Brett Storey, board member, and Charlie Mangeneillo, Director of Philanthropy, with the Wyoming Community Foundation joined the Weekday Wake-Up on Tuesday, August 18 to discuss the creation of the Star Valley Advisor Committee.

(0:00) And today, we’re going to learn more about the Wyoming Community Foundation. (0:04) Locally, Brett Story is in studio today. (0:06) He’s a board member of the Wyoming Community Foundation (0:09) and also associate director of philanthropy.

(0:12) Joining us over the phone this morning. (0:14) That’s Charlie Manganiello joining us today as well. (0:18) Brett, good morning.

How are you doing today? (0:20) Morning, Duke. I’m doing fantastic. (0:21) Well, appreciate you stepping in studio.

(0:23) And Brett, how about you? Thanks for joining us. (0:25) Yeah. Yes.

No, thank you so much for having us. (0:28) Yeah, I appreciate it. (0:30) So, Charlie, let’s let’s start with you.

(0:33) And actually, Brett, let’s start with you and give you the chance to (0:37) to introduce what is now the Star Valley Advisory Committee (0:42) of the Wyoming Community Foundation. (0:44) Yes. Thanks, Duke.

(0:45) A number of us have been working with the Wyoming Community Foundation (0:49) for a while, and they approached us and wanted us to help start (0:53) something here in the valley, which would lead to, of course, (0:58) funding both. (1:00) It’s our job to get some, but it’s also their job (1:02) to bring some forward in the foundation. (1:04) And so we have board members from up and down the valley.

(1:07) And we’re really excited. (1:08) We’re looking to try to do this long term so that we can (1:12) keep the way of life, so to speak, here by helping all nonprofits. (1:16) OK, very cool.

(1:17) And Charlie, let’s bring you in on this conversation. (1:20) Tell us more about the Wyoming Community Foundation, what it is, (1:25) how it got started, what its goals are. (1:26) Just tell us more about what the foundation actually is.

(1:30) Yeah, thanks, Duke. (1:31) Yeah, so the Wyoming Community Foundation had some humble beginnings. (1:34) It started in 1989, so we’re in our 37th year (1:38) and basically a select few folks all over the state (1:43) started this community foundation to help (1:47) small communities in Wyoming thrive.

(1:49) We know Wyoming is a big state, but also feels like a small state (1:54) and a community foundation’s basic function (1:57) is to grant dollars for charitable purposes. (2:01) So we’re talking about nonprofits. (2:02) We’re talking about even, you know, other examples (2:06) like a municipality wants to put up a park or do some beautification in town.

(2:13) So our job and it’s really been cool to see over the last few decades, (2:17) see some of these funds that we acquired grow (2:20) because most of our funds are in endowed funds (2:23) because we’re we’re not talking about just immediate fixes. (2:26) We’re talking about the future 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years from now. (2:30) And Star Valley has been an area that we’ve granted to in the past.

(2:34) And we got some local folks excited to kind of do an advisory board (2:39) and do a little more focused effort there in the valley. (2:42) Love it. Now, Charlie, for some of our listeners, (2:45) the Wyoming Community Foundation probably isn’t new.

(2:47) You mentioned there has been funds to the Star Valley area already, (2:50) but there’s there’s also some groups (2:52) who have listeners in Kemmerer and kind of more southwest Wyoming. (2:54) And it’s it’s been there for a while, correct? (2:57) It has. Yeah.

(2:58) And it’s important to know that we are a statewide community foundation (3:01) and and we’re not just picking Star Valley because it’s our favorite. (3:04) We do grant to all 23 counties. (3:07) And there’s in southern Lincoln County, there’s been some (3:11) funds that have been developed that have been granted out to that area.

(3:14) North Lincoln County or Star Valley particularly. (3:17) We’re just we see a need and we wanted to get some more education (3:23) and some more help there in that area. (3:26) And, you know, we’re just kind of picking our way across the state.

(3:30) You know, we only have so much bandwidth. (3:32) We can only do so much. (3:33) But as we start to, you know, have some communities (3:36) be a little bit more bolstered up, we can start to get into some other (3:40) communities to do some of the stuff we’ve been doing around the state.

(3:43) But it is important to remember that we do grant to all 23 counties. (3:47) So, Brett, let’s talk more about the the Star Valley Advisory Committee (3:50) specifically and and as you get going on this, talk to us more about (3:54) the committee’s purposes and goals for outreach and how this will all work (3:58) kind of on the local Star Valley level. (4:00) Sure.

