Past Event: 2026 Annual Luncheon

Event Date: Oct 06

What do Utahns really want? At our 2026 Annual Luncheon, we unveiled the results of the 2026 Community Quality of Life Index survey, straight from the people who call this state home. We also honored this year’s Insight and Civic Cornerstone award winners, recognizing those shaping our communities for the better: Civic Cornerstone Award: The Other Side Village The Other Side Village helps people move from chronic homelessness and isolation toward permanent housing, belonging, purpose, … Continued

Past Event: State of the States: Utah, How Are You Doing?

Event Date: Jun 10

The bipartisan State of the Nation Project’s annual report is much like “America’s progress report.” It tackles one of the most pressing questions of our time: “How are we doing as a country?” This year, the project allows us to answer the question: “How is Utah doing as a state?” As part of an impressive bipartisan effort, the report’s vital indicators help Americans understand the nation’s well-being. To do this, the State of the Nation … Continued

Past Event: Breakfast Briefing: Aging Shouldn’t Be Scary!

Event Date: Oct 22

We hope you joined us this spooky season as we discussed aging in place. By 2030, all baby boomers will be over 65. Are Utah cities and towns preparing for their aging populations? The Utah Foundation’s review of over 200 general plans suggests that most are not. In response, this discussion explored practical, on-the-ground solutions – such as mobility, housing, and community engagement – to help communities adapt and thrive as their populations age. Alana Spendlove, … Continued

Past Event: 2025 Annual Luncheon and 80th Anniversary Celebration

Event Date: May 01

We hope you were able to join us as we celebrated the 80th Anniversary of the Utah Foundation on May 1st at the Grand America Hotel. We discussed Utah’s social capital and included a conversation with: Governor Spencer J. Cox Beth Martial, PROG Development Center Bill Crim, United Way of Salt Lake Silvia Castro, Suazo Business Center We honored State Superintendent Sydnee Dickson with the Insight Award. We also honored Zions Bank with our Civic Cornerstone … Continued

Past Event: 2024 Annual Luncheon and Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Utah Priorities Project

Event Date: Mar 20

We hope you were able to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Utah Priorities Project at the Grand America Hotel to discuss what matters most. We had about 250 attendees. The Annual Luncheon included a conversation with Governor Spencer J. Cox about the state’s policy priorities, as well as a discussion with: Carly Maloney, a Viewmont High School teacher and Utah’s 2024 Teacher of the Year. Dr. Brian Steed, Executive Director of the Janet Quinney … Continued

Past Event: Breakfast Briefing: Making Space for Both Wheels and Feet

Event Date: Oct 10

Utahns are concerned about getting around. The Utah Foundation’s 2022 Quality of Life project includes two transportation policy solutions to help increase Utahns’ quality of life: Investing in the built environment and enhancing land use policies to promote streetscapes that are pedestrian friendly and include key amenities. Investing in transportation and transit infrastructure to reduce traffic and improve the quality of roads and highways. On October 10th, HNTB and UTA sponsored a Breakfast Briefing to discuss these … Continued

Past Event: 2023 Annual Luncheon

Event Date: Sep 06

The Utah Foundation’s 2023 Annual Luncheon took place on Wednesday, September 6th at the Little America Hotel. 2023 Insight Award The Utah Foundation Insight Award recognizes civic leaders who, through a career of service or philanthropic support, have worked with integrity to provide insights in the public policy arena with the aim of improving government. Recent honorees have included Gail Miller as well as Katharine and Robert Garff. The honorees for 2023 are former senator … Continued

Past Event: 2022 Annual Luncheon

Event Date: Nov 16

REGISTER NOW for the Utah Foundation’s 2022 Annual Luncheon. It will take place on November 16th at the Salt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek. The event will run from noon to 1:30. Click here for tickets. 2022 Insight Award Katharine Garff and her late husband Robert Garff will be honored with the Insight Award at the luncheon. The purpose of the Insight Award is to recognize civic leaders who, through a career of service … Continued

