Social Venture Partners Tucson has selected 10 local nonprofits to participate in its sixth annual Fast Pitch program. These organizations will take part in an 18-week training program designed to help nonprofits build meaningful relationships, gain resources, and become more resilient. At the centerpiece event on March 11, 2021, nonprofits will take the stage to make their pitches to an audience of donors and compete for more than $100,000 in on-stage grants. Donations made at the event will be matched up to $50,000 and every nonprofit in the program will receive a grant.
The selected finalists are Boys to Men, JobPath, Make Way for Books, TROT, Sunnyside Foundation, YWCA, TMM Family Services, Boys and Girls Club, Native Music Coalition, and Second Chance Tucson.
The Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona are partnering with SVP this year. Three volunteers from Federation and Foundation served on the Fast Pitch selection committee, and President and CEO Graham Hoffman, who served as a Fast Pitch volunteer mentor last year, will participate in this year’s training program.
“We are thrilled to partner with SVP in magnifying the impact of Fast Pitch for the 10 outstanding nonprofits selected this year and for the entire community as we further expand participation in this remarkable capacity-building endeavor,” says Hoffman.
“One very special privilege for me this year will be facilitating a major gifts fundraising training for all participating Fast Pitch organizations. I can’t wait to build upon the outstanding pitches they each prepare to enable each to cultivate their solicitation skills and donor engagement capabilities to maximize their success from a fundraising perspective,” Hoffman adds.
Each organization was selected based on a specific set of eligibility requirements. In a change from previous years, Fast Pitch 2021 is focused only on nonprofits that:
- Support people experiencing adversity due to COVID-19
- Serve historically marginalized and under-resourced communities
- Actively work to promote social justice, including racial and gender justice
“The community spoke, and we listened. These organizations are really stepping up under the current circumstances and they need our help now more than ever,” says Ciara Garcia, CEO at SVP Tucson.
The Fast Pitch main event on March 11, 2021 will take place virtually with tickets on sale now. For more information about SVP Tucson and the Fast Pitch program, visit www.svptucson.org.
