summoned
up the compassion and pledges to raise
that much … at Saturday’s first-ever Old
Bill’s Fun Run and Walk for Charity.”
A story on the cover of the sports sec-
tion took a look at the fun run itself, read-
ing, “Former Olympians, Olympic hopefuls,
that first year and every year since. This
year, the 23rd edition of the event, began
with that contribution, raised roughly eight
times what the first event brought in and
shows no signs of slowing down.
According to the Jackson Hole Com-
munity Foundation, the unique event was
born in Mr. Old Bill’s brain while he was
on a run in 1995. He was involved with the
foundation and presented his idea to its
board. One board member asked, “What if
we throw a party and no one comes?” Old
Bill responded, “Have you ever heard of RYAN DORGAN / NEWS&GUIDE FILE
a party where money’s being given away Participants of the 23rd annual Old Bill’s Fun Run for Charities gather Sept. 7 at the Town
and no one comes?” Square. The event draws thousands of people, and not just runners.
Old Bill was right. All told, the first run
netted $1.8 million for local nonprofits and services to those in Teton County who the Community Safety Network
has only grown in the two decades that can’t afford them. One22 has only been “I remember the first Old Bill’s, and we
have followed. around since 2016, but came as the result kind of couldn’t believe it, like it’s just too
Sharel Lund is the executive director of the merger of three nonprofits. When good to be true, and I still feel that way ev-
of One22, a nonprofit that provides human Old Bill’s launched in 1997, she was with See OLD BILL’S on 7

How it works when you give money to the Old Bill’s campaign
The Jackson Hole Community Foundation said the name “Old
Bill” itself can be traced back to Mr. Old Bill’s childhood memory of
riding his grandfather’s horse, “Old Bill.”
“What a marvel at age 11 that the horse could carry the weight
of all his siblings at once,” the foundation said. “It seemed fitting
that one event designed to benefit every nonprofit in the valley be
a marvel of even great magnitude and a special tribute to those
childhood memories.”
The weight of the event is anchored by Mr. and Mrs. Old Bill, but
the breadth of giving is what has allowed it to be at the center of
charity in Jackson for more than two decades.
There are two buckets for proceeds raised during Old Bill’s. The first
is direct donations to nonprofits. One hundred percent of all amounts
designated to participating nonprofits is paid to that nonprofit.
The second is the match pool. Mr. and Mrs. Old Bill, whose
annual challenge of $500,000 has become $11.5 million as the 23
years have added up, lead that charge. Co-challengers and Friends
of the Match make gifts to the match pool, as opposed to directly to
nonprofits. The match pool then funds the partial matching grants
that participating nonprofits receive. Individual and business co-
challengers give between $25,000 and $250,000 without designating
where those funds will go. In 2019 there were 69 co-challengers
who, coupled with the Friends of the Match, raised $3.46 million.
The amount each nonprofit receives from the match pool
fluctuates from year to year. For nonprofits, the first $30,000 they
raise on their own is partially matched by the Community Foundation.
The match percentage is calculated based on how many designated
dollars the community raises, how much money the co-challengers
and Friends of the March raise, and how many nonprofits reach
the $30,000 threshold. In 2019, the match percentage was 45%.
Therefore, nonprofits that raised $30,000 or more received an
additional $13,500. Nonprofits that came in under $30,000 received
a 45% matching grant on whatever amount they raised.
In 2019 the average gift amount for a donor, not including co-
challengers, was $2,739.57. The median gift was $300.
Nonprofits apply to participate in Old Bill’s each May. To qualify,
an organization must be a local 501(c)(3), government entity or
faith-based organization, or be fiscally sponsored by a qualifying
organization.

Providing practical
solutions to reduce human-
caused impacts on wildlife
for over 25 years

THANK YOU, JACKSON! • Our MAPS bird-

banding program
captured and released
over 600 songbirds
this year to better
understand avian
population trends in
the Rocky Mountain
West.

• We were joined in the field this season by over 300

volunteers. Volunteers accumulated 1,568 “volunteer
hours” of work to reduce barriers to wildlife movement
in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem!

• In 2019 we celebrated the 10th anniversary of Nature

Mapping Jackson Hole, our flagship citizen-science
program. We successfully engaged over 150 volunteers
in Nature Mapping programming, including Moose
Day and Snake River Float Trips.
372311

YOUR DONATIONS SUPPORT OUR MISSION to connect our creative

community by providing a dedicated campus, supporting
excellent programming, and nurturing a collaborative spirit.
Josh Metten

Thanks to all of our supporters for making 2019 a special year!

CENTER FOR THE ARTS Please consider helping us advance our mission in 2020 and beyond by
Phone: 307.734.8956 | Web: jhcenterforthearts.org
making an end-of-year gift at jhwildlife.org/support-us
372638

