“We know we thrive when our member-owners and community members thrive,” says Dennis Paul of Elevations Credit Union, a longtime Community Partner of The Community Foundation. “That’s why we channel time, energy and resources into community initiatives.”
As Vice President of Business and Community Development, and Vice Chair and Director of the Elevations Foundation, Dennis represents the organization’s active support of charitable activities and programs that advance the interests of its membership – and their communities.
“The work of The Community Foundation is critical to the well-being of the communities we serve, so it only makes sense to collaborate with the foundation to make a difference,” says Dennis. “We rely on the foundation’s TRENDS Report to help inform our community initiatives. We look to the foundation as experts in different areas – their output in terms of data and information is key to our decision-making.”
Current philanthropic priorities of the nonprofit credit union include behavioral health, early childhood development and school readiness, environmental education and sustainability, and financial literacy – all of which are also key interest areas of The Community Foundation.
“We get a lot of ‘asks,’ but our resources are limited,” continues Dennis. “The foundation’s data collection and analysis of community needs helps us to be very focused and as effective as possible with our resources. The foundation does the heavy lifting, and they know best when it comes to understanding our community’s needs.
“Our partnership with the foundation helps us identify funding gaps that we can help close, at least to some degree.”
Dennis goes on to describe the crucial role of The Community Foundation as a convener and community catalyst. “We have the utmost respect and admiration for the foundation’s leadership in addressing Boulder County’s immediate and emerging needs.”
Elevations has partnered with The Community Foundation since the early 2000s. Elevations Credit Union President and CEO Gerry Agnes previously served on The Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
