Who will win the 2013 National Philanthropy Day Awards, presented by the Association of Fundraising Professionals at the 26th annual awards luncheon on Friday, Nov. 1, at the Overture Center for the Arts? I have no idea, but I’m humbled to share many of the nominees’ personal stories with you in the coming weeks to give you an insider’s view of why the Madison region is such a great place to raise a family, enjoy the arts, or build a business.
This week, we’ll start with nominees Susan and Jonathan Lipp, the owners of Full Compass Systems, Ltd., who have served on more than a dozen boards, also providing financial and in-kind support to numerous organizations in and around Madison. They were nominated for Outstanding Business or Corporation (100+ employees) recognition and also for Lifetime Achievement honors.
The Lipps, with their larger-than-life building on the far west side, are a force of two who use their company (via the Full Compass Foundation) as an instrument to support varied philanthropic passions. In particular, they have an affinity for Circus World Museum, the UW School of Music, Journey Mental Health Center, and Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin. Their involvements go beyond check-writing; in December of last year, for example, Full Compass employees produced and sold a holiday CD (A Winter’s Wish) — meaning they planned, arranged, rehearsed, performed, recorded, and edited the CD, as well as provided cover artwork for the project, to directly benefit Make-A-Wish.
Anyone who knows Susan Lipp would vouch for her tireless dedication and passion for Circus World Museum. Every year she and Jonathan approach over 30 restaurants, wineries, and breweries to encourage them to donate food and beverages to gala events, and they also gather items for live auctions. To put their backstage work into proper perspective, they have chaired 10 annual galas, which have raised nearly $1.5 million. That’s impressive, but it really knocks your socks off when you learn that those galas were produced for less than $50,000 in expenses.
Likewise, the Lipps tapped a friend for a $1 million gift, making it possible for the UW School of Music to revamp its jazz program. In addition to what they personally give, which is far and above what many are able or willing to do, the Lipps are great influencers on larger giving circles and quietly extend their reach to match donors and deserving programs.
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More examples: Jonathan Lipp provided consultation in the design of a recording studio for the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County, and then Full Compass Systems fully outfitted both the temporary studio and the final studio post-construction. Last summer, to benefit the arts, the Lipps organized and hosted the 10th annual Golf Carts for Wisconsin Arts, raising more than $12,000 to donate to the UW-Madison School of Music and Department of Theatre. And they have raised more than $125,000 at events held at Journey Mental Health Center.
Philanthropy is at the heart of the business started by Susan and Jonathan more than 30 years ago, and as they built expertise in lighting, audio, video, and theatrical equipment — and added musical instruments — they have grown the business from four employees to 180. Just as important to this area, they have grown a culture of giving back inside that organization, and then taken their best practices into the larger communities they touch in this state. They are role models for the managers and employees they have hired and developed, and so their philanthropic example will ripple throughout the Madison region for generations to come.
So who could possibly compete with them for the titles of Outstanding [Large] Business or Lifetime Achievement? Stay tuned. There’s more good news to come.
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