The city’s new SPARK Innovation Academy is on a mission to bridge the “digital divide” between professionals in nonprofits and other sectors.
The free course provides support to local nonprofits in using digital tools, said Juliet Fink-Yates, broadband and digital inclusion manager for the Office of Innovation and Technology.
Too often, nonprofits don’t have the money for administrative functions, leaving them to figure out many of these responsibilities on their own.
“I think there is a huge need for upskilling in the nonprofit sector because [employees] They often have to be very sloppy, and they have to figure things out on their own, she said. “So if we can help them do that and figure it out in ways that are easier, more time-efficient and more effective, they can then use that time saved to get more money for the actual programs that they’re running and show their funders the work that they’re doing in a meaningful and impactful way.”
The course
The first cohort of the SPARK Innovation Academy will provide nine weeks of training, skills and software tutorials for twenty Philly nonprofit professionals.
The “collaborative program,” titled “Transformative Technologies for Nonprofits,” takes place every Tuesday from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“Each week has a different topic and really goes through an innovation experience and process where you work on a problem that you have, and you learn strategies, technology and innovation tools to address that problem in a really deep and meaningful way,” Fink-Yates said.
First, guidance on how to use common platforms more efficiently.
“In one of our first sessions, we dive deep into Microsoft 365 and the Google Suite platform,” she said. “We found that many professionals don’t even use these platforms as powerfully as they could, and they don’t often use them for true collaboration.”
Additionally, the course helps participants decide which software tools and platforms are best for different situations, and how to differentiate between digital tools.
The goal is to prepare professionals so that they feel comfortable and confident making these decisions independently.
“So we’ll talk about everything from the very simple tools that people can use, like a Google Form or a Microsoft Form, to more complex forms that you can use and why you might choose one or the other,” she said. “That is a technological tool, but at the same time we will work with people to think about why they do the survey. Whether they ask the right questions. Or how do they formulate a question? Or how do you use AI to generate those questions?”
She said the course will also explore AI and graphic design tools, such as Adobe Express and Canva, to better support nonprofits when creating flyers or using social media.
“Collaborative” character
In addition to the cohort’s teachers and materials, SPARK organizers hope that cohort members can help each other with their existing skills.
“That’s where I think the cohort model comes in,” Fink-Yates said. “One cohort member can say, ‘This is how I use this tool at my nonprofit, and I do this part really well.’ And someone else might say, “I’ve never used that before, but I use this other tool for surveying, and I use it all the time.” The idea is that we not only teach them, but also learn from each other.”
The program is built around participants bringing skills and software back to others in their own organizations.
“The idea is really for them to take it back and share it with the others in their organization and help them really transform or ‘fuel’ their own innovation within their organization,” she said.
Several Philly leaders expressed support for the program and why it is so important.
“Nonprofits are the backbone of Philadelphia,” Melissa Scott, Chief Information Officer for the City of Philadelphia, said in a statement. “When they have access to the right digital tools and knowledge, they can spend more time and energy on what matters most: serving their communities.”
Fink-Yates hopes that in the future, other program cohorts can reach small businesses and also collaborate with universities “to design and develop programs for professionals.”
Nonprofit professionals interested in enrolling in the SPARK Innovation Academy can learn more during a virtual information session on Wednesday, October 22 at 12 noon. Applications for the cohort must be submitted by Friday, November 14 at 5:00 PM
Finalists will participate in a brief interview, and those selected to participate in the program will be notified before the winter holidays. Classes for the first cohort will begin on January 13, 2026. You can apply here.
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