2021 Winter Newsletter

Post Office Box 4000
Breckenridge, Colorado 80424
Address Service Requested
Give Like A Local
Accomplishments
A True Local: Bill Sanders
One Degree
In Memory of Art Bowles
Scholarships

MAINTAINING
THE SPIRIT OF
PHILANTHROPY
In late 2020, after identifying changes in our landscape with
many residents leaving the community and many more moving
in, the Summit Foundation rolled out our Give Like a Local
campaign to promote our community and spirit of philanthropy
to new, existing, and second homeowners. The campaign’s
goal is to welcome community members on behalf of our local
nonprofits and share the spirit of philanthropy. Since the launch,
we have connected with many new residents through welcome
receptions to discuss how they can get involved. In addition,
we’ve partnered with local realtors who helped us spread the
word to new homeowners.
If you have a new neighbor or know someone in the community
who would like to learn more about our work, other local
nonprofits, and volunteer opportunities, please encourage
them to reach out to The Summit Foundation.
As part of our Give like a Local campaign, we provide a bottle
of our signature Carboy wine to offer as a welcome gift. Reach
out to taryn@summitfoundation.org for more information.
WINTER 2021 NEWSLETTER

CELEBRATING
A YEAR OF GIVING BACK
SPECIAL GRANTS CYCLE
Over $667,000 distributed
DUCK RACE
Over $120,000 raised to
support the community
GIVE LIKE A LOCAL
Reached over
100 new residents
STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
181 scholarships distributed
COVID RELIEF
$1.6 million in community support YEARLY GRANTS
Over $1.3M distributed
to nonprofits
ONE DEGREE LAUNCH
Over 700 services featured
SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY DONATE TODAY AT SUMMITFOUNDATION.ORG

A YEAR OF
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Over the last year, The Summit Foundation has continued to lead the charge for COVID relief among our nonprofits.
We were able to donate an additional $1,600,000 in COVID community support grants to local nonprofits. We
launched our Give Like A Local campaign, Live Your Dreams Scholarship, and One Degree.
The Summit Foundation also continues to see success with our Special Initiatives. Building Hope has proven to
be a critical component of Summit County’s COVID response, providing mental health services during a time when
demand has never been higher. The Peak Health Alliance’s innovation in health insurance has improved access
to care and saved participants $1.8 million in healthcare costs. Meanwhile, Mountain Scholars’ multi-faceted
approach of mentorship, scholarships and academic/financial navigation is proving to be incredibly effective
in improving graduation rates for first-generation college students: in comparison to a national 12% persistence
rate for first generation students starting at community college, Mountain Scholars are persisting at a stunning
rate of 90%. There are currently 55 Mountain Scholars studying at eight universities across the state, with more
students joining each year.
We are looking forward to continuing our success in the new year. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without
your support. Thank you for making a difference.
Your donation
may be doubled
The Steve and Trish Shapiro Family Foundation
will generously match all new and increased gifts
up to a total of $50,000.
WINTER 2021 NEWSLETTER

A TRUE LOCAL
Whether skinning up the mountain and skiing the bumps in the winter or mountain biking the
beautiful trails in the summer, Bill Sanders loves Summit County and everything it has to
offer. In addition to his recreational activities, Bill also enjoys arts and culture experiences
and can be found square dancing at the Senior Center or on the dance floor at a concert in
Dillon. Bill is an avid Abraham Lincoln historian and enjoys dressing up as ‘honest Abe’ to
share history with children and adults alike.
He also appreciates the work of the remarkable nonprofits in our community and is an active
volunteer with Summit County Rotary.
For these reasons, Bill has chosen to generously support The Summit Foundation through
his annual giving to support this tapestry of living in Summit County. He is also a member
of the Peaks Society and has remembered The Summit Foundation in his will through the
Bill L. Sanders Family Fund that will leave a legacy of support for the community he loves
for many years to come.
We thank Bill for his generosity and congratulate him on being a true Summit County local!
The Summit Foundation is the glue that holds this community
fabric together to make living here better for everyone.
- Bill Sanders

