Happy Holidays

I have the best job in the world. I truly love it! Writing this annual letter, however, is a challenge. This is when I’d like to go on an Untour until someone else comes up with what to write.

Why would anyone believe my superlatives about the Untours Foundation? I wouldn’t, if I weren’t a personal witness.

I took the fundraising courses at the University of Pennsylvania, and I don’t like or believe in the formula letters. Is it true that we read only the first sentence of each paragraph? I don’t even do that much with most letters I receive.

So why should you keep reading? Simple: The Untours Foundation is amazing.

We are an astute, resilient, and Earth-shaking institution. We learn from our mistakes and aren’t afraid to try new things and take risks. We attract good people and forces; there’s synergy at every turn.

There are vast and scary problems in the world. We know, and we’re on it! We may not have the resources of the Gates Foundation, but our investment model is powerful. We look for models of real change, and we invest in and actively support them, so they can rock the world.

When we funded Wash Cycle Laundry, a bicycle-powered green laundry service that creates meaningful work for “unemployable” people, we met skepticism that this little upstart would be able to compete. We believed in their vision and tenacity, and this year they won a huge government contract and are preparing to expand to another city.

Just as importantly, we are actively encouraging other foundations to invest a portion of their endowments into low-interest loans to socially conscious businesses. This project alone could be our most impactful work yet.

We are so frugal that we aren’t even willing to print annual reports, though you’ll find everything you want to know about us on our website. We are small, but mighty; ecological trailblazers; stewards of the Earth and hearts. We are also unique in that 100 percent of your donations stay in our loan fund, where they are recycled for years to come.

Please invest in us!

Untours travel company provides much of our overhead, but we need your help in growing our loan fund. We have lots of great projects in the pipeline waiting for funding. We welcome and treasure your support on this journey with us.

Wishing you a warm and wondrous holiday,

Elizabeth

Elizabeth Killough

Foundation Manager

 

PS If you are 70 and a half or older, you may take advantage of the IRA Charitable Rollover by donating to our foundation directly from your IRA before midnight on December 31st. The transfer will not be considered as income for you. Thank you for your gifts any way they come!