Spark Blog
Big News! Spark is joining forces with Global Fund for Women!
by Spark Board 9/9/19
We are thrilled to announce that Spark will be joining forces with Global Fund for Women! On November 1, Spark will transfer all its remaining assets to Global Fund for Women and begin to wind down its status as an independent entity...
Reflections + New Beginnings
by Meghan Stevenson-Krausz 8/30/19
Last January, I decided to join the small but mighty team of a truly revolutionary non-profit, Spark. For years, I had heard of Spark from friends and acquaintances, who described it as a space where young people not only had a voice in the grantmaking process, but actually got to decide where their philanthropic dollars were spent. ...
Going Gaga for Spark
Guest Post by Karen Datangel 4/30/19
As a first-year member of Spark, I wanted to get involved in all the things. I’ve taken advantage of many opportunities that were relevant to my personal interests and professional development: marching with Spark at the Women’s March, lobbying with fellow Spark members in Sacramento, being a grantee advocate at an Investment Committee meeting, and being a host and ambassador for Cocktails for a Cause and the Black and Pink Ball, respectively. But one program that has been especially impactful for me is the Spark Champions program. ...
How does $4,000 become $75,000?
By Meghan Stevenson-Krausz 3/7/19
When we gave NWNY our $4,000 grant, they had only one staff member, Founder & Executive Director Arielle Kandel. In the last year since our grant, they were able to hire a part-time Program Associate, Gyuzel Zaripova, and we’re excited to share that they just received a $75,000 grant from the The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America to be able to hire Gyuzel full-time and begin expanding the scale and scope of their workforce development and other programs serving immigrant women in New York City! ...
#SparkStories: Victoria Rodarte
Guest Post by Victoria Rodarte 3/4/19
I was raised by a kick-ass working mom. She is my example of what it means to care about the world, engage politically, and take pride in your work. School was number one in our house. She always emphasized the power and importance of education, and continues to unconditionally push me to follow my dreams.
I believe every young woman deserves someone like my mom in her corner. Yet, every year, we continue to see statistics that show nearly 2/3 of all illiterate adults in the world are women and over 130 million school-age girls are not in school. ...
I believe every young woman deserves someone like my mom in her corner. Yet, every year, we continue to see statistics that show nearly 2/3 of all illiterate adults in the world are women and over 130 million school-age girls are not in school. ...
Introducing: Our 2019 Spark Grantmaking Leaders
by Meghan Stevenson-Krausz 3/1/19
Spark's mission is to advance gender equality by engaging the next generation in accessible forms of philanthropy. We define "engaging" by making it easy for young people to give, lead, and learn within our community. Spark is a platform for Spark members to develop their leadership skills through high-touch volunteering.
For example, Spark Members can take on the role of Grant Advocate - a one-time skill building opportunity that connects you with a women-led grassroots project (possibly on another continent), learning about best practices in global grantmaking, and a chance to practice public speaking by pitching the grant applicant in front of your peers. ...
For example, Spark Members can take on the role of Grant Advocate - a one-time skill building opportunity that connects you with a women-led grassroots project (possibly on another continent), learning about best practices in global grantmaking, and a chance to practice public speaking by pitching the grant applicant in front of your peers. ...
Why I Joined Spark
Guest Post by Prince Boucher 1/14/19
Last year, in honor of my mom, I decided to become a member of Spark, the largest community of young professionals invested in advancing gender equality. I grew up watching my mom struggle as the owner of a small consignment shop in West Los Angeles. I was 7 years old, and spent every afternoon after school at the store. Most of the time it was empty, but when it was busy, it was booming. She didn't have much support other than our Filipino-American family, because there just weren't the resources for female entrepreneurs that we have today, like Spark and the many social media channels that exist. Instead, she had to figure out how to do everything on her own. This inspired me not only to be an entrepreneur, but also to help support women who are building businesses. ...
Giving is Asking: 5 Ways To Get Past “No”
by Amanda Brock 10/29/18
Running a non-profit means my professional world is all about giving. Ironically, that means I need to do a lot of asking.
I’m constantly asking others to give time, money, talent, or whatever resource they have available (a kidney?) to help Spark move the needle on gender equality. Having to ask so much of others can feel a bit uncomfortable. Yet, it doesn’t have to be that way. ...
I’m constantly asking others to give time, money, talent, or whatever resource they have available (a kidney?) to help Spark move the needle on gender equality. Having to ask so much of others can feel a bit uncomfortable. Yet, it doesn’t have to be that way. ...