Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF HEATHER DUBOEF (GROUP PHOTO, MACLEOD) $30,000. But then the women started telling their friends, and that initial year NWP's membership grew to 40, and its first gift, in 2006, was $180,000 to the Foundation for an Independent Tomorrow. Today N W P is nearly 90 members strong, and this year it will grant $375,000 to a local organi- zation for a high-impact community project, plus a $30,000 Founders Gift to the runner-up. The decision to present one lump sum each yea r is st rateg ic. "T he nonprof it s a re over - whelmed," she explains. "While they're trying to deliver services, they have to compete for the limited number of donor dollars that are out there. So a big part of their work becomes writ- ing grants and throwing parties. One large-scale gift can have much bigger impact." NWP is so renowned in the business commu- nit y for its vetting process that other donors follow its lead, practically guaranteeing future gifts for NWP's grantees. After winning last year's grant, for example, the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth was contacted by HomeAid, a national shelter builder, which offered in-kind donations worth at least $80,000. "We are a tough group of screeners," duBoef says. "We ask a lot of questions and follow our investments for five years." N W P 's recipient s have included t he Greater Las Vegas A fter- School All-Stars, the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, and the Rape Crisis Center, which opened its counseling center, Signs of Hope, with its NWP grant. Nevada Women's Philanthropy has also become a training ground for community leaders: Most members become dedicated volunteers of the nonprofits they've given funds to; many have also joined their boards. "We're all business professionals," says duBoef. "Most of us came here for our husbands and put our careers on hold. So this is how we apply our knowledge. We are community investors, not just donors." As NWP's board chair, duBoef is absolutely dedicated to the organiza- tion's goals and principles, including operating with minimal overhead, so that about 95 percent of its funds can go directly to grantees. "We have no staff and use donated office space," she says. "No funder can afford the type of hours that go into doing what we do." Also a mother of two, duBoef affectionately calls NWP her "middle child." She still throws great parties, like an annual Christmas brunch at which pajamas are mandatory (they're included with the invitation), but no longer do parties detract from her philanthropy. nvwomensphilanthropy.org V TOP: Dana Lee, Heather duBoef, Cindy Ellis, Susie Lee, and Carrie Carter-Henderson at the groundbreaking of NWP's Salvation Army project. ABOVE: DuBoef with Steve MacLeod, then of Three Square, recipient of NWP's 2009 Founders Gift. continued from page 72 Charity Regist er OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE. LADYBUG BALL Event: The fifth annual Ladybug Ball—featuring live and silent auctions, entertainment, and a multicourse gourmet dinner prepared by local celebrity chefs—honors Don and Dina Giancursio ( PICTURED) and benefits the Nevada Blind Children's Foundation, which provides services that enhance the lives of blind and visually impaired children in Las Vegas. Details: May 3, Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa; nvblindchildren.org GALA FOR RECOVERY Event: Foundation for Recovery's yearly gala dinner and silent auction honors those who have made significant contributions to the addiction recovery community, while also raising funds for the organization's services to individuals and families and its programs promoting the positive impact of recovery. Details: May 10, Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino; forrecovery.org GIRLS NIGHT OUT Event: Friends of the Shade Tree—the fundraising arm of the nonprofit shelter for women and children—presents its 12th annual edition of Girls Night Out, a high-end designer handbag auction and party that has brought in nearly $200,000 in the last two years. Fox 5's Jason Feinberg (PICTURED) emcees. Details: May 21, Hyde Bellagio; friendsoftheshadetree.net HEROES WITH HEART GALA Event: The Trauma Intervention Program of Southern Nevada, which provides practical and emotional support to people in crisis following a traumatic event, holds its annual Heroes with Heart Gala, saluting emergency responders who have been nominated by TIP volunteers in the field. Details: May 29, Orleans Hotel & Casino Mardi Gras Ballroom; tipoflasvegas.org FACETS OF HOPE DINNER Event: Jewelers for Children's annual Facets of Hope Dinner—benefiting St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, Make-A-Wish America, the National CASA Association, and the Elisabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation—this year honors Michael Barnes of Sterling Inc. and Glenn and Susan Rothman of Hearts on Fire. Details: June 1, Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino; jewelersforchildren.org SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY 74 VEGASMAGAZINE.COM 072-074_V_SP_SOG_MAYJUNE_14.indd 74 4/21/14 1:27 PM