TAMPA, Fla. (Oct.18,2018) – Social Venture Partners’ mentorship program and Fast Pitch competition provide a fun and collaborative environment for non-profits to become more financially sustainable.
Each year, in conjunction with local colleges and universities, Fast Pitch participants benefit from an expert-led, 6-week accelerator program designed to quickly boost their ability to achieve social enterprise revenue streams and become less dependent upon shrinking governmental and private grants. At the conclusion of the 6-week program the 10 organizations chosen from an applicant pool of over 50 local non-profits compete in a shark tank style pitch competition, each having 3 minutes to share their story on their mission to support the community and how they do it.
Social Venture Partners Tampa Bay Fast Pitch awards over $60k in cash awards. All participants benefit from the in-kind service value of the accelerator program, which currently exceeds $110,000. The inaugural event in 2017 sold out at The University of Tampa’s Fletcher lounge with 13 local non-profits competing.
A panel of Tampa Bay’s business professionals and community members will serve as judges to the 10 organizations pitching at The Palladium on the evening of the 25th. This year’s judges include Joe Hamilton, Lakshmi Shenoy, Nikki Capehart, Rochelle Friedman Walk, & Gentry Byrnes. The organization’s presenting during Fast Pitch competition include:
• Indi-Ed, empowers children by re-imagining the concept of school. Dedicated to embracing each child’s uniqueness in order to develop passionate and successful adults.
• Sewn Apart is an environmentally and socially conscious fashion forward accessory company. Their focus is on reducing textile waste by repurposing discarded clothing.
• Shepard’s Village, helps single moms navigate toward spiritual and emotional growth, financial freedom, career guidance, time management and conflict resolution.
• Louis Graham Regeneration Center, which provides employment for developmentally disabled adults through the recycling and sale of paper products.
• The Portico, is a co-operative community gathering space for arts, social justice, conversation, connection and community change
• SailFuture, provides a comprehensive system of care for teenage foster youth in crisis, by cross-integrating housing, mental health, sailing, case management, independent living, and vocational training.
• Great Exploration’s Children’s Museum, mission is to stimulate learning through creativity, play and exploration, they also offer inclusive educational programming to ALL youth.
• Autism Shifts, whose mission is to shift the current outcome that exists for Autism in the areas of Employment, Independent Living and Community Integration
• Pinellas County Urban League, whose mission is to enrich, enhance and serve our community through leadership and resources by increasing their social inclusion, educational competitiveness and economic prosperity through advocacy program service
• CEED, which provides education, business development, workshops, program development, community outreach and coalition growth through a cooperative business resource center.
The Fast Pitch competition takes place on Thursday, Oct. 25 at 5:30 p.m. at The Palladium, 253 5th Ave. N. in St. Petersburg. The event is open to the public, and participants and attendees will have the opportunity to connect with SVP Tampa Bay’s network of engaged philanthropists, donors, and government and cultural leaders.
Tickets are $25 and available for purchase at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/svp-tampa-bay-fast-pitch-tickets-44217296123.
About SVP Fast Pitch Tampa Bay
SVP Fast Pitch is a business pitch competition that supports nonprofits and social enterprises addressing critical needs and making a positive impact in the Tampa Bay region. This Social Innovation Fast Pitch is a free two-month accelerator and mentoring program followed by a pitch for innovative nonprofits that are effecting social change. Visit http://www.socialventurepartners.org/tampa-bay/fast-pitch/ for more information.