The funding was allocated to 65 local nonprofits, including KPCW, this week during a grants celebration at Deer Valley’s Snow Park Lodge. It's part of the $12.5 million the foundation has dolled out this year.
The foundation also honored two community members with the 2025 Worthington Award, Heather Sims and Jim Gaddis.
Sims said she’s proud of her work behind-the-scenes supporting youth sports and making them more accessible across the Wasatch Back.
“I think it was a combination of both my work at the Youth Sports Alliance and the Park City High School and mountain bike team, and getting kids active away from screens and doing something maybe a little different,” she said. “Something that puts them in a little uncomfortable situation.”
The Community Foundation also recognized Sims’ dedication to her mountain biking athletes as a coach for the Park City High School team and her work to get more Latino athletes onto the high school team.
“My husband and I have become their surrogate parents,” she said. “We drive them to the races, and we book hotels and eat dinner together,” she said. “Those relationships that I have with those kids truly, they are like my own kids, and they wouldn't be able to attend those races without us.”
Also a lifelong supporter of youth sports, Jim Gaddis founded the Youth Sports Alliance and has expanded access to athletics for Utah children regardless of background. Gaddis said he originally started the program as a way to help kids in winter sports get athletic funding.
“Then we changed gears a little bit and decided to help kids that have never had an opportunity to participate in any sport… that never had the means and the money to even try anything,” he said.
He established the Stein Eriksen YSA Opportunity Endowment to provide need-based scholarships, secured land for the National Ability Center’s Quinn’s Junction campus and launched one of Utah’s first youth ski racing programs.
Both Sims and Gaddis emphasized the importance of sports in teaching kids life skills.
“I think it's very important to young kids to get out and enjoy the outdoors and what they can learn from the competitive part of our program, and what competition does for their whole life and teaches them life skills,” Gaddis said. “They become better characters because of all that, and I think they become better citizens.”
The Park City Community Foundation will grant $2,000 to local nonprofit organizations of Sims’ and Gaddis’ choosing.
Since 2015 the Worthington Award has recognized people who generously dedicate their time and talents to charitable and community endeavors.
Trisha J. Worthington was the founding Executive Director of the Park City Community Foundation, setting the standard for philanthropic leadership in the community.
Residents nominate deserving candidates each August for review by the Community Fund steering committee.
Since its inception in 2007, the foundation has granted $82 million to Park City and Summit County nonprofits.
The Park City Community Foundation is a financial supporter of KPCW.
