ANNUAL REPORT
2020
Go Anywhere From Here
S PA R K- C E N T RA L . O R G
OUR MISSION Everyone deserves the opportunity to create the future they imagine! Spark Central is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that ignites the creativity, innovation, and imagination necessary for people to forge the path to their best future. We break barriers to creativity like cost, confidence, and access by offering transformative programs, access to innovative technology, and a welcoming creative community for people of all economic backgrounds. As a 501(c)3 charitable organization, we rely on the generosity of people like you to keep our membership and programs available at no cost so income is never a barrier to a brighter future.
STRAIGHT FROM THE
ENGINE ROOM Dear friends,
When the pandemic closed our doors and in-person programs in March 2020, we had to think fast. How could we continue to serve the youth in our West Central neighborhood in this desperate time of need? We quickly got creative and—thanks to your generous support—created 200 Creative Care Packages that we distributed into the hands of West Central kids. We enlisted volunteers to call our West Central members to make sure they had the emergency resources they needed and knew where to go for help. We adapted many of our programs and youth summer camps to be online, providing community connection for children and families. We created new online programs like Pajama Storytime in partnership with Wishing Tree Books, and in collaboration with Spokane Public Schools, distributed 625 educational kits at Holmes Elementary during the summer. Finally, our team put our heads together to develop Level Up, our new cornerstone program. In Level Up, West Central youth create their future with the support of mentors in a playful, creative community. Two cohorts of students from Holmes and Audubon Elementary schools spent their afternoons at Spark Central in the fall of 2020, setting their own goals for growth and engaging with mentors for social-emotional and homework support, as well as the pursuit of their own creative aspirations through clubs focused on robotics, art, journalism, coding, and much more—all in a safe, socially-distanced environment. The feedback from parents, teachers, and (most importantly) students was overwhelmingly positive and continued into the spring. We are so excited that in fall 2021, Spark Central is partnering with Spokane Public Schools to bring Level Up directly into both elementary schools to serve more students than ever before. Our station is also back open five days a week. But of course, none of this would be possible without the support of volunteers, donors, and supporters like you. You are the steam powering our creative engine! Thank you for sticking with us—and the kids we serve—in a most difficult year. In gratitude,
Brooke Matson, NBCT Executive Director
CONNECTING WITH COMMUNIT Y Inam, one of our West Central Express journalists and Level Up students, had a Zoom interview with Spokane City Council Member Karen Stratton, who represents his neighborhood. Inam was very professional in sticking to the questions he prepared and connected most with Council Member Stratton during her answer to his question about whether she had ever been treated unfairly. Later, Inam was chatting with a mentor while he waited for his brother to pick him up. When asked how his day was, he said "Amazing!" and when asked what his favorite part had been, he said the interview with the City Council.
SUPPORTING KIDS IN A PANDEMIC
As we teach at Spark Central, creativity means adapting to the challenge at hand. During the pandemic, our staff team got wildly creative to find ways to serve West Central youth and families that were in quarantine. Thanks to donors, we created 200 Creative Care Packages, assembled 625 education kits with Spokane Public Schools, and made 250 calls to West Central members to make sure they had the COVID resources they needed. We worked remotely with North Central High School students and adult writers to publish two books, mailing participants their copies. We kept youth, teens, and adults connected by redesigning youth summer camps and some drop-in programs for online. And finally, we created new programs like Level Up, our powerful new flagship program (see next page for more info).
Level Up
Online Summer Camps
Creative Kits & Educational Kits
Online Programs
A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS One of the sixth-graders in Level Up told Melissa, one of our staff, that she likes doing homework at Spark Central because “it's the only place I can do homework without people getting angry at me.” When asked what she meant by that, she explained her family has some nightly homework struggles. They agreed it was sometimes easier to get mad or frustrated at family members and the people you love, and that help comes from many places.
INVITING YOUTH TO
LEVEL UP
Realizing that our old way of reaching youth would not work during a pandemic and that online school was leaving many kids behind, our program staff worked round the clock to design and roll out Level Up in fall 2020 for two cohorts of students from Holmes and Audubon Elementary. Participating youth set their own goals for the Level Up program and engage with consistent mentors for social-emotional growth, homework help, and the pursuit of creative aspirations through clubs focused on robotics, art, writing, coding, and more. Our goal is that through creative experimentation, youth grow in confidence, develop resilience to challenges, take ownership of academics, and discover future aspirations. Parents, teacher, and students agree—Level Up rocks! HOURS OF EDUCATIONAL ENGAGEMENT PER DAY, PER KID
“The staff are really cool and they make me feel like
I belong here.” — Level Up student
RACIAL DEMOGRAPHICS: 31% BIPOC “[This program] has brought
her back to her own self.
