Utah Foundation

Press Release: Garffs to be Honored with the Utah Foundation’s 2022 Insight Award

Written by: Peter Reichard

  Katharine and Robert Garff to be Honored with the Utah Foundation’s 2022 Insight Award Annual Luncheon Features Education Innovator Michael Horn as Keynote Speaker (August 24, 2022) – Katharine Garff and her late husband Robert will be honored with the Insight Award at Utah Foundation’s 2022 Annual Luncheon on November 16 at the Marriott City Creek Hotel. The purpose of the Insight Award is to recognize civic leaders who, through a career of service or philanthropic support, … Continued

Utah Foundation Wins Top Awards for Policy Research

Written by: Shawn Teigen

Last week, the Utah Foundation was honored with several awards from the Governmental Research Association, a national association of governmental research professionals. The GRA presented the awards at its 109th annual conference and meeting, hosted by the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia. The Utah Foundation’s honors were as follows: Communications Category, Best Video: The Missing Middle of the Housing Market Most Distinguished Research Award, State Government Issue: Going for the Green: How Utah Can Thrive in the New … Continued

Top Utah Foundation Findings of 2021

Written by: Shawn Teigen

The Utah Foundation had a prolific 2021. (Read all about it in our Annual Report, here.) At its December meeting, the Utah Foundation Board of Trustees determined our top 10 findings in 2021 – or top 12 findings given the three-way tie for 10th place. 1. From 2010 to 2021, an inflation-adjusted mortgage payment with 10% down on a median-priced Utah home increased by $469 from $1,131 to $1,600. Over time, the cost of lower-priced … Continued

The leaves are falling. What about taxes?

Written by: Peter Reichard

Autumn is not the season we usually associate with discussions of state tax policy. But with comprehensive tax reform failing to blossom last spring at the close of the general session, state legislators are working to bring reform to fruition before winter sets in. The push for reform comes at a time of prosperity for Utah – but also a time when structural challenges are becoming increasingly apparent. As Utah Foundation revealed in its 2018 … Continued

Utah’s Quality of Life – Video

Written by: Shawn Teigen

Utah Foundation occasionally surveys Utahns in an effort to understand how they feel about both their community and their personal quality of life. This video describes why Utah’s community quality of life is declining, and shows how quality of life is affected by demographic factors. This is all described in further detail in our report Utah Foundation Quality of Life Survey: Measuring Utahns’ Perceptions of their Communities, Personal Lives.  

Rio Tinto to be Honored with Utah Foundation’s Civic Cornerstone Award

Written by: Dan Bammes

Rio Tinto to be Honored with Utah Foundation’s Civic Cornerstone Award Annual Luncheon Features Professor Robert Putnam as Keynote Speaker   Rio Tinto will be honored with the Civic Cornerstone Award at Utah Foundation’s 2019 Annual Luncheon on May 21st at the Little America Hotel. Utah Foundation’s supporters include companies and organizations that serve as true champions of the civic community. Through the Civic Cornerstone Award, Utah Foundation seeks to recognize these supporters’ remarkable contributions … Continued

Utah Foundation’s Top Research Findings of 2018

Written by: Dan Bammes

  Utah Foundation published research reports on a broad range of public policy issues in 2018, each with significant findings that will influence political discussion and decisions for years to come. At the end of the year, we asked our Board of Trustees, a diverse group representing a broad range of business and community leaders, to rank the findings they felt were most important. Here’s what they determined, along with links to each of the … Continued

Utah Foundation names new board leadership

Written by: Dan Bammes

At its Board of Trustees meeting December 6, Utah Foundation announced the following new officers: Elizabeth Hitch, Associate Commissioner for Academic Affairs in the Utah System of Higher Education, is the new chair. Dr. Hitch previously served as vice chair and replaces outgoing chair Brent Jensen, vice president of HDR Engineering. Chad Westover, CEO of University of Utah Health Plans, is the new vice chair. Dan Eldredge, General Manager of Intermountain Power Agency, is the … Continued

Utah Foundation wins top awards for policy research

Written by: Dan Bammes

The Governmental Research Association, the national organization for public policy research professionals, has recognized Utah Foundation’s work with two of its top awards. The selections were announced August 1st at GRA’s national conference in Detroit. The three-part Utah Health Cost Series was honored with the Most Distinguished Research award. Utah voters put health care at the top of their list of priorities during 2016’s Utah Priorities Project, with their concern focused mainly on the cost … Continued

There are No Easy Answers on the Question of Voter Turnout

Written by: Peter Reichard

  At a year-end meeting this month, Utah Foundation’s board members ranked our findings for 2017. Two of the top-ranked findings pertained to voter turnout. The issue of voter turnout came up a few days later over lunch with a friend who wanted to explore ways to boost the numbers in Utah. Meanwhile, statewide, two separate groups have been gathering signatures for ballot initiatives to rethink the way we elect our candidates, both with an … Continued