About Spur
Nurturing a Give-Back Ethos
“A small but mighty team with intimate knowledge of local organizations and community needs.”
Tim Wolff, Founder & Board Member
Spur Community Foundation
Vision & Mission
At Spur Community Foundation, we believe impactful philanthropy helps ensure that the Wood River Valley is a robust, compassionate, and thriving community.
Our vision is that all members of the Wood River Valley community wholeheartedly acknowledge that an ecosystem of generosity enables their quality of life, prompts further philanthropy, and assures the character and values of this place remain intact for generations to come.
It is Spur’s mission to inspire effective philanthropy by helping people to give purposefully and local nonprofits to achieve maximum impact.
Why the name “Spur”?
“Spur” implies action: our goal is to spur along both donors and nonprofits in their support of the community.
A “spur” is a tool that encourages motion: we have the courage to dig in when we can instigate positive change.
A “spur” line of the Union Pacific Railroad enabled our community to prosper as a remote mountain town with a small population.
Please join us in realizing what it means to share this place—to be intentional stewards of the Wood River Valley.
Our values
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We seek the intersection of opportunity and impact. Through our unique connections, knowledge, and grant-making capacity, we can catalyze results both directly and indirectly. We play a transformational role in elevating the social sector in the Wood River Valley, ensuring that the whole community thrives.
We do this by:
Assessing the present and pointing to the future. Our review processes help nonprofits improve their operations and donors chart the most satisfying path for their philanthropy
Targeting the root cause of problems
Leveraging expertise
Inspiring others to be generous by example
Creating a platform and environment for smart, effective giving
Growing the skills and capabilities of non-profit leadership
Optimizing the role of philanthropy in the well-being of the community
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We hold ourselves to the highest standard as an example to others.
We do this by:
Setting clear expectations, both internally and externally
Doing what we say we are going to do and with quality
Modeling best practices
Taking a continuous improvement approach to all aspects of our work and relationships
Raising the bar for effective local philanthropy
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The magic of our community stems from all the people who live and visit here and from the natural environment that surrounds us. We think strategically about how and where philanthropic investments can do the most good. We are open minded and inclusive in our approach to ensuring quality of life and opportunity for all.
How we do it:
Listening and considering other’s ideas, input, feedback and circumstances
Collaborating; believing in the power of many and collective impact
Seeking diversity of experiences and thinking styles to make better decisions
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Our ability to serve both the donor and nonprofit sides of the philanthropic equation requires trust. We view earning, building and maintaining trust as sacred responsibilities.
We do this by:
Operating with integrity in actions, data, processes and execution
Tolerating zero conflict of interest or perceived conflict
Being transparent in successes and failures
Prioritizing our fiscal responsibilities
Maintaining humility
Providing honest, respectful and timely communications, internally and externally, in all situations
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We are innovators who are willing to experiment in pursuit of desired results. We can act quickly and decisively to try new and novel solutions.
We do this by:
Being action-oriented, with the ability to jump in immediately when a critical need presents itself
Taking risks, wisely
Valuing simplicity and practicality in the design of our services, processes and operations
Acting, evaluating, learning, and improving...ALWAYS
Our history
Spur was founded in April 2016 by Wood River Valley community members interested in improving philanthropy in the area, on both an individual and communal level. Understanding the importance of the nonprofit sector to the economy, the community's needs, and the quality of local life, Spur’s founders recognized how the Wood River Valley could benefit from a curator of philanthropic opportunity.
Spur is designed to facilitate giving by simplifying the donor experience and the landscape of opportunities while helping nonprofits thoughtfully increase their efficiency and impact. We provide knowledge, relationships, and systems to achieve these results.
From the start, we have embraced a unique business model as compared to other community foundations. We choose to fund our own operational expenses with contributions from our Board of Directors, our Advisory Board members, and donors who value how we help them. Our rationale for this approach stems from the following beliefs:
Assessing fees on fund balances creates a backwards incentive to hold onto money rather than see it disbursed into the community where it is needed.
Delivering value is imperative. We believe people will contribute more if they value our services, more than what we could charge as fees to be comparable to other options for charitable funds at institutions like Fidelity, Schwab, and Vanguard.
Soliciting donations from the general public would put us in competition with the nonprofits we support.
Notable milestones
Apr 2016
Jul 2016
Dec 2016
Jul 2017
Dec 2017
May 2018
Oct 2018
Mar 2019
Dec 2019
Mar 2020
Dec 2020
May 2021
Sep 2021
May 2022
Dec 2022
Incorporated
Launched Nonprofit Assessment Program
First Gifts to Spur’s Community Impact Fund.
First grants awarded
First Donor Advised Funds Opened
Launched Executive Director Coaching Program
Opened first Memorial Fund ($843,000 contributed)
First full-time employee
Donations for the year and assets exceed $1M for the first time
Opened COVID Community Response Fund ($248,000 contributed)
Grants for the year exceed $1M for the first time
Opened first Custodial Fund (for Warm Springs Preserve)
Launched Board Chair Coaching Program
Granted $9M for Warm Springs Preserve Acquisition
Total Donations exceeded $10M and Grants Exceeded $20M for the year
The Team
News
Annual Report
Finances
Spur believes that the shared ethos in giving back is what defines the Wood River Valley and its residents. From education and environmental causes to arts and culture and health and human services, it’s the work of nonprofits, the generous donations, and the willingness to give that have shaped this place for the better.