HARTFORD, CT – The Connecticut Council for Philanthropy presented the 2015 Nancy P. Roberts Award to THE WALKER GROUP. The award honors a grantmaking organization for demonstrated innovation in philanthropy.
The Walker Group, one of Connecticut’s largest IT Services firms, provides a comprehensive range of information technology services from systems support to virtualization. The Walker team offers knowledge and expertise to CT businesses in all industry sectors and consults in network management, IT security, web design, and technology planning. Walker will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2016, and its ability to adapt to the changing demands of technology needs over the past three decades.
Several years ago, Kate Emery restructured Walker as a social enterprise, transforming its mission from maximizing shareholder profits to maximizing social contribution. Among other commitments, any profits distributed by Walker must be divided equally between employees, the community, and shareholders.
In 2010, Kate Emery and The Walker Group founded the nonprofit Social Enterprise Trust, reSET for short. reSET’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect social enterprise as a viable concept and business reality. The Walker Group, as a founding partner of reSET, provided initial incubation space and financial resources annually.
Through The Walker Group’s and Kate Emery’s leadership, social enterprise has already taken root in Connecticut and is poised to grow rapidly. In the past two years, reSET has directly supported the development of 54 early-stage businesses, business associated with 41 jobs. reSET has provided programs, resources or services to 138 entrepreneurs, successfully advocated for passage of new legislation creating Benefit Corporations in Connecticut, and helped dozens of businesses and trade groups learn about this new option; 32 businesses have registered since the new law was adopted in Connecticut on October 1, 2014.
About the Nancy P. Roberts Award
In May 2013 the Council board established the Nancy P. Roberts Award for demonstrated innovation in philanthropy. This award honors Nancy for her decades-long commitment to the field of philanthropy through her leadership of the Council as its president from 1991-2013. For more information about the Roberts Award visit the Council’s website.
About the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy
The Connecticut Council for Philanthropy is an association of grantmakers committed to promoting and supporting effective philanthropy for the public good. With members representing 114 private and community foundations, federated funds, and corporate foundations and giving programs, the Council is Connecticut’s foremost resource on philanthropy. The organization benefits the larger grantmaking community, the nonprofit sector and the public in Connecticut.
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Contact:
Maggie Osborn
President
Connecticut Council for Philanthropy
860-525-5585
mosborn@CTphilanthropy.org
Website: www.CTphilanthropy.org