2011 Annual Report

mmunity Shares Newsletter
e-community

2011 Annual Report
For twenty-five years, Colorado has profited from the work of Community Shares.

In This Issue

Culture of Giving

Community Investment

Redefining Philanthropy

Connect With Us!

Community Shares Receives Four Star Rating

Celebrating 25 Years!

(Annual reports are in the mail, get a digital copy by clicking here!)

For twenty-five years, Colorado has profited from the work of Community Shares.

We were founded in 1986 by a small group of nonprofit organizations to bring fresh ideas to corporate philanthropy. Community Shares was charged with diversifying workplace giving by introducing new causes and approaches to high profile funding campaigns. In addition, we championed welcoming all who wished to give by setting no minimum donation amount. New faces, new ideas, and new solutions followed.

Great ideas aren't constrained by tax status. A nonprofit organization measures its success by the social benefit it generates - a profit that is shared by a community rather than a few business owners. Don't be misled into any sort of false limitations on what it means to be a nonprofit. These unique drivers of progress work every day to build a better Colorado.

How has Colorado profited from the work of Community Shares?

* Workforce development, jobs secured, careers revived, economic stability restored
* New homes built for families, innovations in education, open doors in times of need
* Open space preserved, trails and bike paths built, trees and fauna planted
* Medical facilities established, equipment purchased, life-changing health interventions
* A burgeoning legacy of equal rights, legal precedents set, essential protections enforced
* Native species protected, injured animals returned to the wild, beloved companions for families
* New seats in community theaters, increased radio bandwidth, original works of art

Together, we've made a $20,000,000 investment in the infrastructure of Colorado.

Along with the tangible production of our member nonprofit organizations, we invest heavily in human potential. Nonprofit organizations serve those whose needs and aspirations require a source of venture capital rooted in possibility. Nonprofit organizations support people facing adversity when few others would. The return on that investment - changed lives - benefits generations of Coloradans.

Every Community Shareholder should be proud of what we've built together over these first twenty-five years.We have made Colorado a better place to live, work, and grow.

All of this amazing work is funded by thousands of Coloradans donating an average gift of $1 a day. Our donors have proven that when we give together, incremental giving makes a monumental difference. Our sincere gratitude to our worksite partners, individual donors, nonprofit members, and friends. Thanks to you, Community Shares has made a lasting impression on Colorado.

In partnership,

Alyssa Kopf, CEO

Community Shares of Colorado

Community Shares was founded in 1986 to broaden the types
of charities and causes included in workplace giving campaigns. We introduced new focus areas to high profile giving campaigns and encouraged investment in local grassroots nonprofits.

For twenty-five years, we've partnered with hundreds of
Colorado businesses and tens of thousands of individual donors giving at work. Community Shares is a valued collaborator in promoting more inclusive corporate philanthropy in Colorado. Thanks to the initiative and ingenuity of our corporate partners, more Coloradans see themselves in their workplace giving options.

Eco-Cycle

With your dollars, our member nonprofits have built a

better Colorado. The production and invention of nonprofit

organizations is all around you. The Colorado way of life could

not exist without committed nonprofits leading the way.

Along with capital improvements and financial investments in

Colorado, our member nonprofits make a lasting impression

on those they serve. Nonprofits invest social venture

capital in human potential. Without nonprofit organizations,

who would fund aspiration, opportunity, and possibility?

The definition of the word "philanthropist" is fairly simple: one
who actively promotes human well-being. However, when we
hear the word "philanthropist" our minds often jump to the
most extreme examples; we think of black and white photos
of the Vanderbilts and Rockefellers, the names that grace our
buildings, theaters and streets, and the new generation of
billion dollar givers.

As this annual report reflects, philanthropists don't just exist
in black and white photos; philanthropists live in bold colors in our vital and vibrant community. At Community Shares, a philanthropist is not defined by the amount of the gift but by the inspiration that motivates it. Community Shares' $20,000,000 investment proves when we work together we can make a lasting impression on Colorado.