Seven non-profits netted a total of $115,649 in funding at the second annual Philanthropitch Columbus.
During the social fast pitch competition, non-profits have three minutes to share more about their organizations, followed by three minutes of Q&A from a panel of judges.
Philanthropitch is unique in that there’s no first, second or third place winners, but each non-profit receives some amount of funding from the corporate and business grants, judges’ dollars and audience awards (derived from ticket sales), that make up the pool of money. The capital gained is also unrestricted, meaning non-profits can use the funds for initiatives not supported by traditional grants.
Pitching and receiving funding at this year’s event were:
Food Finder – $9,647
foodfinder.us
Food Finder is an interactive website and app that helps the 1 in 7 Ohio families that don’t have enough to eat find access to nearby food assistance.
PCs for People – $11,873
pcsforpeople.org
Every person or business likely has a computer tucked away that they no longer use. Some 50,000 people in Ohio don’t have access to a computer or the internet. PCs for People closes the gap with nominal fees for refurbished computers ($30-$50) and lost-cost internet access.
Buddy Up Tennis, Inc. – $10,167
buddyuptennis.com
Buddy Up Tennis impacts the lives of individuals with Down syndrome by providing adaptive programs for tennis, fitness and fun in 28 communities across the country.
Youth Yoga Project – $12,465
youthyogaproject.net
Increasing students’ abilities to manage their emotions, the Youth Yoga Project provides preK to 12th grade students research-based yoga and mindfulness programs, while also providing professional development and curriculum for educators.
Zora’s House – $23,020
zorashouse.com
Owned, led and created for women of color, Zora’s House provides a creative workspace, community space and and retreat co-op for women of color. Members can find connections, support, a quiet place to work and more from the house on Summit Street.
Bridgeway Academy – $23,580
bridgewayohio.org
Bridgeway Academy is on a mission to inspire the potential and celebrate the ability of every child through its education centers, therapy centers and summer camps.
South Side Early Learning – $24,897
southsidelearning.org
South Side Early Learning wants to ensure that every young child benefits from a holistic, high-quality early education. To help educators prepare for the shaping of young minds, SSEL has launched a social enterprise, Project NUDL, to provide a training & research institute focused on advancing professional development (PD) for early childhood educators. SSEL’s dollars included a $1,000 grant from The Metropreneur.
Funding from Philanthropitch will help this year’s finalists expand their reach and missions, whether though hiring new staff, buying new equipment or launching new programs.
Nine judges representing social entrepreneurs and social impact leaders, to non-profit leaders and community stakeholders weighed in on this year’s pitches, including:
- Allen Proctor – President & CEO, SocialVentures
- Brett Kaufman – Founder & CEO, Kaufman Development
- Kristy Campbell – Chief Operating Officer, Rev1 Ventures
- Lauren Edwards – Principal/Owner, Next Step Business Consulting
- Lisa Courtice – President & CEO, United Way of Central Ohio
- Madison Mikhail Bush – Founder & CEO, POINT
- Matt Miller – Partner, Ice Miller LLP
- Ryan Frederick – Principal, AWH
- Jonica Armstrong – Corporate Philanthropy and Events Manager, Big Lots, Inc.
Philanthropitch Columbus was held on Tuesday, March 3 at Speaker Jo Ann Davidson Theatre, 77 S. High St. Philanthropitch is an initiative of Austin-based Notley. Since its inception in 2013, the pitch competition has expanded to four cities – Austin, San Antonio, Philadelphia and Columbus – and awarded over $1.2 million to 75 non-profit organizations.
For more information, visit philanthropitch.org.
All photos provided by Philanthropitch
