JUL 10, 2012 PROGRAM:
How Cost Benefit Analysis Can More Effectively Promote The Public Good

Posted by Sherry Howe 
on Jul 10, 2012
 
Peter Heegaard will be reviewing his latest book “More Bang for Your Buck” which applies private sector return on investment analysis to selected not-for-profit organizations and public policy initiatives demonstrating that we can make our tax dollars work harder, improve the tone of public debate, give citizens a better understanding of what public investments are essential and enhance the way that government works. In these times of severe pressure on personal, foundation and governmental budgets the book illustrates why it is  essential to measure what works best and then to prioritize our commitment of scarce financial resources. 
Heegaard is a former trust banker who has championed the connection of business people to community through such initiatives as Urban Adventure and the One Percent Club, an organization that enlists people to contribute 1% or more of their net worth annually to tax-deductible causes.

A Minneapolis native, Heegaard began his business career in 1960 with the Trust Group of Northwestern National Bank of Minneapolis; he headed the organization from 1980 to 1986. He also was the founder and former managing principal of Lowry Hill, a subsidiary of Wells Fargo and a leading asset management company dedicated to serving affluent individuals and their families. After retiring from the financial services industry in 1996, Heegaard began serving as a consultant and volunteer to several foundations and nonprofit organizations engaged in strengthening the community in Minnesota.

In 1997 he founded Urban Adventure, a Twin Cities-based educational program that exposes young business leaders and MBA candidates to our most challenging urban issues. Using community agencies as “real world” classrooms, the program illustrates the potential savings from addressing tough issues like rebuilding healthy neighborhoods and training people for living wage jobs from the “front end.”