Representatives of community organizations gather Oct. 21 during the annual Old Bill’s
Awards Party. The Community Foundation cut checks to 210 organizations.
OLD BILL’S
Continued from 6
ery single time,” she said. “The idea that an
unknown donor would match, it was such
a leap of faith for that donor to do that.”
In 23 years $173,720,537 has been raised
for nonprofits through that leap of faith.
“The goal of Old Bill’s was to make phi-
lanthropy a defining force for the commu-
nity, and it succeeded,” then-foundation
Executive Director Clare Payne Symmons
said. “When I see young adults who grew
up here, I know Old Bill’s had an impact
that will be felt far into the future and
around the world.”
Consider the range of nonprofits
whose funding depends largely on Old
Bill’s. Teton County Search and Rescue,
which has participated since the incep-
tion, led the 2019 edition in individual
contributions with 633.
Those contributions account for 34%
of Search and Rescue’s annual funds, ac-
cording to communications director Matt
Hansen, who said they are the backbone
of allowing the nonprofit to serve Jack-
son’s outdoor tradition.
AHASV is a 501(c)(3) Organization
Celebrating
over 10 years of success!
Only made possible through
generous donations
and support
from you!
LUCKY’S PLACE | Animal Shelter est. in 2008
Located in Thayne, WY • www.ahasv.org
Find us on Facebook @ Animal Humane Association of Star Valley
IMPRINT • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, December 4, 2019 - 7
Don’t
miss
RYAN DORGAN / NEWS&GUIDE
a beat!
“Going on adventures, going on hikes
and skiing, it’s really the foundation for Get the stories you
want in your inbox
this town and community,” he said. “Ac-
cidents are going to happen, and it’s up
to us and our team to be ready to go,
have the training and equipment that al-
lows them to go and respond to emer-
gencies. And we need that funding to
make it happen.”
Nonprofits are quick to point out that
the success of Old Bill’s is the giving na-
ture of the Jackson Hole community, but
there’s a special intrigue to the event itself.
A big part of that is the identity, or lack
thereof, of Mr. and Mrs. Old Bill, who’ve
managed to avoid the limelight the past
two decades and remain the faceless
keepers of a Jackson cultural icon.
“In a small town, keeping anything a se-
cret is tough, but Mr. and Mrs. Old Bill are
committed to anonymity,” said Annie Rid-
del, the fun run coordinator. “When people
ask us at the Community Foundation, ‘Who
is Old Bill?’ we like to say, ‘Old Bill is the
spirit of philanthropy. We are all Old Bill.’”
Contact Chance Q. Cook at 732-7065,
sports@jhnewsandguide.com.
Placing
over
3,000
animals
in loving
homes!
THE
LIGHTER SIDE
Melissa Cassutt’s summary of
heartwarming and inspiring stories
about the faces and places of
Jackson Hole
Get the Email
Please
remember
Lucky’s Place
in your
year-end giving. visit jhnewsandguide.com and and click on “email alerts” in the top menu
372573
372689
8 - IMPRINT • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Inequitable philanthropy
High-dollar donors’
contributions are tied
more often to social
or personal cues
than actual need.
By Tom Hallberg

H
ighest. Richest. Wealthiest.
Most generous.
There’s an oft-repeated trope
about Jackson, and Teton County as a
whole, that it is one of the most phil-
anthropic places in the country.
“This place probably has more
nonprofits than any place I’ve seen,”
Center for the Arts President and
CEO David Rothman said. “It seems
to me that this is a pretty incredibly
rich environment.”
Wealth is an inextricable piece of
Teton County’s fabric, but what effect
do affluence and its related generos-
ity have? From a bird’s-eye view, it’s
hard to argue with the assertion that
Jacksonites are generous. Old Bill’s
Fun Run for Charity raised nearly
$14.4 million from 4,000 donors,
which correlates to roughly 17% of
Teton County’s population.
By almost any measure that amount
of money can do serious good, but
the benefits of giving are not spread
evenly, and the trends that guide giv-
ing in Jackson reveal a community
that places value — and philanthrop-
ic might — more heavily on certain
sectors. Philanthropy is by nature a
personal act, and donor desires and
feelings, rather than empirical social
needs, often drive it.
Yale University sociologist Justin
Farrell spent several years with the
ultra-wealthy of Teton County con-
ducting research for an upcoming
book, “Billionaire Wilderness: The
Ultra-Wealthy and the Remaking of
the American West.” He found people
in Teton County often donate for rea-
sons ancillary to the mission of the
organizations they support, and focus
their giving on two main sectors.
“Aside from private foundations,
the most economically powerful non-
profits include organizations broadly
related to environmental issues, such
as the Jackson Hole Land Trust and
the Teton Science Schools,” he wrote,
“as well as arts organizations such as
the National Museum of Wildlife Art,
the Community Center for the Arts
and the Grand Teton Music Festival.”
That environmental and arts non-
profits receive the bulk of philan-
thropic giving is not ultimately sur-
prising, nor inherently bad. However,
when those sectors receive a higher
percentage of the giving, human ser-
vices organizations are left with a
smaller piece of the pie in what is one
of the most economically inequitable REBECCA NOBLE / NEWS&GUIDE FILE
places in America. Interpreter and client services specialist Marcela Gonzalez, left, works with parent volunteer Laura Becerra at Hole Food Rescue
An uneven pie to prepare lunches for 20 to 30 summer campers.

