Power of Good

10 person panel; and above that by the full board. They also urged grant-writers to consider more than just money when setting their goals. "Is there an opportunity for APSO [Alabama Power Service Organization] to get involved and do sweat eq- uity and really get some bang for the buck?" said Segars. Last year, more than 5,000 Alabama Power employees volunteered over 55,000 hours through APSO. They painted rooms, laid sod, installed lighting and otherwise bridged the gap between a charity's resources and its mis- sion. "When something is good enough to be involved with, it's good enough for everyone to be involved with," said King, adding that collaboration "significantly in- creases your chances" of approval. The Alabama Power Foundation does more than ap- prove grants. King noted that it can also help nonprofit groups navigate the complex web of regulations govern- ing charitable giving. "We have resources," he said. "We don't want you to be afraid to reach out to us and ask questions." Two other Alabama Power employees contributed to the discussion. Hallie Bradley, Community Initiatives manager, spoke about "Power to Play," a new program to provide equipment and materials to scholastic sports teams. "Kids that participate in sports have higher GPAs and graduation rates," she said. Peggy Burnett, program manager, listed other success- ful initiatives receiving foundation support, including Good Roots (planting trees in urban communities), New Teacher Grants (awarded to promising first-year teach- ers), and the Nonprofit Energy Efficiency Program or NEEP (makes money-saving improvements to charity- owned buildings). Audience members said they came away with a great- er understanding of how the Alabama Power Foundation can help their causes. "It's great to get that straight-from-the hip informa- tion so we can be on the same page with the programs we want to accomplish," said Tree Davidson, director of development and marketing for Workshops Inc., which helps people with disabilities find jobs. "Alabama Power has been a great partner with us." The panelists left no doubt that the feeling was mu- tual. "When you go home at night," said Sanders, "and you put your head down and you know that somebody's better off because of something that you contributed to, that is as good as it gets." For more information on the Alabama Power Foun- dation and the grant-writing process, please log onto powerofgood.com. Breakout Sessions REAL continued on from 9 WHICH ISSUE IS THE BIGGEST THREAT TO ALABAMA'S FUTURE SUCCESS? Economic – 16% Environmental – 1% Health – 4% Poverty – 19% Workforce Development – 17% Education – 43% 43%

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