She comes home with interest and excited about learning things. I haven’t seen that since March, so I’ve been very happy.” — Level Up parent
2 P L A Y is P R O 0 5,021 2,576 2 19 0 BY THE NUMBERS
members
volunteer hours
investigative news scoops
3
unique books written & published with community members
893
computers, robots, and kits checked out
250
calls to memb connec COVID
407
books checked out
33
inventions created
4
full-time staff
DUCTIVE
o our bers to ct them to resources
145
hours of homework help during Level Up
251 6
chats with mentors
online summer camps
555
hours of structured programming
1,575
snacks provided for youth
200
creative kits distributed to kids
716
adults served by programs
1
hippopotamus editor fond of Oxford commas
942
youth served by programs, including online programs
COACHING YOUNG AMBA SSADORS During our week-long online Young Ambassadors Camp, one studnet was quiet and reluctant to speak. Shantell Jackson was our lead instructor for the camp, and Remelisa Cullitan generously joined us as a volunteer. Both local artists shared their thought processes behind the letters they designed as part of Terrain’s Black Lives Matter mural here in Spokane. On Day three of camp, when it came time to share progress on their creative projects, this quiet student shared a portrait she had begun to sketch of a hand divided into different sections. She explained that each section would be painted a different skin tone, meant to represent that beauty can come in every shade. Our team was very moved when she shared her final piece with the other campers!
LAYING TRACKS FOR
EQUITY
Despite being limited to Zoom meetings during 2020, our Advisory Board divided into three teams focused on areas we wanted to grow as an organization: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, West Central ambassadorship, and research into future location options to better serve our West Central community. In particular, our DEI team wowed us with their work on an Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion policy which our board of directors adopted. This team is continuing to work with our board on incorporating this policy into our strategic plan and organizational structure. We are very grateful to the individuals stewarding this work with us!
Our Anti-Racism, Equity, & Inclusion policy is available online at Spark-Central.org/policies.
Gratitude to our Advisory Board Members! Alisa Caproni
Ellen Welcker
Lisa Coyle
Bethany Taylor
Eric Woodard
Liz Rognes
Bobby Enslow
Felix Santisteban
Nance Van Winckel
Carmen Pacheco-Jones
Inga Laurent
Nicole Rosenkrantz
Charles Montgomery
Jason Johnson
Rowena Pineda
Curtis Chambers
Joy Peltier
Sierra Ross
Derrick Freeland
Kathleen Grier
Thom Caraway
Edmundo Aguilar
Katy Sheehan
Yvonne Dominguez
FINDING ENERGY IN A PA NDEMIC Kwinn, age 10, was the first to try out Spark Central's new Energy Conversion creative kit, which demonstrates how energy is converted from various sources to create different energy outputs. Kwinn spent a long time experimenting with the kit, converting energy from a battery and a hand crank to power a turbine, buzzer, and lamp. Afterward, he said he learned the difference between positive and negative sides of a current and, in his own words, "learned that I like energy!"
FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY Our board of directors is determined to make sure Spark Central ignites creativity for many years to come! Thanks to the CARES Act and generous foundation support, we were able to weather the 2020 fiscal year despite some lost funding.
2020
2020 OPERATING REVENUE
Individual Giving
OPERATING REVENUE
Board Giving
Board Giving
Individual Giving
Fundraising Events
Fundraising EventsGrants (including CARES Act) Corporate Giving
Grants (including CARES Act) Sponsorships Corporate Giving Sponsorships
In-Kind (rent, etc.) Merchandise & Other TOTAL INCOME EXPENSES
In-Kind (rent, etc.) Programming Development & Administration
Merchandise & Other TOTAL EXPENSES TOTAL INCOME EXPENSES
RESTRICTED FUNDS
Grants (including CARES Act)
$34,434
$98,764 $139,849
Corporate Giving
$67,367
Sponsorships
$25,588
$98,764
In-Kind (rent, etc.)