The need for exorbitant amounts
of philanthropic giving arises in
large part from Teton County’s
economic inequality. Data that Far-
rell collected for his book shows
that the top 1% of earners in Teton
County make 233 times what those
in the bottom 99% make, the high-
est income disparity in any county
in the country.
In real dollars that means the top
1% make an average of $28.2 million
annually, mostly through investment
income. Wage earners who pull pay-
checks from hourly or salaried jobs
make an average of $41,052 a year.
That income inequality, Farrell ar-
gues, creates some of Teton County’s
socioeconomic issues. Lack of hous-
ing supply, high prices and the need
for people to commute from outlying
communities are tied to the high eco-
nomic disparity.
In Farrell’s estimation, wealth, in
part, has created the need for phi-
lanthropy, but the related giving is in
no way tied to those needs. Instead,
donors with the ability to shape in-
dustries give for social, cultural and
personal reasons.
“The real reason is that people give
because they want to,” the Center for
the Arts’ Rothman said.
Freedom of giving is an inher-
ent part of philanthropy. Farrell’s re-
search (as well as the News&Guide’s
conversations with nonprofit leaders)
shows that donors give to organiza-
tions that align with their moral and
philosophical views or their personal
experiences. In a place like Jackson,
which draws tourists and residents
for breathtaking scenery and untram-
meled landscapes, those proclivities
favor environmental nonprofits like
the Jackson Hole Land Trust.
“We are a tangible aspect of this
place that has drawn them here and
has real meaning in this part of the
world,” Land Trust President Lau-
rie Andrews said. “It’s really front of
mind.”
Left to their own devices, donors’
tendency to give to organizations like
the Center for the Arts or the Land
Trust has created its own kind of in-
come inequality analogous to the
disparity seen in individual incomes.
Environmental and arts nonprofits
generally have higher annual revenue
and more assets than those in other
sectors, though that doesn’t apply to
every organization.
In general, more money means
more stability. The Grand Teton Mu-
sic Festival, for instance, pulled in
roughly $8.7 million in 2017, mostly
through contributions, sales of as-
sets and program revenue, accord-
ing to IRS Form 990 financial filings.
After spending $3.7 million to put
on its programming, which includes
a multiweek summer classical music
festival in Teton Village and several
wintertime concerts, it had a net in-
See HUMAN SERVICES on 9

HUMAN SERVICES
Continued from 8
come of almost $5 million that year.
That windfall is not always the
case — the festival ran a deficit of
$600,000 in 2016 — but that high
level of fundraising makes it possible
to weather the lean years. In looking
at the Center for the Arts, a similar
trend emerges. In 2017 the Center’s
overall revenue was almost $2.8 mil-
lion, with more than two-thirds of that
coming from contributions, while its
expenses were just under $1.9 million.
Again, surplus is not always the
story at the Center. It ran a deficit of
$58,535 in 2016, which Rothman said
is to be expected.
“That’s how we all operate,” he
said. “That’s why we’re nonprofits.”
But some nonprofits are more equal
than others. The Center and the music
festival garner big-dollar donations
and have compiled large asset hold-
ings, particularly in real estate, but
IMPRINT • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, December 4, 2019 - 9
being a heavy-hitting donor, like hav- sense of accomplishment to donors.
ing one’s name put on a building, can’t
to provide the level of assistance
“The notion that we solve our hu- community members need don’t have
replicated in those fields. man service dynamic is oftentimes the cushion of millions of dollars in
Farrell categorizes the avoidance of flawed,” Lund said. “You might help assets or general funds that substan-
such “buzz-kill” issues as a willful at- Client A reach the finish line, but Cli- tially roll over each year.
tempt to maintain a view of Jackson as ent B is right behind them.” “All of us try to have reserve ac-
a paradise. One22 Executive Director Whatever an individual donor’s counts,” Teton Youth and Family Ser-
Sharel Lund said it also has to do with reasons for choosing organizations to vices’ Cavallaro said. “But it can’t take
the nature of human services. Even support, the disparity in giving cre- a $700,000 hit.”
in a massive capital undertaking like ates a tenuous perch for human ser- All the nonprofit executives who
the Land Trust’s Save the Block cam- vices organizations. A nonprofit like were reached for this story — re-
paign or the Center’s drive to build its the Grand Teton Music Festival can gardless of sector — were quick to
downtown facility, many arts and en- weather its $600,000 shortfall in note their gratitude to the Jackson
vironmental fundraising efforts have a 2016 because it has years like 2017 donor class. But Cavallaro said it can
distinct finish line. that replenish its coffers. still feel as though human service
Human services are an ongoing en- Human services organizations that nonprofits catch short end.
terprise, so they can’t offer that same are already stretching their budgets See HUMAN SERVICES on 10
THE ECONOMICS OF PHILANTHROPY IN TETON COUNTY
ASSETS AND REVENUE OF SELECTED NONPROFITS
$30 million
CFTA (A)

many human services nonprofits func-

$25 million
tion with revenue that doesn’t come
JHLT (A)
close to $1 million. Between One22
and the Community Safety Network,
two prominent social services non- $20 million
GTMF (A)

profits, in just one year between 2013

and 2017 did one of them make more
than $1 million (the Safety Network in
2017). $15 million
The disparity between the arts
and environmental sectors may come
down, in some part, to a general feel-
ing of connectedness. $10 million
“A lot of people come here for the GTMF (R)

idyllic lifestyle that Jackson is, and it JHLT (R)

is a great arts community,” said Sarah
$5 million
Cavallaro, executive director of Teton
Youth and Family Services. “It’s hard- CFTA(R)
er to sell human needs, harder to sell CSN(A)
JHCA (A)
hunger and abuse and neglect. CSN(R)
ONE22 (R)
“They want to be away from that.” $0 JHCA (R)
ONE22 (A)

