Inaugural ‘Challenge for Charities’ fundraiser exceeds goals
By Susan Gray Gose
Special to the Journal
Nearly $150,000 was pumped into local nonprofit groups during the dog days of summer
this year, thanks to a new charity fundraising event started by the Lander Community
Foundation.
The Challenge for Charities 4th of July event raised $147,743 from more than 500 donors,
including individual donors and “Challengers” (who gave money for matching funds).
The money went to 28 Lander nonprofit groups, ranging from the Pet Connection to The
Nature Conservancy, from the Care and Share Food Bank to the Wyoming Shakespeare
Festival Company.
“The event was an overwhelming success and far exceeded my expectations,” said
Deborah Kaufman, a board member for the Lander Community Foundation. “This is one
of those things where the momentum of many move mountains.”
Leaders of area nonprofit groups that benefited raved about the inaugural event and what
it means for their groups.
“We were delighted,” said Amy Russian, director of PALS (Performing Arts in Lander
Schools), which received about $3,000. “Our main source of funding has been grants. I
love how the community foundation gets community members involved. We had donors
who weren’t even on our mailing list who contributed. It was heartwarming to see.”
Gary Wilmot, associate director of the Wyoming Outdoor Council, which received over
$15,000 from the event, said: “I'm really impressed with the vision and leadership of the
Lander Community Foundation. They bit off a lot with this event, but I think the rewards
are significant for Lander-based nonprofits. They energized giving in Lander. As a result,
the Wyoming Outdoor Council, and I'm sure many others, received increased donations,
and new supporters were motivated to make first time gifts.”
The Challenge for Charities fundraiser centered around the July 4th half-marathon road
race. The Lander Community Foundation took over the operation of the 33-year-old race
for the first time this year. In the months leading up to the race, the foundation recruited
local nonprofit groups to participate in the Challenge for Charities fundraiser. These
groups then reached out to their donor-base through mailings, emails, or personal contact
to give money to their cause, via the community foundation, with the enticement that
their donation would be matched up to 50-percent by the foundation.
Donors could decide which of the 28 participating nonprofit groups they wanted to give
to and how much they wanted to give. In all, 497 people gave $93,746 to the 28 groups in
gifts that ranged from $5 to thousands of dollars.
The Lander Community Foundation board worked on the side to raise matching funds.
They invited individuals and businesses to become “Community Challengers”, donors
who give upwards of $500. Twenty-six families and businesses stepped up, including five
“Gold Level Community Challengers,” who gave at least $5,000. Another 13 gave
$1,000 or more at the Silver level. And eight gave $500 or more, the Bronze level.
Donations were collected until July 4th, the day of the race. The community foundation
registered nearly 400 runners and walkers for the half-marathon as well as a new 5kilometer race. Registration fees went toward foundation fundraising expenses (like
glossy brochures explaining the event to donors and “charity bucks” that were awarded to
race winners) and toward matching gifts. (Charity bucks were donations that the top-3
finishers in each age category could give to a nonprofit group of their choice.)
Wilmot, a seasoned runner who placed in the men’s division of the half-marathon,
praised the foundation for infusing the popular road race with new meaning. “The
foundation has really anchored two great traditions in Lander—they took over an
awesome holiday race that kicks off Lander's Fourth of July, and they focused the
generosity of our community to support some of the best parts of Lander through
Challenge for Charities.”
The Challenge for Charities is modeled in part after Old Bill’s Fun Run in Jackson, an
annual event in September that raises millions of dollars for Jackson Hole charities. In 14
years, it’s raised almost $75-million.
Most Lander residents obviously lack the deep pockets of Jackson’s. Still, the inaugural
Challenge for Charities event exceeded expectations. The foundation’s fundraising goal
was to raise at least $80,000 and match gifts at a minimum 30-percent level. By raising
nearly $150,000 and making matching gifts at 50-percent, the foundation’s leaders and
participants were happily surprised.
Andy Gramlich, foundation board member, said at an Aug. 1 celebration for the
Challenge for Charities, held at the Museum of the American West: “Nonprofits took a
leap of faith and changed their fundraising plan to join this new fundraiser…This
fundraising model is unique because the whole nonprofit community works together and
the matching fund pool provides an undeniable incentive.”
Lisa Lowham, also a foundation board member, said she hopes to see even more
nonprofit groups participate and even more challengers step up next year. This year, for
example, no Community Challenger attained the “Platinum” level of giving $10,000 or
more.
“I would like to see the total amount raised double to about $300,000,” said Lowham. “I
know we will need more Community Challengers to help with the pool of matching
money. This is where educating community members especially business owners will be
important. As a business owner you get asked frequently to contribute to what feels like
everyone and everything. For community-minded folks this allows you to help a variety
of not-for-profits with one good sized check.”
Leaders of nonprofit groups are already eager for next year’s fundraiser.
“This was a new way for us to raise money—we don’t do any solicitations,” said Audrey
Eaton, director of the Care and Share Food Bank, which received almost $9,300. “I
thought this was not only a great fundraising effort, but also a wonderful community
building event.”
Said Missy White, board chair for the Lander Nordic Ski Association, which brought in
about $3,500 (more than it had hoped): “This event was a great addition to our income—
and very fortuitous since one of our grant providers has asked us not to request funds in
the next couple of years. You'd have to be nuts not to want to participate in this. The
community and the foundation did a fantastic job of stepping to the plate in this inaugural
event. It's only going to get better and better.”
In addition to Lowham, Gramlich, and Kaufman, the Lander Community Foundation
board includes: Cale Case, Leslie Calkins, Michelle Escudero, Bryan Neely, Sky Phifer,
and Bill Sniffen.
This year’s Community Challengers were: (Gold Level, at least $5,000) Automative X,
Fremont Therapy Group, Lowham Surgery & Endoscopy, Hugh and Isabell Lowham,
and McKee, Marburger & Fagnant. (Silver Level, at least $1,000) Anonymous, Bridge
Outdoor, Brunton Outdoor Group, Creative Energies, Michelle Escudero and Scott Kane,
First Interstate Bank, Jackie Nelson and Any Gramlich, Phifer Law Office, Shoshoni
Rose Casino, State Farm Insurance, Triple L Inc., Wyoming Community Foundation,
Wyoming National Bank. (Bronze level, at least $500) Rick and Babes Fagnant, Lander
Area Chamber of Commerce, Lander Rotary Club, Lowham-Walsh Engineering &
Environmental Services, Harold McCaskey, Garth and Annie Reber, Wild Iris Mountain
Sports, Wind River Casino.
The participating nonprofit groups were: (Animals) Lander Pet Connection. (Arts and
culture) Fremont County Orchestra, Lander Art Center, Lander Community Concerts
Assoc., Lander Outdoor Theatre, Museum of the American West, PALS, Wyoming
Shakespeare Company. (Civic) Lander Library Friends Assoc. (Conservation and
environment) Pushroot Community Garden, The Nature Conservancy-Wyoming Chapter,
Wyoming Outdoor Council. (Education) Jim Ratz Memorial Scholarship, Lander
Children’s Museum, Lander Snowdrifters, Lander Valley Education Foundation,
National Outdoor Leadership School. (Health and human services) First Stop Help
Center, Fremont County Skatepark, Help for Health, Injury Prevention Resources, Lander
Care and Share Food Bank, Lander High Plains Scholarship Fund, Lander Nordic Ski
Association, Lander Swim Club, Missions of Mercy.
For more information, visit www.landercommunityfoundation.org.