Past Event: Breakfast Briefing: The New Look of Transportation in the 2020s

Event Date: Oct 13

How Recent Events Have Changed the Trajectory of Transportation in Utah Rapidly growing population. Higher demands for pedestrian infrastructure. Eye-opening housing shortfalls. Increasing concern about economic divides in our communities and overall quality of life. A major uptick in telework. New funding for infrastructure. New ways of paying for infrastructure. During just the past few years, the ground has shifted rapidly in Utah when it comes to transportation and related policies. Addressing those challenges is the … Continued

Past Event: Breakfast Briefing: How Utah Can Thrive in a Clean Economy

Event Date: May 17

How Utah Can Survive — and Thrive — in a Greening Economy With the rapid emergence in recent years of a “New Climate Economy,” many state and local economies face a basic challenge: Get onboard or get left behind. Such efforts are taking place around the world. In the U.S., innovations and other measures from the private sector, along with policy pressures and investments from the federal government, provide states with both challenges and a … Continued

Past Event: Breakfast Briefing: Housing Challenges, the Missing Middle and the Future of Utah Communities

Event Date: Mar 22

Is it time to rethink how we create housing in Utah? Homeownership is moving out of reach for more and more Utahns. The state faces a never-before-seen squeeze on housing supply. The population is quickly expanding. The demographics are changing. In short, Utah faces unprecedented housing challenges. On March 22, 2022, the Utah Foundation held an important Breakfast Briefing seeking to address these challenges, with concrete answers to the big questions, such as: How can … Continued

Past Event: Breakfast Briefing: A New Administration, a New Air Quality Strategy?

Event Date: Oct 13

Can Utah Step Up its Game on Air Quality? As we emerge from a summer when the relief from hazy skies was nowhere to be found — and with the winter inversion season looming — the question arises: How will a rapidly growing Utah grapple with the air quality challenges ahead? What new strategies will the Cox-Henderson administration bring to the table? What should be our top priorities for reducing pollutants? What concrete steps can … Continued

Past Event: 2021 Annual Luncheon

Event Date: Sep 23

REGISTER NOW for Utah Foundation’s 2021 Annual Luncheon. It will take place on September 23rd in-person in the Salt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek as well as online for those who prefer to connect remotely. The event will run from noon to 1:30. Keynote Speaker We are pleased to announce that our keynote speaker will be Shaylyn Romney Garrett, co-author with Robert Putnam of the influential new book, The Upswing: How America Came Together … Continued

Past Event: Breakfast Briefing: Mental Health in Anxious Times

Event Date: Aug 26

Emerging Challenges to Utahns’ Well-Being and How We Can Address Them   Lockdowns. Social isolation. Unrest. Soaring drug overdose deaths. Health worries. Economic anxiety. This decade is off to a challenging start for our nation’s sense of well-being. On August 26, the Utah Foundation will hold an important Breakfast Briefing focusing on the Beehive State’s mental health challenges and what we can do to address them. Our panelists include: Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Professor of Psychology and … Continued

Past Event: Breakfast Briefing: Health Care Costs and Access

Event Date: May 13

Addressing Utahns’ Top Priority: Health Care Costs and Access In 2020, as in 2016, Utah Foundation discovered that the No. 1 concern of Utah voters is health care costs and access. With the support of Intermountain Healthcare, we launched our 2021 Breakfast Briefing series on May 13 with a discussion of how we can better manage costs while expanding access. We covered cost challenges ranging from pharmaceuticals to Medicaid. We also explored issues related to … Continued

Past Event: Breakfast Briefing: Homeless in Salt Lake City

Event Date: Nov 10

Join Utah Foundation and the University of Utah’s College of Social and Behavioral Science from 9am to 10am on Tuesday, November 10, for: Homeless in Salt Lake: The COVID-19 Response and People on Streets How have Utah’s homeless service providers dealt with the pandemic? Where are the efforts to address service gaps going? How should we approach those who remain on the streets from a policy standpoint? This discussion will feature a panel of experts: … Continued

Past Event: 2020 Annual Luncheon and 75th Anniversary Celebration

Event Date: Sep 17

REGISTER NOW for Utah Foundation’s 2020 Annual Luncheon and 75th Anniversary Celebration. It will take place on September 17th in-person in the Grand America’s Imperial Ballroom as well as online for those who prefer to connect remotely. The event will run from noon to 1:30. Conversation with the Next Governor During the luncheon, we will hear from gubernatorial candidates Spencer Cox and Chris Peterson. KSL TV’s Deanie Wimmer will lead the discussion to address Utah’s … Continued

