Executives from 36 local nonprofit organizations crowded into the Alumni Room at the University Club this week eager to hear Pam Lewis, Hutton Parker Foundation’s COO, report on the foundation’s history, current activities, and future plans. Nonprofit Kinect, a local consulting firm for nonprofits, regularly conducts the Executive Director Roundtable where nonprofit executives come to network with peers, participate in discussion, and listen to presentations from industry experts.

Captivating love story leads to Hutton Foundation’s creation

Lewis related the fascinating story of Betty and Harold Hutton’s chance meeting at a gas station (Betty from Orange County and Harold from Chicago) leading to an unlikely love story and ultimately their wedding. Their business journey took them from the oil and natural gas industry to real estate development to eventually creating the Hutton Foundation in 1980 at the behest of their new partner and nephew-in-law, Tom Parker.

To date this unique foundation has provided Santa Barbara nonprofits with grants and donations of $43 million and discounted rents of $9.5 million, for a total of $52.5 million in donations. Lewis explained to the rapt audience the Foundation’s exceptional approach to encouraging sustainability and stability for local nonprofits.

Investing in nonprofits through PRI

The Hutton Foundation established its Santa Barbara office in 1995 and began its first formal grant cycle in January 1997, awarding $1.7 million. In August 1997, Hutton began its trademark Program Related Investment (PRI) project with awards to Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics and Santa Barbara Rescue Mission. Since then they have participated in 40 PRI projects totaling $7.8 million. PRI is a hybrid between a standard grant and a traditional investment, providing loans to qualifying nonprofits, usually to purchase or refurbish their buildings, and paid back to the Foundation over time. Tom Parker’s book, The $100 Million Secret, describes this unique approach to investing in nonprofits.

Under One Roof program creates sustainability for nonprofits

Since 2001, Hutton Parker Foundation has been providing quality, below-market rent office space to 79 nonprofit organizations, thereby creating stability and sustainability for the sector. Hutton Parker now owns and manages 17 commercial office buildings in the Santa Barbara. Tenants in these buildings benefit from a long-term lease, which translates to operation stability and the added benefit of interaction and communication with their peers, creating a sense of community and synergy.

Hutton Parker Foundation promotes marketing and endowments for nonprofits

Hutton Parker Foundation’s Media and Marketing Grant Program provides Santa Barbara based organizations an opportunity for targeted, timely community outreach. Since the funding program’s inception in 1998, 244 nonprofit organizations have benefited from this small grant funding opportunity, totaling $800,000.

The Foundation also provides an opportunity for local nonprofits to secure endowment funding. The Endowment Program has developed documentation, which provides step-by-step instructions and sample policies for establishing an endowment. Once an agency has completed the application process, they will have created a viable endowment fund and valid endowment policy.

Focusing on Core Support stabilizes nonprofits

Hutton Parker Foundation’s Core Support Program began in 2011 to address the nonprofits sector’s need for strategic general operating support leading to increased organizational capacity and sustainability. These grants provide for unrestricted operating support to underwrite administrative infrastructure and maintain core programs and essential staff. Funds can be used at the discretion of the organization but are designed as working capital necessary to build robust organizations leading to greater impact in the Santa Barbara community. The Foundation considers a Core Support Grant an investment in an operationally strong nonprofit organization. Their goal is to have this investment help organizations create and implement a targeted vision and mission driven business plan resulting in increased capacity and overall sustainability.

Foundation promotes collaboration among nonprofits

Hutton Parker Foundation has also instigated collaboration among nonprofits on many projects including the Klein Bottle dissolution in the mid-1990s, the Nonprofit Support Center, and the Carpinteria Children’s Project at Main. Most recently, the Foundation is fostering communication and resource development for nonprofits through the NonProfit Resource Network (NPRN). This newly developed smart social network connects people with unique and like nonprofit business challenges – fund raising, staffing, board development, strategic planning, volunteer recruitment, professional development – with individuals having skills and experiences to help solve or improve these challenges.

ED Roundtable promotes camaraderie among nonprofit execs

Nonprofit Kinect invites executive representatives from local nonprofits to join together every two months for networking with peers, professional development, and lively discussions. Each meeting addresses a specific topic and usually includes an expert guest speaker and a delicious breakfast. Anyone interested is invited to attend. To find out more about Nonprofit Kinect’s Executive Director Roundtable, contact Dr. Cynder Sinclair at [email protected].