I was searching through some of my files recently and came across notes from meetings I had in 1995 with various local foundation leaders. I wanted to become familiar with local community needs and how foundations were supporting and helping to meet those needs. It was actually from those meetings that I wrote the first Hutton Foundation business plan. It had become clear to me that in addition to programmatic and operational support one of the primary issues to be addressed in the Santa Barbara area was “The need for stable affordable nonprofit facilities.” In addition, the idea to develop a loan program to help nonprofits purchase buildings was also born from those early discussions.
Twelve years after implementing those ideas Hutton Foundation has made a significant impact in the communities we serve. The Foundation has made more than 40 loans and now owns 10 buildings effecting 35 nonprofit organizations.
In order to further maximize these efforts the Foundation is embarking on a new program using the lessons we have learned, and with a little leverage, continuing down the path to help nonprofits with their facility needs. Hutton Foundation is currently in the process of partnering with public agencies, especially public schools, where lower enrollment is resulting in closure of a number of school properties.
As a partner in this project, Hutton Foundation will master lease a vacant former elementary school property, owned by a local school district, and coordinate nonprofit service providers (as tenants) to create an early childhood education center and family resource center. Approximately a dozen nonprofit organizations whose focus is early childhood education and family support will work collaboratively in one large facility providing local underserved families and children with access to a wide array of programs, all with a common goal—to make certain that children are ready to enter kindergarten with all the skills necessary for success.
This partnership has now expanded to include a number of other foundations as partners offering their grant dollars and more important their programmatic expertise to ensure the model will be a success.
So, over the last 12 years, I have come to realize, sometimes, even as a funder, knowledge, experience, partnership and collaboration can be just as, or even more, valuable than a single monetary grant.
With warm regards,
Thomas C. Parker
PRESIDENT