$54,743
$98,764
$139,849 $67,367
Merchandise & Other
$139,849 $25,588
TOTAL INCOME
$54,743
$67,367 $6,626
$6,626 $440,107
EXPENSES
Programming
$440,107
$25,588
Development & Administration
$54,743
$251,397
TOTAL EXPENSES
$251,397 $80,176 $331,573
8% INDIVIDUALS 3% BOARD GIVING 22% EVENTS 32% GRANTS 15% CORPORATIONS 6% SPONSORSHIPS 12% IN-KIND 8% I NDI VI DUAL GI VI NG 2% OTHER3% B OARD GIVI NG
8% I N DI VI DUA L GI VI N G 3% BFUNDS OA RD GI VI N G RESTRICTED 22% F U N DRA I SI N G E VE N TS 32% GRAfor N TS Grants restricted 2021 $76,351 15% CO RP O RAT E GI VI N G Board-restricted reserve $304,339 6% SP O N SO RSHI PS 12% I N - K I N D TOTAL RESTRICTED FUNDS 2% M E RCHA N DI SE / OT HE R $380,690
$80,176
$6,626
$331,573
$440,107
OPERATING
22% 32% 15% 6% 12% 2%
FUNDRAI SI NG E VE NTS GRANTS CORPORAT E GI VI NG SPONSORSHI PS I N-KI ND ME RC HAN DI SE / OT HE R
EXPENSES
$380,690
$251,397 8% 3% 22% 32% 15% 6% 12% 2%
$80,176 $331,573
RESTRICTED FUNDS
Grants restricted for 2021
$76,351
Board-restricted reserve
$304,339
TOTAL RESTRICTED FUNDS
S O$12,736 URCES
$12,736 $12,736
$76,351
TOTAL EXPENSES
Fundraising Events
$34,434
$304,339
Development & Administration
Board Giving
2020
Board-restricted reserve
Programming
PERATING REVENUE
Individual Giving
$34,434
Grants restricted for 2021
TOTAL RESTRICTED FUNDS
OPERATING REVENUEO
$380,690
1
IN D IVID UALPROGRAMMING G IVIN G 76% B OAR D G IVIN G FU N D24% RAISINDEVELOPMENT G EVEN TS & G RAN TS ADMINISTRATION CO R P O RATE G IVIN G SP O N SO RSH IPS IN - K IN D MER C H AN D ISE/ OTH ER 1
2020 SUPPORTERS
Spark Central is a 501(c)3 charitable organization and relies on the generosity of people like you to keep our membership and programs cost-free so income is never a barrier to brighter futures. Our deep thanks to the following individuals and organizations who supported our work in 2020:
FR IEN D O F S N OZ $5,000+
Brad & Dana Van Slyke Cynthia Chatham Jennie & Jason Wheaton Jim & Mary Anne Frank Joe & Laura Frank John & Heidi Krummel Michelle & David Starry
S N OZ S Q UA D $2,500+
Ashli Myers Bill Eden Gage Stromberg Gary Graham Nancy Barthelmess Jeff & Julie Kilgore Jess & Anne Walter Mark Steilen Maureen Fay
W EST CE N T RA L PUB L I SH I N G UNIO N M E M BE R $1,000+
Andrei & Kristy Mylroie Chris & Holly Knapp Cinda & Rob Reed Jad & Tanisha Kilgore Jared Smith Jennifer Wheaton Jennifer Frank & Tristan Chaparro Karen Dziedzic Kelly Stanford Kristy Hamby Mike Livingstone Mike & Christi Malsam Pam & Bruce Gallaher Rick Eichstaedt
CR E ATI V E P O WE R PA RTNE R $500+
Allison Peterson Becky Carlson Cami Nelson Chad & Suzie Heimbigner Damon Novelli Derek Farmer Eric and Deborah Stucky Holly South Jamie DeHaven Julia Daher & Katie Horvath Kathe Reed McKay Kathleen & Joe Herzog Kathryn Smith Kiantha Duncan & Sylvia Brown Laura Read Mark Cuilla Nancy Rust Patty Elzey Ronald Cocchiarella Sandra & Steven Kernerman Steve Faust Terry & Heidi Bollum Thomas McLaughlin Wendy Kennedy Will VanDam
L EV E L UP PA RTNE R $250+
Amanda Oropeza Annie Stranger Ashton Preston Breean Beggs Carly Cortright Dan Siddoway Dan & Meg Rey-Bear Emily Colgate Eric & Karyn Woodard Heidi Lasher & Dave Schaub
