EDITOR’S NOTE: This story of #CreativityInCaptivity is was submitted by a collaborative team from Apparo, Charlotte Community ToolBank and Restore Global.

Working together, we will be able to serve more nonprofits
by Caroline Wienecke, Restore Global &
Bleema Bershad, Apparo

“You’re what?!?”

That’s the universal reply when we explain that we’re capacity-building nonprofit organizations. It may not sound very sexy, but it IS sexy.

Our work helps the ENTIRE Charlotte community by augmenting the work of other nonprofits. We increase their capacity and impact, making them better, faster, and more effective at helping others.

We are Apparo, Charlotte Community ToolBank and Restore Global. We are nonprofits with a fundamental mission to serve other nonprofits.

During this current pandemic, you can’t help but listen to the news or read countless articles about our ever-changing environment. Positively, we’ve seen our nation come together to support our front-line workers. They are tirelessly working to keep us going, and for that, we can all be thankful.

There is, however, a more silent group of people who make sure that families are fed, our homeless population receives vital PPE, and that no one goes unnoticed – nonprofit organizations.

Now, more than ever, our community needs the support of nonprofit organizations to deliver groceries to those who are unable to leave their homes, scavenge for toilet paper, and help keep life in this pandemic as stable as possible.

We wanted to collaborate on a new, engaging approach to reach more nonprofits. We know that many Charlotte-area nonprofits are struggling, and we want them to know that we are here to help. There is only one thing we can do – get creative!

So, we spent many hours, laughs and Zoom calls brainstorming how we could come together and serve our Charlotte community on a larger scale. We wanted to collaborate on a new, engaging, approach to reach more nonprofits. With the increasing number of people who are losing their jobs and who need a community to help lift them up, we know that many Charlotte-area nonprofits are struggling and we want them to know that we’re here to serve them!

After some good ideas, some great ideas and some pretty bad ideas, we agreed on a “Rocket Fuel for Your Mission” campaign, beginning with a social media contest (which closes May 18th).

Like rocket fuel launches a rocket into space, we fuel and expand a nonprofit’s capacity and impact, making them better, faster, and more effective at helping others. This mission is important to us because we care for our Charlotte-area nonprofits and we see the good they’re doing in the community. By working together, we will be able to serve more nonprofits.

Please spread the word to your nonprofit network! We are all in this together – committed to serving the needs of our community.

About the Contest

From this, our “Rocket Fuel for Your Mission” social media partnership and contest was born.

• What we learned by coming together:
• It really can be fun to brainstorm together via Zoom (even when your face freezes while joyously sharing an idea).
• Your peer organizations are facing the same issues as you, so let’s think beyond the competition and grow the pie together.
• You can be creative and successfully collaborate virtually.
• It’s a great time to try something new!

Our contest is open to nonprofits through May 18. Three lucky winners will win one of the following:

• From Apparo: A team training (TechShop) for up to 5 members of a nonprofit organization on one of the following topics – (a) Microsoft Teams or (b) Microsoft Office 365. An Apparo TechShop at this size is valued at $1,875.
• From Charlotte Community ToolBank: A ToolBank credit value of $50, which translates to $1,650 of tool borrowing power for a nonprofit.
• From Restore Global: $100 credit towards Restore Global nonprofit services fees, which has a fair market value of $1,670.

Please spread the word to your nonprofit network! We are all in this together – committed to serving the needs in our community.