Engaging with Spark Teams Pilot Program from SVP

In the midst of the pandemic, Social Venture Partners launched a new pilot called Spark Teams to leverage their greatest assets - Partners' skills, experience, and expertise - to support the nonprofit community. A Spark Team consisting of SVP Partners with interest and expertise in specific areas (e.g. operations, fundraising, governance, etc.) convened to offer non-financial support, brainstorming, and thought partnership to a few selected nonprofits. 

In the spring of 2019, our Executive Director, Beth Morrison, participated in SVP's SEED20 event, which provided invaluable coaching and support in crafting and elevating the messaging of our work. So we didn't hesitate to throw our name in the hat for the Spark Team Pilot and were thrilled to be selected. 

​Our leadership determined the most impactful areas to strengthen as we continue growing and expanding our community impact. We were paired with an amazing team of strategic philanthropists including Henry Lander, Lou Jerome, Cristy Travaglino, and Dawn Posey. Over the course of eight sessions over two months, we mapped out a more supportive and robust board onboarding process and identified different tools to use with board and staff to implement our strategic plan.

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Working with the SVP Spark Team has been a catalytic experience for our continued growth. Over the last few years, Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte has shifted from all-volunteer to a professional staff with an engaged board of directors. The in-depth discussions and expertise from the Spark Team has provided us with the tools and expertise to realign our board and staff roles and practices, building the framework for continued growth through programming and operational excellence. ​

The Spark Team’s guidance through various strategic and project management approaches has improved my ability as a nonprofit leader to identify and solve challenges in collaboration with staff and board members. Thank you, SVP!"

- Beth Morrison, RTGC Executive Director