The ‘buzz-kill’ factor

While Farrell was researching for $-5 million
his upcoming book, he conducted ex- 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

tensive interviews with ultra-wealthy

Teton County residents, some who CENTER FOR THE ARTS COMMUNITY SAFETY NETWORK GRAND TETON MUSIC FESTIVAL JACKSON HOLE CONSERVATION ALLIANCE JACKSON HOLE LAND TRUST ONE 22
lived here full time and others who (ASSETS) (ASSETS) (ASSETS) (ASSETS) (ASSETS) (ASSETS)

split their time between Jackson and

other places. His aim was to under- CENTER FOR THE ARTS
(REVENUE)
COMMUNITY SAFETY NETWORK
(REVENUE)
GRAND TETON MUSIC FESTIVAL
(REVENUE)
JACKSON HOLE CONSERVATION ALLIANCE
(REVENUE)
JACKSON HOLE LAND TRUST
(REVENUE)
ONE 22
(REVENUE)

stand what motivated them, particu-

larly philanthropically. He asked about
their lives and their giving tendencies. 2018 NONPROFIT REVENUE BREAKDOWNS
He found they were keen to discuss
the environmental issues they valued
— open space, wildlife crossings, mi- JACKSON HOLE LAND TRUST JACKSON HOLE CONSERVATION ALLIANCE ONE 22
Sales of
gration patterns — but less inclined assets Program Other
to discuss socioeconomic ills. Investment
$1,210,308 Contributions
$5,173,715
services 7.2% Contributions
$529,139
Program services
$119,715
Contributions
$879,676
“In addition to the inability of hu- income
17.3%
73.8%
$4,719
0.8%
92.0% 12.0% 88.0%
man and social service organizations $413,502
5.9%
to offer the kind of social prestige,
fun events and connections to power,”
Farrell wrote, “they are associated
with what one Teton County employ-
ee called ‘buzz-kill issues.’”
As Cavallaro and Andrews noted,
many people move here because of
a connection to the natural world.
Farrell writes that the environmental
stewardship that flows from that cre-
ates social networks with status and
Program
intangible benefits. services
Putting conservation easements on $227,160
land, of course, does carry tax and 3.2%

financial benefits, but being able to

point to a tract of land and claim re-
sponsibility for its preservation also COMMUNITY SAFETY NETWORK GRAND TETON MUSIC FESTIVAL CENTER FOR THE ARTS
grants a kind of social capital. The Sales of assets
Investment Other
Investment
events that come along with being income
$621,124
income
$28,370
$10,595
0.4%
in the donor class, from private din- Contributions $281,135
7.2%
Contributions Program 1% Contributions
ner parties to concerts like the annual $1,375,283
Program
3.2% $6,747,831 services $1,883,371
100% 77.7% $839,445 68.2%
Center Benefit or the Land Trust An- services 30.4%
nual Picnic, are part of the way do- $567,098
6.5%
nors integrate into the community.
To be uninformed or disengaged is
undesirable.
“Among all these issues, environ-
mental topics carry the most social
weight,” Farrell wrote, “and to be
ignorant is to risk embarrassment
among one’s peers, or to be exposed
as an out-of- touch carpetbagger.”
Poverty, hunger, trauma, the main
issues at the heart of human services,
don’t have the same cachet. Some of
the tangible benefits that come with Source: IRS 990 FORMS GATHERED THROUGH PROPUBLICA'S NONPROFIT EXPLORER ANDY EDWARDS / NEWS&GUIDE
10 - IMPRINT • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, December 4, 2019

BRADLY J. BONER / NEWS&GUIDE FILE

The Center for the Arts, according to its 2017 IRS Form 990 filings, has about $27 million in assets. CEO David Rothman said most of that is the value of its three-story facility, which
sits on town-owned land in the heart of downtown Jackson.

HUMAN SERVICES
Continued from 9
“I would love to see human servic-
es be as important as wildlife and the
environment. I love to see a [specific
purpose excise tax] for $10 million for
human services,” she said. “I think our
humans are as important as our ani-
mals.
“It’s easier to look at the moose
sometimes than it is to look at each
other.”
A new kind of donor
Last year sociologist Farrell spoke
at the 22 in 21: Philanthropy summit
that Jonathan Schechter hosted at
Spring Creek Ranch. Something he
said rankled a few of the high-dollar
donors in attendance.
Farrell drew a distinction between
old and new money in Jackson. The
older, more established families, he
said, are more likely to spread their
money across a wider swath of the
community. Newer donors — wealthy
individuals and families that recently
moved here — fall into the trends he
notes in his book.
He said they are more likely to use
their giving to develop social capital
and pursue passion projects. One22’s
Lund said Farrell’s research holds true AMBER BAESLER / NEWS&GUIDE FILE