CONNECTING SUMMIT RESIDENTS
TO VITAL RESOURCES
The Summit Foundation recently partnered with donor Paul Finkel and several
local organizations to launch One Degree Summit County, an online community
resource platform that offers an innovative and dynamic directory of support
services — from childcare to mental health support to housing assistance.
“We couldn’t be more enthusiastic about the roll out of One Degree to the
Summit County community,” says Tara Dew, program manager of The Summit
Foundation. “The community has needed a central place to access services for
a long time, but it became critical during the pandemic when needs spiked and
in-person meetings with local navigators shut down overnight. Moving forward,
we see it becoming an essential tool for our residents.”
“With so many seasonal workers and new residents in our community, it
became critical to establish a ‘one-stop shop’ like One Degree,” says Nissa
Erickson, Family & Intercultural Resource Center Director of Development.
“There are just so many resources that both longtime residents and those new
to the community don’t know about. Seeking help should not be overwhelming.
Our partnership with One Degree will make finding support easily accessible.”
“This will be an essential service for local organizations, too, and inspire more
community collaboration,” adds Tara. One Degree will make it easier for local
nonprofits to connect with community members seeking out their services, and
will facilitate warm handoffs to local partners.
THANK YOU
TO OUR
PARTNERS
Education Foundation
of the Summit
Family & Intercultural
Resource Center
Paul Finkel
Keystone
Science School
Summit Community
Care Clinic
St. Anthony Summit
Medical Center
St. Anthony Summit
Medical Center Health
Foundation
AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH & SPANISH, ONE DEGREE IS FREE TO USE
To search via laptop,
desktop & phone, visit
1degree.org/summitco
Download the
One Degree App
Text message to 844-833-1334
using keywords such as
“childcare” or “shelter”
WINTER 2021 NEWSLETTER

Without Art Bowles,
there would be no
Summit Foundation.
- Deb Edwards,
BGV Gives Program Manager
Former Executive Director of
The Summit Foundation
IN MEMORY OF
ART BOWLES
It is with sadness that we report Art Bowles
passed away on May 12, 2021 at the age of 91.
Art was the inspiration and leader behind the
establishment of The Summit Foundation in
1984, originally known as The Breckenridge
Development Foundation.
At that time, the Breckenridge Ski Area was
owned by the Aspen Skiing Company, and
The Aspen Foundation had been created in that
community. As an executive for the Breckenridge
Ski Area, Art was familiar with Aspen and saw
how important the community foundation was
for that community. He recognized that nonprofit
organizations are vital contributors to the fabric
of the community, providing critical services in
all areas: art & culture, health & human services,
education, environment, and recreation/sports.
Art had a goal and a vision to create an
organization that would invite both full-time
and part-time residents to support the nonprofit
organizations in Summit County. The Foundation
began with four Board members: Art, Jim Gill,
David Peri and Brad Case, all of whom were
executives at the ski area. Deb Edwards was
hired as the first Executive Director in 1985,
starting with an office in a trailer at the base
of Peak 8.
As they say, the rest is history. The Summit
Foundation now has over 3,500 donors, and
over $37 million has been donated in grants to
local nonprofits and scholarships for deserving
local students. Art Bowles left quite a legacy
here in Summit County, and we are honored and
humbled to continue to build on his vision for
the community foundation and serve our
community.
Our sympathy to Pauline, Art’s wife of 66 years,
his family, and many friends.
TOGETHER WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE SOUL OF THE SUMMIT
MAKE A DIFFERENCE DONATE TODAY SUMMITFOUNDATION.ORG

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE
SUMMIT FOUNDATION’S 2021
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS!
The Summit Foundation is the largest scholarship provider in the community, and this year over
$400,000 was given to 181 students, 40% of which are first-generation college students.
“We are so proud of our local students and their perseverance through a very difficult school year,”
said Tara Dew, program manager of The Summit Foundation. “We hope these scholarships are not
only a financial support, but also a reminder of the community cheering them on in their next steps.”
Each year The Foundation awards scholarships as part of its mission to support working families.
Students are selected based on financial need, academic excellence and community service.
All recipients are also eligible to re-apply for a scholarship for their sophomore year.
For a list of this year’s scholarship recipients, please visit our website.
WINTER 2021 NEWSLETTER