Thanks. Excuse me for that question. (4:03) We’re going to do a number of things in conjunction (4:06) with the Wyoming Community Foundation.

(4:08) One, of course, is to raise funds so that we can grant only (4:12) any funds we raise here in Star Valley. (4:14) We can grant to Star Valley nonprofits. (4:17) And that’s that’s our number one goal is to have that happen.

(4:20) A secondary goal. (4:22) And it’s because most of us on the board have served on other boards, (4:26) both here locally and around the country. (4:28) And we want to help those boards, either if you have a new board (4:31) you want to create or if you have a board that needs help (4:36) in in becoming better.

(4:37) We have the experience and the time. (4:40) Half of us are retired. (4:41) Half of us aren’t.

(4:43) And we have the time to come help you. (4:44) So we want to do that. (4:45) But really, the the biggest goal for most of us is to look at something (4:50) like Charlie talked about, which is a long term endowment.

(4:54) And so we have you know, there’s various things (4:57) the IRS will let you do as you get older. (5:00) And I’m almost at that stage, right? (5:02) You have to make some required minimum distributions. (5:05) So we’re looking to build this account (5:08) with long term funding so that it won’t be as, you know, (5:13) eventually we’ll get up to raising 50 to 100000 dollars a year (5:16) and handing that out in grants.

(5:18) But our goal is actually larger than that. (5:20) We’re looking to build that so that they’ll always be (5:23) the Wyoming Community Foundation grants in Star Valley (5:27) to help Star Valley nonprofits, because, again, we’re trying to keep (5:30) this way of life healthy and and and support (5:33) all of the groups that are in this valley. (5:35) Yeah.

And so if you’re a nonprofit listening right now, you’re thinking (5:39) this sounds pretty good. (5:41) And so is there a grant application process open now (5:44) or is all those details still being worked out? (5:46) Charlie, you’ll hit on it. (5:48) The the overall state is open.

(5:51) I think it’s coming up in September. (5:53) We won’t have enough funding yet. (5:55) We just started.

(5:56) So our goal is like for in twenty seven, we’ll have our own grant funding. (6:02) But it’s also important to note that you could apply at the state level and here. (6:06) So if you don’t get one, you could get the other that kind of thing.

(6:09) And one last item, the Wyoming Community Foundation (6:12) really believes in this grassroots operation. (6:15) So they’re providing us a 10000 dollar match. (6:18) So the first 10000 we raise, they’re going to give us an additional 10000.

(6:21) Then we have 20 to build on. (6:23) So that’s kind of what we’re we’re trying to (6:26) accommodate and get get moving on. Yeah, absolutely.

(6:29) So that that sounds like a great start. (6:31) So, Charlie, let’s let’s kind of tag on to that and and discuss more (6:35) about this grant cycle through the statewide community foundation (6:39) and how it will result to the relates to the future, (6:43) specifically the Star Valley Advisory Committee. (6:46) For sure.

Yeah. (6:46) And it’s important to remember that it’s all connected. (6:49) So when you go through or apply in our grant cycle, we have two each year, (6:54) one in the spring and one in the fall.

(6:55) And so right now we are still open for applications, (6:59) which closes September 15th. (7:01) So if you haven’t got your application in yet, you have a month, (7:05) you know, grants, you know, take some time to kind of work through (7:08) and get all those questions answered. (7:11) But we’ve got a robust website to give you all the tools you need.

(7:16) And also you can book office hours with our program staff. (7:19) But what hopefully as we build, as as Brett just alluded to, (7:24) there will be geographically restricted dollars to that area, (7:28) which just helps that Star Valley nonprofit network (7:32) have access to those dollars where they’re not competing around the whole state. (7:36) So you can always apply.

(7:38) There’s there’s there’s money that’s (7:41) available for us to grant out. (7:43) But like most granting community foundations or granting organizations, (7:46) you know, the requests are usually much higher than (7:50) than what we have money to give out. (7:52) So our hope and what we’ve done in other pockets of the state (7:55) is having, again, geographically restricted dollars (7:58) where those little pockets can be, you know, (8:02) competing against each other, but in a way that isn’t full statewide.

(8:06) So, again, just because the Star Valley Community Fund is just starting (8:11) doesn’t mean there isn’t dollars to be granted out. (8:14) All right, Brett. (8:15) So so the big question then becomes, how do we get the local dollars available? (8:19) And what are the fundraising goals and how can how can businesses (8:22) or individuals get involved with this? (8:24) Yeah, you know, one of the things we’ve got to do is is is more outreach.

