by Meghan Stevenson-Krausz

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. Spark made it easy for them to learn about the gender equality movement globally, connect with nonprofits advancing that agenda at home and abroad, help fund their work, and even volunteer their skills to further an organization’s mission.

What started back in 2005 as 7 friends with a goal to democratize the philanthropic process — and make it more accessible to them and their peers — has become a network of more than 17,000 individuals working together to advance gender equality. In the last 14 years, the Spark community has helped direct more than $1.7 million to benefit more than 40,000 women and girls around the world. That’s incredible. And it’s also just the tip of the iceberg. If you’re interested in learning more about Spark’s impact over the years, you can read our Legacy Impact Report here. In addition, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide to how to start your own giving circle, which you can find on Spark’s website here.

The last 20 months have been life changing. When I came to Spark, I was struggling to believe in my own ability to effect change through my work. I had found a community that encouraged my grand vision of changing the world, but I kept waiting for someone to realize I didn’t really belong. It turns out I was experiencing, as many women (and men) do, imposter syndrome. I can’t say I don’t still feel like an imposter at times, but the Spark community has helped me lift myself up by both recognizing my strengths, and encouraging me to grow into my fears and weaknesses. Thank you.

My last day with Spark was Friday, August 30th and I’m extremely proud of all I’ve been able to accomplish during my time at Spark, including, but not limited to, planning and implementing 50+ events in SF & NY that engaged 161 volunteers and 1,200+ participants, and raised more than $122,000 to advance gender equality.

Perhaps you are now wondering — what’s next? Let me tell you…

The big news for Spark is that we’re joining forces with Global Fund for Women, one of the world’s leading foundations for gender equality, standing up for the human rights of women and girls. We could not be more excited to be joining their family. To learn more about Global Fund for Women, visit their website here.

As for me, I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be moving to Lima, Peru in October to join a new venture capital fund investing in startups in Latin America. Some of you may know I’ve spent the last 4 years working on the side to build bridges between emerging entrepreneurs in countries such as Cuba, Mexico, and Peru and Silicon Valley. This feels like a perfect and natural next step. I hope you’ll stay in touch, and I look forward to collaborating with you in the future!

Meghan