What We Do for Nonprofits

The application period for the 2023-2024 investment cycle is closed. We anticipate our next cycle to open in Summer 2024.

Project XLR8 combines the best elements of our Fast Pitch storytelling competition and investee selection process to help even more nonprofits improve the lives of people in our community.

Project XLR8 will progress in phases over eight months. SVP will award grant money to participating nonprofits at each phase of the program. First, eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits with a socially innovative idea will apply each year in July. A social innovation aims to change the world by enhancing opportunity; creating effective, sustainable and just solutions to our society’s challenges; and reflecting the lived experience of the people it is meant to serve.

After applications are reviewed in August, the three phase process begins:

1: Explore

SEPTEMBER TO NOVEMBER | 10-12 NONPROFITS CHOSEN

Our Partners coach nonprofits in identifying an idea around which to develop a storytelling pitch using the Fast Pitch method. Group sessions are used to brainstorm, gain feedback and enhance the idea. This phase culminates in a concept reveal event before Partners at which several nonprofits will be chosen to advance to the next phase.

2: Lift

JANUARY TO APRIL | 4-6 NONPROFITS ADVANCE

During this phase, nonprofits and Partners will develop a business plan for the socially innovative ideas. This will include a deep dive into value proposition, competitive analysis, financial projections, fundraising assessment and more. The phase will close with an Idea Exposition Event where Partners will select one idea as the focus of a sustained, multiyear community investment.

3: Realize

1 INVESTEE SELECTED | April

Dedicated teams of Partners help identify and solve the selected nonprofit’s most pressing strategic and operational challenges in launching its idea. We pool our partners’ membership contributions so we can invest up to $20,000 in the chosen nonprofit each year for two to three years for a potential total of $60,000. Just as importantly, our partners share their diverse expertise in fields such as strategic planning, risk assessment, accounting, finance, event planning, board development, communications and more to strengthen the nonprofit.

Click on the flyer to download a PDF version.

Our current investees are Cornerstone Renter Equity and RefugeeConnect.

Parts of the process

STORYTELLING TRAINING

For the Explore and Lift phases, we use the Fast Pitch method of storytelling training. Fast Pitch, Greater Cincinnati’s original nonprofit pitch competition, has trained more than 120 nonprofits in effective storytelling.

Learn more

INVESTEE RELATIONSHIP

We’ve been helping Greater Cincinnati nonprofits for more than a decade. Meet some of our past investees, find out how Social Venture Partners helped them make Greater Cincinnati thrive, and discover what it was like to work with us, in their own words.

Learn more

Project XLR8 Sponsorship Opportunities

We sincerely appreciate our sponsors and donors who have allowed us to support Greater Cincinnati nonprofits with a unique model of engaged philanthropy. Our Partners share a passion for giving back and collectively invest time, talent and grant money to maximize our impact in the community.

We are looking for sponsors to help support our second Project XLR8 cohort. A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available and we can customize to accommodate your budget and interest.

We would love to have you involved!

SPONSORSHIP COMMITMENT FORM

Sponsorship Questions? Reach out to lauren@svpcincinnati.org