but that the trend is due, in general,
not to donor selfishness but to unfa-
miliarity with the issues that confront
the community.
“I think in many cases people buy
or build a mountain getaway in this
pristine beautiful place,” she said,
“that doesn’t look to have the same
social problems or despair of their old
community.”
Once they get to know the commu-
nity, that obliviousness dissipates.
“After a few years of participating
and being part of it, going to church,
going to the grocery store and re-
lying on someone to shovel their
driveway and roof,” she said, “they
start to notice those individuals as
individuals.”
The new donors Farrell pointed
to didn’t grow up in Jackson, don’t
have family ties to the original set-
tlers, haven’t seen the town as it has
evolved over the years. Convincing
them to give their dollars to human
services, Lund said, is simply about
education.
Her theory is that donors are “fi-
nancially astute” people who know
what they pay for services and what
Ana Castro, 12, and Kelly Vilchis, 11, put together a CPR dummy during the baby-sitting skills unit of the after-school program Teen
Power in 2018 at Jackson Hole Middle School. The students will earn their CPR certifications and learn other life skills through the Teton
Youth and Family Services program.
rent, groceries and other expens- “Those donors that help us have con- run programming, are a special breed
es cost in Teton County for those sistency and predictability in our — people who genuinely care about
working hourly jobs. Once they have budgets and the future. They make it those who make the community func-
steeped themselves in the community, so we can invest in staff.” tion. But they also pointed out that
it becomes harder to engage in the ig- Human services leaders pointed to human services organizations every-
norant bliss Farrell described. those kinds of donors as the ones who where have the same struggles.
Judging just by give to their or- Funding for counseling, interpre-
the numbers, an ganizations year tive services and other assistance for
organization like after year. Lund low-income families is always hard to
the Land Trust said developing come by, no matter where you live.
would seem to be “It’s easier to look relationships with Though Jackson donors do funnel
much better off, those donors more money to arts and environmen-
but Andrews said at the moose shows them the tal causes, they still keep organiza-
her nonprofit is good their dol- tions like One22 and Teton Youth and
not immune to sometimes than it is lars can do and Family Services in mind when they
the struggles. A demonstrates her open their checkbooks.
campaign like to look at each other.” clients’ needs. Cavallaro is thankful for those who do.
Save the Block Doing so, she “We have affiliated programs
seemingly brings — Sarah Cavallaro said, “takes time,” around state that can’t provide the
out every large- TETON YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES and that donor is
same breadth of programming,” she
and small-dol- more likely to be said. “We are grateful for living here
lar donor Teton someone who has and having the philanthropic commu-
County has, but lived in the com- nity we do, regardless if we’re not the
funding day-to-day operations takes munity for at least a while. biggest part.”
its own kind of benefactor. Lund and Cavallaro said the do-
“It’s hard to say to a donor, ‘You’re nors that return to them yearly with Contact Tom Hallberg at 732-7079 or
keeping the lights on,’” Andrews said. donations, or give their time to help thallberg@jhnewsandguide.com.

Grocery shoppers help out by rounding up
Jackson Hole grocery
store customers
support local charities
and nonprofits.
By Mike Koshmrl
J
ackson Whole Grocer customers
have not one but two opportunities
to chip in and support human ser-
vice organizations every time they
step up to the register.
Regardless of whether shoppers are
buying two weeks of groceries or just
enough for a meal, cashiers customarily
ask them if they’d like to donate a nickel
earned for every reusable bag being
filled up with groceries. At the end of
the transaction there’s another chance
to give, that time by rounding up to the
nearest dollar and donating the change
to good causes.
“It’s a nice way to help
people remember
their bags when they
go shopping, and
help the community
in the process.”
— Sarah Greengross
LUCKY’S MARKET
By and large, Whole Grocer shop-
pers opt for philanthropy rather than
saving a few cents.
“When they’re asked, the majority
of the people say yes,” Jackson Whole
Meeting space • Program collaboration
Learning Lab & Auditorium use free for non-profits
Knowledgeable staff • Research help • Wi-Fi
Foundation Directory Online
IMPRINT • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, December 4, 2019 - 11
Lucky’s Market gives shoppers a choice where their 10-cent credit for every reusable bag
goes. Customers get a wooden dime for every bag, and can opt to drop it into a bin for
one of three nonprofits. Recent choices were Cultivate, Teton Adaptive Sports and Jackson
Hole Children’s Museum.
Grocer front end manager Monica
Dietrick said. “Our customers are the
most generous people in town, they
really are.”
The concept of checkout fundraising
campaigns for charities is nothing new,
and the practice has permeated even
the largest of big-box stores and gen-
erated hundreds of millions of dollars
nationwide. A 2012 report by the Cause
Marketing Forum determined that 63
large retailer checkout campaigns col-
lectively brought in more than $358
million. That’s around 1% of the overall
charitable giving that occurred in the
United States that year.
The handful of Jackson Hole charity
checkout campaigns that are built into
credit card readers in the valley can
USE YOUR LIBRARY.
SUPPORT YOUR LIBRARY.
MIKE KOSHMRL / NEWS&GUIDE
make a major difference to local non-
profit organizations. At Jackson Whole
Grocer, around $10,000 was gener-
ated in a recent quarter.
For a long time Whole Grocer would
cycle through different hand-picked
charity and nongovernmental recipi-
ents every month, but for the past
year or so one entity receives all the
funds: an organization called Systems
of Care, Dietrick said. It’s an group
that donates to other human services
charities in the valley. To name a few:
Central Wyoming College, the Good
Samaritan Mission, Habitat for Human-
ity of Greater Teton Area, Hole Food
Rescue and Turning Point.
Whole Grocer store owner Jeff Rice
made the call to switch to Systems of
Care as the sole recipient, she said.
“He recognized that without people
we don’t have a business,” Dietrick said,
“and just felt compelled to honor hu-
man services charities for that reason.”
Lucky’s Market is a grocer in the val-
ley with charitable checkout systems in
place that give shoppers the ability to
elect where their 10-cent credit for ev-
ery reusable bag goes. Customers are
given a wooden dime for every bag,
and can opt to drop it into a bin for one
of three nonprofits, the recent choices
being Cultivate, Teton Adaptive Sports
and Jackson Hole Children’s Museum.
“At the end of every quarter Lucky’s
doubles your donations,” Regional
Marketing Specialist Sarah Greengross
said, “so really that 10 cents is 20 cents.”
Greengross, who oversees the “bags
for change” program, said the bins typ-
ically return anywhere between $500
and $1,400 each quarter depending on
the season.
“It’s really exciting,” she said. “Espe-
cially in light of the bag ban in Jackson,
it’s a nice way to help people remember
their bags when they go shopping, and
help the community in the process.”
Albertsons has gotten into the
checkout giving fray as well. The cam-
paign this fall is called “Turkey Bucks,”
and it’s fitting of the season. While at
the checkstand, Albertsons shoppers
since mid-October have had the op-
portunity to donate to Jackson Cup-
board, which in turn used the donated
funds to assemble Thanksgiving din-
ners for the valley’s neediest residents.
Many dozens ultimately benefited this
past holiday.
“This Thanksgiving, 92 full holi-
day meals will be donated to Jackson
Cupboard,” Albertsons spokeswoman
Kathy Holland said.
Contact Mike Koshmrl at 732-7067
or env@jhnewsandguide.com.
12 - IMPRINT • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Match and challenge grants pay dividends

