By Bill Hardesty | [email protected]

According to the Giving USA 2021 annual report, corporations donated roughly $16.88 billion in 2020. However, they also noted this was a 6.1% decline from 2019. 

"Corporations are more likely to give when the stock market is up because stock market values are an indicator of financial and economic security," the report said.

In addition, "America's 1.3 million charitable nonprofits feed, heal, shelter, educate, nurture and inspire people of every age, gender, race and socioeconomic status, from coast to coast, border to border, and beyond," noted the National Council of Nonprofits website. 

Finally, add the massive grant program, including federal and foundational grants, which created a grant getting industry.

The result is a boatload of funds available to help people and communities. However, this begs the question: is South Salt Lake getting its fair share?

Consider these examples:

• Promise SSL is fully funded, except for the director position, through grants and direct donations.

"PSSL relies mostly on grants and philanthropic donations to run the after-school and adult services. Grant funding mostly comes from pass-through federal dollars to local state agencies," Kelli Meranda, Promise SSL director, said. "In a small community like SSL, it is key to work with outside agencies to support and expand our work. Being able to supplement the city general fund to provide high-quality services for SSL residents for low to no cost leverages our ability to better serve our community.” 

• FitLot Park at the Columbus Center was open last October. The $125,000 price tag was paid with grant money. AARP was a significant donor. It is the only such park in the state.

"I'm so grateful that AARP has been thrilled over the last three years to build one of these FitLots in all 50 states and three territories. We do it because we love the community," Alan Ormsby, the state director of AARP Utah, said.

• The $5,000 grant from the Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries helped Lincoln Elementary buy updated books. It is estimated that 13% of their collection will be new.

"The average age of a book in our collection is 20 years," Kristine Kramer, Lincoln's librarian, said, "and if that is the average, there are a lot of books much older."

• Vivint Holiday Gift Sacks Giveaway at Lincoln Elementary School in December. All 400 students were given personalized gift sacks.

"We have been running Sub for Santa for 14 years," Zachary Ibarra, program manager for Vivint Gives Back, said. They work with three elementary schools and others. "In total, we're going to give gifts to 4,000 kids this year.”

• Wellness Bus from the University of Utah, which is at the Central Park Community Center every Thursday from 3-7 p.m. The Wellness Bus, which provides screenings and nutritional counseling, is the flagship of the Driving Out Diabetes Initiative (DODI), funded by the Larry H. and Gail Miller Family Foundation.

"If people want help, we can help," Nancy Ortiz, operations manager, said.

• Financial Empowerment Center was opened in November. The purpose is to provide financial literacy and counseling. Mountain America Credit Union is partnering with Promise SSL to supply services.

"This center is a testament to the type of community we have here in South Salt Lake," Natalie Pinkney, councilmember at-large, said.

Beyond these examples are many grants that supply funds for water quality, police department needs, fire department programs, and neighborhood department efforts. 

There are examples like the Utah Food Bank providing their mobile food pantry and other pantries at schools and community centers on the nonprofit giving side. Or partnerships like the community garden at Central Park. The garden is sponsored by the New Roots Initiative, a program of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in conjunction with Wasatch Community Gardens.

Other examples include the Best Buy Promise Teen Tech Center or the new Community Opportunity Center (CoOp) at the Columbus Center regarding the corporate giving side. The CoOp is becoming a reality because of the David Weekley Family Foundation funding the art space, the Google donation for furniture, and the Comcast donation for connected rooms and a Lift Zone.

All toll

Crystal Makin, the director of finance for the city, reported, “For the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2021, SSL received $4,763,451 in federal governmental grant funding. Some of that came directly from the federal government, and some of it was passed through other state and county government offices that have been charged with administering the funds. This funding was used, mainly, to fund Promise, Community Development, Police Safety, Covid relief, and clean water."

Makin continued, "SSL received $159,387 in cash funding from nonprofit organizations, with the largest donor being United Way. It also received $126,255 in cash funding from Best Buy and its nonprofit arm that specifically supported the Best Buy Teen Tech Center. Over the last three years, Best Buy and its nonprofit arm have paid SSL $295,795 to build and fund the Tech Center."

Makin also reported that SSL received in-kind donations to build parks, plant trees, and keep parks and green spaces. 

ARPA funding

"There are many great programs in Utah offering incredible services for youth and families, making granting incredibly competitive," Meranda said. "There is also a shortfall in available funding for needed services. A report from the National Afterschool Association, ‘America After 3 p.m.’ report, for every child enrolled in an after-school program, eight students are waiting to get in."

At the Jan. 12 City Council meeting, Mayor Cherie Wood announced a significant grant from the Utah State Board of Education ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funding. The three-year, $1.2 million grant will allow Promise SSL to expand its services.

"The funding will help expand current services at our sites to strengthen social- emotional learning and targeted academic interventions for students," Meranda said. "It will also provide funding to expand summer learning programs for youth. It also has a component to pay for outside evaluation from an independent contractor to ensure the services we are providing are meeting youth needs.”