(8:30) And of course, we’re starting on the flagship here at SVI, (8:32) which is which is the best way to get your word out. (8:35) But we’re also going to visit all the town councils, (8:38) all the HOAs, airport boards, anything with a large group. (8:42) And really, the idea is to is to plant the seed now.

(8:44) It’s it’s you know, if you want to give a donation now, that’s wonderful. (8:47) And and any amount is is obviously accepted. (8:50) We need to build this fund.

(8:51) But really, what we’re looking for is a long term situation (8:56) where, you know, you can still give. (8:58) We want you to still give to the food pantry or one of the other wonderful (9:05) nonprofits here in the valley. (9:06) But again, we’re trying to build so that we can give to them all of them as well.

(9:10) And so if you have (9:12) if you have a desire to help, you know, reach out to us (9:17) again on the other half of it, if you have a desire to improve your board, (9:21) I have lots of time, believe it or not. (9:24) And and I’d love to help you build your board and (9:28) help you raise money in various ways. (9:31) And so that’s kind of what our our goal is right now.

(9:34) We haven’t set a dollar limit goal yet. (9:36) We have another meeting. (9:37) And Charlie’s coming to host another meeting in October.

(9:41) And I suspect there we will begin to set our funding goals (9:45) so that we can make sure and reach them and provide money back out to the community. (9:49) And so how do how do how do the donations work? (9:53) Can people Charlie mentioned the the Wyoming Community Foundation (9:57) statewide website? (9:59) Can donations be made to the Star Valley Advisory Committee through there? (10:02) Do you have your own? How does that work? (10:04) I’m going to let Charlie answer that, because he’s in the community foundation (10:07) is in total financial control of us. (10:10) And we like that because then we know it’s safe.

(10:14) Yeah, so folks can visit W.Y.C.F. (10:18) There’s a little donate button there on the top. (10:21) And you’ll see I mean, you could look up lots of funds. (10:24) There’s the general operating fund for us.

(10:25) But you can look up the Star Valley Community Fund. (10:28) And there’s a specific giving page where folks can make sure (10:32) that donation goes right into that fund specifically. (10:36) It’s not going to come to some general fund or be used around the state.

(10:40) So there’s that. (10:41) And then it’s really important to remember, too, that like what Brett’s (10:44) talking about as far as this long term vision is if folks are interested (10:49) in some sort of plan gift where the Wyoming Community Foundation really shines (10:53) is we are able to accept complex gifts (10:58) that then can go out to local nonprofits. (11:01) So a specific example could be like a really great nonprofit.

(11:05) Maybe it’s a working board. (11:06) Maybe they have one staff member. (11:07) You know, they’re busy serving their mission, which we want them to continue (11:10) to do, and they don’t have much bandwidth to maybe take securities (11:14) or accept a house or land or other different assets.

(11:19) We can help secure those assets for the valley or for (11:24) with working with that nonprofit. (11:26) If they want to hold an agency fund with us, we can help (11:30) hopefully secure some of those more long term gifts. (11:33) That isn’t just, you know, a fundraiser where it’s a hundred bucks here (11:38) and 50 bucks there.

(11:39) Again, like Brett said, that’s important. (11:41) And we want to have people raise their hand if that’s where they’re at. (11:45) But we’re also wanting to work with donors in the area (11:49) that might want to set up a more robust fund or a planned gift.

(11:53) Love it. That, again, is Brett’s story with the Star Valley Advisory Committee (11:57) and Charlie Manganiello, the associate director of philanthropy, (12:01) talking about the Wyoming Community Foundation this morning on the weekday (12:04) wake up. Charlie, Brett, thank you so much for your time, both of you.

(12:07) Anything we missed, Brett, that you’d like to mention today? (12:10) Get out and vote. How’s that? Yeah, there you go. Perfect.

(12:13) Love it, Charlie. How about you do everything? (12:15) Yeah, same thing. (12:16) And if anyone wants to get together, my email is (12:20) charlie, C-H-A-R-L-I-E at W-Y-C-F dot org.

(12:24) If you have any questions. Perfect. (12:26) And I’ll go ahead and get my phone number out.

(12:28) 307-409-6877. (12:31) I live just outside of Afton. Happy to help anybody.

(12:34) Perfect. Brett’s story, Charlie Manganiello. (12:36) And again, visit W-Y-C-F dot org with again being organized (12:41) as the Star Valley Advisory Committee of the Wyoming Community Foundation.

(12:45) It’s the weekday wake up this morning on SVI Radio.