to secure the matching gift. But this time
Community efforts around, the donor was clear he wanted to
rally donors large see a high volume of contributors.
“That donor was really inspired by
and small, helping the concept of quantity versus qual-
nonprofits reach goals. ity,” Wolfrom said.
Three hundred people, not just 100,
By Allie Gross donated by the deadline. The success
of the first challenge shaped the rest of

F
aced with the daunting task of the campaign: The Land Trust reached
raising more than $7 million in its goal by introducing a series of chal-
just a few months last summer, the lenges that encouraged a high volume
Jackson Hole Land Trust decided to try of donors.
a new strategy: the challenge grant. “In this town, wealth is a little over-
“It was a totally new concept for whelming to smaller donors,” Wolfrom
us,” said Jenny Wolfrom, director of said, “and this campaign was all about
advancement and community, and
engagement. getting everyone
In late April to rally around a
2018, the Land “When you approach specific cause. Hav-
Trust embarked ing those quantity
on an ambitious somebody who has versus quality gifts
campaign to raise
the capacity to give a was really excit- BRADLY J. BONER / NEWS&GUIDE

The historic cabin that houses Healthy Being Juicery is part of what is known as the “Cafe
the millions needed ing to people. They Genevieve block” in downtown Jackson. In late April 2018, the Jackson Hole Land Trust
to preserve a his- very large gift, and you felt even if they embarked on a fundraising campaign to preserve the area from development. Through a
toric downtown were donating $1 or series of challenge grants it brought in more than $7 million from more than 5,700 donors.
block, affection- have those significant $100 it was making
ately known as the a difference.” tion for them. It strikes a different chord.” a gift to be 100 gifts,” Wolfrom said.
“Cafe Genevieve numbers of supporters Donors contin- There was Million Dollar May (1,000 “Everyone was really trying to be cre-
block.” At the start, ued to be attracted gifts to secure a $1 million donation), ative and figure out how they could help
a donor, seek- behind it, it’s a to the fundraising $4 million by the Fourth (another 1,000 us get to the specific number of gifts we
ing to contribute model. gifts for another $1 million donation), and needed, within their capacity.”
$100,000 to kick- different motivation “A lot of the phi- the Last Chance, Last Challenge (1,500 Other nonprofits use different ap-
start the effort, ap- lanthropy in this gifts for another $1 million). All in all the proaches to the “match” or “challenge”
proached the Land for them. It strikes a town is carried by project raised more than $7 million from grant. For example: For the past two
Trust with an idea: the really wealthy,” more than 5,700 donors. years, One22, a nonprofit focused on
He would provide different chord.” Wolfrom said. At each party and event to raise funds helping the Latino community, has con-
the gift if 100 other “They get pulled in to “Save the Block,” people inquired about ducted challenge grants in the spring,
donors contributed — Jenny Wolfrom a lot of directions. how to help meet the challenges. Small providing a fundraising boost during
by a deadline. DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT AND High-capacity do- donors were encouraged that all contri- what’s traditionally a quieter philan-
The donor, ENGAGEMENT AT JACKSON HOLE LAND TRUST nors are asked over butions made the same dent toward the thropic season in Jackson.
Wolfrom said, and over again by challenge — whatever they were able to One22 Executive Director Sharel Lund
wanted to be sure the nonprofits for give — and the common goal created ca- said matching grants and challenges
his money was going toward something gifts. When you approach somebody who maraderie. Many donors gave repeat gifts. are used in a variety of strategic ways,
the entire community was excited about. has the capacity to give a very large gift, “We were getting calls from people whether to bring more supporters into
Often, “match” or “challenge” grants re- and you have those significant numbers of asking if they could donate a roll of an organization, meet an urgent need
quire a certain dollar amount to be raised supporters behind it, it’s a different motiva- pennies and have each penny count for See GRANTS on 13

371691
 IMPRINT • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, December 4, 2019 - 13

GRANTS
Continued from 12
or build sustainability into a funding
plan. One22’s first time using the model
was spring 2018, when it launched a
$100,000 challenge grant over the
course of about a month.
Then, in spring 2019, five families
agreed to give One22 $125,000 a year
for three years if the nonprofit could find
additional donors to commit to a match-
ing three-year gift. That means the non-
profit, established in 2016, can count on
$250,000 each year through 2020.
“For a new nonprofit like ours, which
relies on individual donations for more
than 90% of our annual operating budget,
this sustained funding is hugely beneficial
to our ability to plan ahead and deliver
services with confidence,” Lund said.
Christina Kuzmych, general manager
at Wyoming Public Media, said the radio
station conducts “match” challenges on
air during fund drives. Usually a donor will
provide a gift of, say, $10,000, and stipu-
late the gift should be matched in a partic-
ular time frame. Kuzmych said the model is
“very successful.” JACKSON HOLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM

“For one, the donor actually puts some
skin into the game, and then, everyone
likes a ‘challenge,’ especially if it’s happen-
ing live on their radio and they can hear it
being made,” she said in an email. “People
like to see success, and they like to be a
part of that success. They also appreci-
ate the donor who put up the money for
that challenge. I often hear from people
reminding me of so-and-so’s great chal-
lenge, and how much fun it was. Or, if they
missed the end, they’ll ask if it was met.”
Tory Martin, director of communica-
tions and engagement at the Dorothy
A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy, said
match and challenge grants have always
been a “tool in the tool belt of nonprofits
and community organizations who are
looking to drum up increased support.”
“With the rise of online giving in the
last five or so years, especially things like
Giving Tuesday and Facebook birthday
fundraisers,” Martin said. “you do see a lot
The buildings that now house Healthy Being Juicery, front, and Cafe Genevieve are seen here in 1938.
more peer-to-peer fundraising and us-
ing challenges and matches to say, ‘This
person is giving, you should too, and
that will increase your impact.’”
Martin said trends are showing that
smaller donors are giving less, so it’s
important to encourage volume of giv-
ers. “Being able to say you have 10 $5
givers instead of one $1,000 giver dem-
onstrates a lot more community buy-in
and a lot more culture of philanthropy in
my community,” Martin said.
All the Save the Block high-dollar do-
nors chose to remain anonymous. Wol-
from said they wanted the campaign to
be a community effort.
“They didn’t want to be the person
that saved the day,” she said.
Other match donors are named.
One22’s 2018 drive was titled the Carole
and Jack Nunn challenge grant, named
for the donating family. Lund said do-
nors placing their name on a grant
means a lot, because it demonstrates a
commitment to the nonprofit and en-
courages the donors’ peers to join in
supporting it.
“It’s a real gift to the organization
when an influencer in the community is
willing to put their name on something,”
Lund said.
As for the amount of the match grants,
Lund said, it’s important to set a number
that’s ambitious but doable.
“That’s part of the art of putting it
together, is making sure that it’s a chal-
lenge, that it’s a stretch, but it is impor-
tant to meet it,” Lund said.
Kuzmych said that to run a large grant
number like $200,000, Wyoming Public
Media would need to secure a specific
gift tied to a specific purpose, like a tar-
geted news desk or a new facility.
Wolfrom said the Land Trust would
consider using the strategy again for
“the right project.” Challenge grants can
be useful for funding projects on a short
timeline, Wolfrom said.
“It keeps people interested; it keeps
people engaged,” she said.
Buying an easement on a large ranch
might not garner the same kind of wide-
spread support and engagement as sav-
ing the block, which drew community-
wide support.
“If we have maybe a project that the
community was really passionate about
again, and we knew people would really
get excited about, we would probably
try to mimic that model,” she said.
Contact Allie Gross via 732-7076 or
valley@jhnewsandguide.com.

Human Services Council collaborating to provide essential human

services in the community for 30+ years

163 individualized therapies
for kids with special needs
Over 1,000 individuals and
families received quality and affordable
mental health services with more than
20,000 hours provided.
Over the past 5 years, over 400 parents
or guardians at risk of abuse and/or
neglect were able to build skills
and never abuse their children
83% of youth served in the last
5 years at the crisis shelter stayed out of
the juvenile justice system.
Adventure, sports, the arts, and
academic enrichment was provided
to deserving local kids through 123
youth scholarship awards
in 2019, totalling $64,900.
Emergency financial aid totaling more than $120,000 was mobilized to assist 114 households
struggling with rent, transportation, and other critical expenses this year.
Providing early childhood services to 1,000 kids a year 600 free developmental screenings
Head Start/Early Head Start program for 88 200% increase in income for participants and their children.
children of at-risk families
449 students received 32,769 hours of free literacy support
Single moms and their families double or
triple their income after completing free 24 hour support for 30 community members with
job skills training intellectual disabilities
Provided over 13,000 hours of service to seniors
6,950 safe bed nights with homecare.
provided annually for survivors + 72 Individuals completed Substance
of gender based violence. Abuse Treatment last year.
1,000 students participated in
substance abuse prevention programs
534 meals a day (home cooked
breakfast, lunch and snacks) for kids
Provided over 25,000 meals to seniors.

YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS!

By donating to these organizations,
you CAN make a difference!
372551
14 - IMPRINT • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Small donors convince big givers to join

Small gifts energize
the bigger donors,
community campaigns
and the fundraisers
themselves.
By Rebecca Huntington

L
ooking solely at the dollars, it’s
easy to discount the value of
small donations. But seasoned
fundraisers say pint-sized gifts can
still pack a punch.
Jackson economics analyst and writ-
er Jonathan Schechter looked at 2017
tax returns to get a sense of who is giv-
ing and how much. What he found is
startling.
The bulk of reported charitable giv-
ing in Teton County — 96% — came
from 13% of households with incomes
of more than $200,000 a year. In raw
terms those households accounted for
$224 million of the total $232 million re-
ported for Teton County.
“We don’t know where those dona-
tions were made,” Schechter said. “They
could have been made anywhere in the
world to any tax-deductible nonprofit.”
Yet despite that “sheer math,”
Schechter said, “the importance of
smaller donors isn’t necessarily in the
dollars that they give.”
Indeed, fundraisers stress that small
gifts can lead to bigger ones and enthu- REBECCA HUNTINGTON / NEWS&GUIDE

siastic donors bring energy to a project
— no matter the size of their gift.
Shawn Meisel, a fundraising con-
sultant who has worked for a variety
of Jackson Hole organizations, recalled
how during her time at the National
Museum of Wildlife Art she connected
with donors who started giving in the
$25 range. She reached out to thank
them and invite them on a museum tour.
Brenton Reagan hands out raffle prizes at Cowboy Coffee on the evening of April 3 during the “Let’s Keep Grooming Snow King”
fundraiser. The event made its $3,000 goal and kept the snowcats going.
They had the capacity to give more and cause it’s less expected, she said. The passion of individuals giving
eventually did. Bigger donors are also quick to ask small amounts — with some pitching in
“They’re dipping their toe in the an organization how many donors they more than once — powered the trust’s
pond,” she said. “They want to see … have overall, according to Jackson Hole recent Save the Block campaign, which
will you talk to them at $50 or $100.” Land Trust President Laurie Andrews. raised $7 million from roughly 5,700
A personalized thank-you can mean “The small donors’ energy gets the single-dollar to million-dollar donors.
more at a $25 to $50 giving level be- big donors excited,” Andrews said. See SMALL DONORS on 15

