Continuing Education Press Releases

Utah's Nonprofit Community Shares Lessons from the Recession

Lt. Governor Bell, Mayor Corroon and 100 Organizations Convene at Second Annual Wells Fargo Economic Summit for Nonprofits

April 22, 2010 — The recession of 2008-2009 - the worst since the Great Depression - has made profound impacts on families, communities and businesses, including local nonprofit organizations.

A recent study by the Community Foundation of Utah found that 66% of Utah's nonprofits cut their budgets and 28% laid off staff (since January 2009). In addition, more than 45% of Utah nonprofits reported their funding was down significantly - yet 55% responded the demand for services was up.

"A larger number of people seeking assistance, a smaller workforce to carry out the mission and decreased revenues - this is the new 'normal' for many nonprofit organizations in Utah," said Fraser Nelson, Executive Director of the Community Foundation of Utah. So how are local nonprofits adapting, and what does the future hold? Representatives from more than 100 local nonprofits will explore these questions and more at the Second Annual Wells Fargo Economic Summit for Nonprofits. A partnership between Wells Fargo, the Nonprofit Academy for Excellence at The University of Utah and the Utah Nonprofits Association, brings together local business and political leaders to share knowledge, success stories and lessons learned from the recession for this free, one-day workshop. Limited to one representative per organization, the event filled its 100 slots within hours of registration opening, with dozens more on the waiting list.

"It's clear that changes in the economic climate have created a new way of doing business," said Anne O'Brien, Director of Professional Education at The University of Utah.

"Nonprofits are surviving by diversifying, collaborating and restructuring. The Summit is a unique opportunity to share these success stories, and to help people adapt those strategies to their own organizations."

Greg Winegardner, Utah Regional President for Wells Fargo, and Dr. David Pershing, University of Utah Senior Vice President, will kick off the day – and the seminar will include presentations by Utah Lt. Governor Greg Bell, Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, Salt Lake Chamber Chief Economist Natalie Gochnour, EDCUtah's Vice President of Business Development Todd Brightwell and many more.

Todd Brightwell, EDCUtah

The Summit also will include panel discussions exploring how local nonprofits – such as Hogle Zoo, Fourth Street Clinic and the Alliance for the Varied Arts – have successfully adapted to the new way of doing business since the recession.

Nelson continued, "As one respondent shared, 'I don't believe we will ever go back to the old ways of doing things. Nonprofits are reinventing ways to stay viable and meaningful to their communities.'"

"The Summit allows nonprofit leaders to tap into a wealth of expertise – from political leaders, business leaders and economic strategists to people who work in the nonprofit trenches every day," said Denise Winslow, Vice President of Utah Community Relations for Wells Fargo. "It can be easy to feel isolated, but opportunities for the nonprofit community to network, brainstorm, and learn from one another are essential. We're all connected – now is the time to work together, strengthen our community and improve the quality of life for all Utahns."

The Wells Fargo Economic Summit for Nonprofits will be held May 4, 2010 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the 11th Floor Atrium of the Wells Fargo Center, 299 S. Main St., Salt Lake City.

To learn more about other training opportunities, contact the Nonprofit Academy for Excellence, 801-585-1780, or the Utah Nonprofits Association, 801-596-1800.

About the Nonprofit Academy for Excellence
The Nonprofit Academy for Excellence at The University of Utah inspires excellence in nonprofit management and governance. This unique certificate-based program, customized for managers, staff and trustees of Utah's nonprofit community, promotes enhanced organizational capacity and effectiveness to professionals seeking training and development in nonprofit management. In addition to high-quality, affordable courses, the Academy offers a meeting place for nonprofit professionals to share ideas and strategies and build relationships that last beyond the classroom.

About the Utah Nonprofits Association
The Utah Nonprofits Association is the umbrella membership association of nonprofit organizations in Utah. Incorporated in 1990, UNA was created by, and for, people who strive for a stronger, more professional nonprofit community in Utah. The organization focuses on providing mutual support, management development through training opportunities and sector-wide advocacy. The current membership includes over 500 nonprofit organizations and individual members. UNA's members represent organizations of all sizes and mission areas, including arts and culture organizations, historical societies, homeless and battered women's shelters, agencies that provide services to children and families, community development organizations, environmental groups, museums, food banks, and many other types of nonprofits.

About Wells Fargo
In Utah, Wells Fargo has more than 4,300 team members and serves nearly half a million consumer households across the state from more than 160 locations, including 130 banking stores. Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified financial services company with $1.2 trillion in assets, providing banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 10,000 stores and 12,000 ATMs and the Internet (wellsfargo.com) across North America and internationally.

Continuing Education at the U enriches the lives of people of all ages in the greater community and beyond by providing extraordinary learning opportunities from the university. The division encompasses nine programs: Academic Non-Credit, Lifelong Learning, Exam/Test Preparation, Professional Education, Technology Education, Youth Education, Distance Education, the Osher Institute for Lifelong Learning and the English Language Institute. Founded in 1911, Continuing Education offers credit and non-credit courses that serve over 30,000 students annually from around the world. Information about each of Continuing Ed's programs can be found at www.continue.utah.edu.