Past Event: Breakfast Briefing: Bridging Economic Divides in Utah

Event Date: Jun 30

Join Utah Foundation and the University of Utah’s College of Social and Behavioral Science from 9am to 10am on Tuesday, June 30, for: Bridging Economic Divides in Utah: Creating Opportunities, Addressing Disparities. One of Utah’s strengths has been its relatively low level of economic inequality. How do we build on this strength? How do we address existing challenges? This discussion will feature a panel of University of Utah experts: Dr. Sara Grineski, Professor of Sociology … Continued

Past Event: Breakfast Briefing: Game Changers

Event Date: Dec 17

Four major projects are expected to have significant impacts on Utah’s economy. These “Game Changers” include the new airport, another bid for the Winter Olympics, the inland port and the prison relocation. Utah Foundation will be talking about these projects, the connections between them and their impacts on the broader community at a breakfast event on Tuesday, December 17th. Our panelists include: Fraser Bullock, Co-Founder, Senior Advisor, Sorenson Capital; COO/CFO, Salt Lake Organizing Committee for … Continued

Past Event: Breakfast Briefing: Expanding Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Efforts in Utah

Event Date: Nov 12

Join Utah Foundation and the University of Utah’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences from 8 to 9:30 am on Tuesday, November 12, for: Expanding Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Efforts in Utah  There’s no charge to attend and a continental breakfast is included. However, we do ask that you RSVP, here. Moderating the event will be Jeremy Harris, reporter, KUTV news. Our panel will include some of the leading figures confronting Utah’s mental health … Continued

Past Event: Breakfast Briefing: Addressing the Challenges of Housing Affordability

Event Date: Sep 04

Join Utah Foundation from 8 to 9:15 am on Wednesday, September 4, for a critical policy discussion on the range of challenges that affect housing affordability, from the greening of Utah’s housing stock to rental and ownership strategies. Thanks to our sponsor, Garbett Homes, there’s no charge to attend and a continental breakfast is included. However, we do ask that you RSVP, here. Our panel will include some of the leading figures confronting Utah’s housing … Continued

Past Event: Breakfast Briefing: Building Community into Growth

Event Date: Jun 20

Join Utah Foundation from 8 to 9:30 am on Thursday, June 20, for a critical policy discussion on how we can maintain connectivity, community and quality of life in the face of rapid population growth. Thanks to our sponsor, UTA, there’s no charge to attend and a continental breakfast is included. However, we do ask that you RSVP, here. Our panel will include some of the leading figures confronting Utah’s growth challenges: Cameron Diehl, Utah … Continued

Past Event: 2019 Annual Luncheon with Robert Putnam

Event Date: May 21

Keynote Utah Foundation is pleased to announce that renowned Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam will serve as the keynote speaker at our Annual Luncheon on May 21 at the Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City. Professor Putnam is the author of the landmark work on social capital, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. He is also the author of the recent best-seller, Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis. Join us to hear one of America’s foremost public … Continued

Past Event: Breakfast with Governor Gary Herbert

Event Date: Dec 06

The November election results will force momentous decisions pertaining to health care and education — in a legislative session with ambitions for tax reform. Meanwhile, voters approved a constitutional amendment that could shift the balance of power. Governor Gary Herbert will provide insights on the results of the midterm elections, his hopes for the 2019 session and his priorities for the coming year.   We’ll meet for breakfast from 8 to 9 a.m., Thursday, December … Continued

Past event: 2018 Annual Luncheon

Event Date: Oct 24

Utah Foundation’s Annual Luncheon at the Grand America Guest Speaker BYU professor Adam Brown was the keynote speaker at our 2018 Annual Luncheon. Dr. Brown is the author of an intriguing new book in time for election season, Utah Politics and Government: American Democracy among a Unique Electorate. Honorees Utah Foundation honored Ret. Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Christine Durham with our 2018 Insight Award and Union Pacific with our new Civic Cornerstone Award.