WE ARE WYOMING WILDLIFE ADVOCATES

We fight to protect our treasured wildlife.
We take on the most controversial issues.
We aren’t afraid to speak for those without a voice.

We exist to improve lives and help people feel better!

Your donation to us supports:
• Fighting to stop the trophy
hunting of grizzly bears
• Monitoring wolf hunting
seasons and fighting for
the protection of wolves
across Wyoming
• Science-based comments
to state and federal wildlife
management agencies
• Lawsuits when necessary—
we won a case to phase out
the Alkali Feedground on the
Bridger-Teton National Forest
• Educating youth about
wildlife advocacy through
filmmaking
• Distribution of thousands
of free guides to educate
residents and visitors
on wildlife conservation Teton County Pet Partners does this by registering and matching
challenges in Wyoming
animal therapy teams to individual and community needs
• Alerting the public about how
to be effective and when to
take action during comment We provide animal therapy to Children’s Learning Center, C-V Ranch, JH Airport, JHCS, Legacy
submission periods Lodge, SJMC, Teton Behavior Therapy, Teton County Library, Teton Literacy Center,
• And so much more! VOAD and several local preschools.

Photo by Brian Turner Have a dog (or cat!) that would make a great therapist? Interested in registering
with Pet Partners as an animal therapy team? Contact us!
wyowild.org www.tcpetpartners.org | info@tcpetpartners.com
372717 364427
 IMPRINT • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, December 4, 2019 - 15

SMALL DONORS
Continued from 14
All the gifts showed the community
was invested, literally, in preserving the
character of the downtown Cafe Gen-
evieve block, Andrews said.
Modest gifts can also mean a lot to
the fundraisers themselves. Jackson
Hole filmmaker Jennifer Tennican relies
on fundraising to produce films about
the Jackson Hole community. Her latest
film, “Hearts of Glass,” features the early
stages of Vertical Harvest, which, along
with providing year-round produce, of-
fers meaningful employment for com-
munity members with disabilities.

“The small gifts,

they all have stories,
and they motivate us.”
— Laurie Andrews
JACKSON HOLE LAND TRUST

“It’s meant a lot to me, with the film

about disability, is there have been a
number of people, self advocates with
disabilities, who have donated to the
film, and maybe they’ve donated $5 or BRADLY J. BONER / NEWS&GUIDE

$10,” Tennican said. Those advocates
typically have extremely modest in-
comes, making their donations espe-
cially significant to Tennican.
Likewise, Andrews said: “The small
gifts, they all have stories, and they mo-
tivate us.”
There’s also value in making a contri-
bution for the givers themselves.
“Everybody wants to belong to
something,” Meisel said. “When you live
in a town like Jackson, sometimes the
price of belonging is pretty high. Mem-
bership for low, basic donations gives
Jackson filmmaker Jennifer Tennican fundraised to make her documentary about Vertical Harvest, “Hearts of Glass.” She said donations
from the produce grower’s employees, many of whom have modest incomes, were especially powerful.
people a way to belong to something.” matched their enthusiasm by donating a contributed the rest.
People can also pool small amounts fourth week of grooming. For Reagan each raffle ticket sold at
to do more good than they can do on Exum guide Brenton Reagan led the the grooming fundraiser counted as a
their own. charge by organizing a raffle at Cowboy vote of confidence in the new spring
Last spring, with abundant snow re- Coffee, where people packed the house. ritual.
maining on Snow King Mountain well “I saw so many different types of “It took the people to do it,” he said.
into April, uphill users banded together people,” he said. “The demographic was “We the people did it 5 bucks at a time.”
with Exum Mountain Guides to raise outstandingly all over the place.”
$3,000 to pay for grooming — priced By the end of the evening, raffle Contact Managing Editor Rebecca
at about $1,000 a week — even after tickets netted $2,805 while beverage Huntington at 732-7078 or
the mountain closed its lifts. Snow King sales brought in $150. A single donor rebecca@ jhnewsandguide.com.

Give a gift to nature

this holiday seasoN
Help the Housing Trust continue building
greateryellowstone.org/give
sustainable, affordable homes.
Here’s what we have done since 1994

146
HOMES

Built or acquired 146 permanently affordable homes

420
PEOPLE

which have served more than 420 individuals,

couples, and families.

This year, make a lasting impact by donating to the Housing

PROTECT WHAT YOU LOVE
photo: cindy goeddel
372607
Trust’s Annual Fund. Your gift will provide an opportunity
for 50 more community members to have affordable, stable
housing at our upcoming project King Street Condos.
www.housingtrustjh.org/donors/why-donate
372606
16 - IMPRINT • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, December 4, 2019

SMART
GIVING.

EFFECTIVE
NONPROFITS.

STRONG
COMMUNITY.

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