This is my first installment of The Green Eyeshade, a periodic column for the Sopris Sun, broadly covering issues of interest to small businesses and nonprofits. The name refers to the caricature of old-time bookkeepers who, according to the internet, wore cellophane visors to protect themselves from eye strain. I’m an old-time accountant myself, having […]
nonprofits
Posted inLocal Government
GarCo Report: Grants galore and more
No public comments at this week’s Garfield County commissioners’ (BOCC) meeting. “It’s a skinny audience,” observed Commission Chair Tom Jankovsky. The meeting itself took up a little over an hour of Jankovsky’s and Commissioner Mike Samson’s time. Commissioner Perry Will was absent. The consent agenda was approved and discussion moved into fourth quarter discretionary grants. […]
Posted inNonprofits
Tri-county resource directory expands equal access to whole health systems
Easing access to critical community resources, the West Mountain Regional Health Alliance (WMRHA) recently updated its all-encompassing online directory for residents of Garfield, Pitkin and Eagle counties. Available in Spanish and English, the user-friendly directory provides information about free, reduced-cost and low-income services. “The goal is to put everything into one location so people don’t […]
Posted inColumns
As government steps back, we must look after our own
Dave Reed is LIFT-UP’s development director. Our valley is a land of stark contrasts, with great wealth coexisting with near-poverty. While many among us enjoy unprecedented luxury, thousands of families and individuals from Parachute to Aspen struggle from paycheck to paycheck. Recent federal policy changes will make life even harder for the people who keep […]
Posted inNonprofits
Carbondale Rotary looks to expand outreach
The Carbondale Rotary Club will soon see a “changing of the guard” for its presidential position as Rachel Hahn prepares to pass the torch to Daniel Ferguson, a man who has headed the club’s Environmental Committee since its inception three years ago. This transfer of power (aka, responsibility) is something both Ferguson and Hahn are […]
Posted inNonprofits
House Bill could carry nationwide ramifications for nonprofits
House of Representatives bill 9495, also known as the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, has nonprofits bracing for a fallout. Introduced by Representatives Claudia Tenney (R-NY) and David Kustoff (R-TN), the bill is meant to prevent any funding going toward terrorist organizations and grant tax relief to Americans wrongfully detained abroad. […]
Posted inOpinion
Philanthropy — where to begin?
Giving season is just around the corner. At this time of year, many of us are considering how we might want to give back to organizations that help improve our community. Some already have a list that they give to year after year. For others, whether they have just relocated or are just beginning to […]
Posted inNonprofits
Giving Network drives community-led philanthropy
The Giving Network, led by local donors and supported by the Aspen Community Foundation (ACF), is gaining momentum as a force in Roaring Fork Valley philanthropy. Founded in 2016 to pool local resources for impactful, community-focused grants, the Giving Network aligns with ACF’s mission to “inspire philanthropy and ignite collaborative action that leads to community-led […]
Posted inNonprofits
There’s no time like August to make a will
August is recognized as National Make-A-Will Month. By making a will, people assure their possessions are passed along exactly as they see fit. The lack of a will can create turmoil for families left to deal with the assets a person has accumulated. As of 2022, 67% of Americans don’t have a valid will according […]
Posted inNonprofits
Alpine Bank nears $2.5 million community fundraising goal
For Alpine Bank’s 50th anniversary, President Glen Jammaron said they wanted to do something big. The objective was to raise $2.5 million for nonprofits — a number Jammaron referred to as a stretch of a goal. However, considering that half a century is a significant milestone, the bank didn’t shy away from setting such a […]