Discover and support more than 50 nonprofit and social enterprise Leaders in Colorado. Back nonprofits striving to reach sustainability. Share in powerful, practical solutions that make Colorado a great place to live. We act as fiscal sponsor for Leader causes like Defy Ventures CO, Grow Local...
"What makes Beanstalk so unique is their interest and aptitude to meet social enterprise leaders on the front line, and equip them with the resources to maximize their positive impact on Colorado. I've had the good fortune to be a Beanstalk Foundation leader since 2012, and since that time Beanstalk Foundation has become an integral part of our social enterprise.". Bill Morris, CEO, Blue Star Recyclers
"I have worked with Ted, Margaret and the Beanstalk staff for the last 18 months developing a sustainable business model for a start-up, nonprofit law firm. The support and expertise I have received at Beanstalk has been extraordinary. Their staff has been supportive in so many ways -- from talking me through the day-to-day stresses of leading a start-up social enterprise to the more "big picture" issues of strategic planning, board management and donor development. They have also provided significant financial support to our agency. However, unlike many other funders, their support is not limited to writing a check. They genuinely care about the individuals in whom they invest and in fostering an environment of creative problem-solving to address difficult societal problems." Bruce Wiener, Executive Director, Bridge to Justice
Our mission is to create vibrant communities in Colorado and beyond. We identify dynamic local nonprofit and social enterprise leaders, and provide them the tools they need to succeed. We help our leaders reach sustainability for themselves and their organizations. For us, sustainability is a three-part concept, including: personal (recognition for an individual's community work), operational (advice and counsel for their organization), and financial (funding and guidance). We also provide advisory services and guidance to local nonprofit social enterprises looking to develop their business plans and make positive impacts on Colorado communities. When our leaders succeed, we succeed.
In the for-profit and nonprofit worlds alike, it's always been about incredible leaders. Prior to founding Beanstalk, Ted Stolberg accrued a thirty-year history of building market-leading companies and invested nearly $270 million in thirty-five different businesses. This experience taught us that the most important factor in a company's success is the quality of the leader. The investment approach was to partner with an accomplished Chief Executive Officer, knowing that his or her leadership and experience would attract talent and create a culture of achievement.
In 1995, Ted began the Children's Seedling Fund, a private family foundation dedicated to addressing issues faced by women and children. The model was simple but familiar: discover and partner with remarkable grassroots leaders, whom we called Gardeners. The Children's Seedling Fund's grants were usually $5,000 or less, but what Gardeners could achieve with this small amount of funding was remarkable. Over the course of fifteen years, the Children's Seedling Fund gave 264 Gardener grants worth approximately $566,000 in total. These grants have funded schools, cleft palate surgeries, programs for incarcerated mothers, and many other solutions to community needs.
Under the Children's Seedling Fund model, Gardeners achieved absolutely amazing results working with a limited amount of capital, but we came to the realization that they would need more than just funding in order to be sustainable. Building on the emerging trends of social networking and online video content, Beanstalk created a website where Gardeners could grow and communicate with their communities of support. In 2008, the Beanstalk Foundation was officially granted 501(c)(3) non-profit status by the IRS, aligning our legal standing with our mission of building community.
Utilizing the power of online social networking and multimedia content, Beanstalk's website is a place for people to gather in support of amazing local leaders working within their neighborhoods. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things are the core of our organization, and we continue to believe that exceptional local leaders are the most powerful force in Colorado today.
In 2013 and 2014, we explored the impacts created through social enterprise, and have placed new emphasis on guiding our leaders to sustainability through support, networking, resources and expert assistance. Since 2015, we have invested over $600,000 and thousands of hours in Colorado-based nonprofit social enterprises.
Organization name
Beanstalk Foundation
2008
Tax id (EIN)
26-3052631
Category
Community Improvement & Capacity Building
Organization Size
Small Organization
Address
P.O. Box 181145Mailing
PO Box 181145Denver County, CO, US