Inga Laurent Jake Krummel Jerry White Jessica Wade Jessie Norris Kate Lebo Keri & Kevin Collins Kyle & Rachel Baird Lorna St. John Marnie Schroer Michelle Grabicki Michelle Lockman Nancy Whittier Nikki Lockwood Pam Wallace Shawn Jordan Shawn Vestal & Amy Cabe Ted & Anne McGregor Tom Menner
STATI O N PA RT NER $100+
Amy Dawley Andy Anderson Ann Ciasullo Ben & Erin Joyce Berh Bakulich Blyth Themsen Christine Varela Christopher Parkin Debbie McDonald Don Hamilton Elaine Madigan Ellen Yones Eric Krebs Halle Goodwin Howard & Laurel Skaug Jacob Fries James Wood Jannette Hill Jessica Romney Jill Rider
Joy Peltier Julie O'Dwyer Kara Rowe Kasey Culmback Kate Reed Kathleen Mead Kathy & Tim Ugaldea Kim Danke Kimma Gurel Kris Morehouse Lance Gurel Leah Mow & Craig Fischer Looy Charbz Marion Hammer Mary Alberts Mary Fruchter
Mary Logan Mary Jo Buckingham Melissa Huggins Michael Robinson Michael Flannery & Dean Lynch Michelle Jung Michelle Carroll Miranda Bales Molly Rupp Molly Werner Nance Van Winckel Nancy Janzen Paul Lindholdt Phyllis Gabel Robert & Claire Rudolf Murphy Fund Robyn & Dale Best
Ryan Oelrich Sally Poutiatine Samuel Hammerman Sara Hannigan Sharma Shields Sharon Doyle Stacy Thetford Susan Entwistle Susan Ashe Tami Schwartz Thuy-Dzuong Nguyen William Lockwood Wyeth Larson
FO UNDAT I O N & O R GA N I Z ATI O N SUP P O RT Adirondack Lodge Amazon Smile Foundation ArtsWA | WA State Arts Commission Avista Bitterroot Lodge Bridgeway East Apartments Bridgeway West Apartments Cocchiarella Family Fund via Innovia County of Spokane Gesa Credit Union Global Credit Union Greenstone Corporation Hagan Foundation Highline at Kendall Yards
Innovia Foundation Kaiser Aluminum KH Consulting Meadowwood One MSJ Investment National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc. PNW Chapter Numerica Credit Union Rogue Heart Media Rotary Community Service Scablands Books Schools Out Washington Smith-Barbieri Progressive Fund Spokane Arts Grant Awards
Spokane County United Way Spokane Teachers Credit Union Union Pacific Foundation Walmart Shadle Center #2865 Walmart Store #2549 Washington Women's Foundation Whitworth University William Ferris & Marsha Donaldson Charitable Fund Windermere Real Estate City Group Wishing Tree Books
KH Consulting Kiantha Duncan & Sylvia Brown Michelle & David Starry Mona Griffen Pat Simmons Pierr Morgan Robert Karl Cellars Robyn Best Robyn Takamine Serena Thompson
Syncione Bresgal The Alliance for Media Arts & Culture Therese Thompson Thomas Heavey Tina Thorson Townshend Winery Travis Naught Wanderlust Delicato
IN-K IN D S U P P O RT Amanda Donovan Coffman Engineers Ellen Welcker Equinox Open Library Initiative Fish Window Cleaning Hold On Now Indaba Coffee Jennie & Jason Wheaton Jill Rider Jim & Mary Anne Frank
BOARD OF DIRECTORS JAKE KRUMMEL
MIKE MALSAM
Business Development Manager · Numerica CU
Board President Retired · Spokane Public Schools
JAMES KASHORK
MICHELLE STARRY
Real Estate Agent
Board Vice President President · Starry Financial
SYLVIA BROWN
SANDRA KERNERMAN
Xfinity Mobile Technical Support Manager · Comcast
Board Past President Director of Special Giving · KSPS
KAILEE HAONG
LAURA READ
SHAWN VESTAL
Legal Assistant · Glenn Tanner Attorney at Law
Board Secretary Poet & Professor · Spokane Falls Comm. College
JIM FRANK
Author & Columnist · The Spokesman-Review
CHAUNCEY JONES
Sports Producer & Master Control Operator · KHQ
Board Treasurer Former CEO · Greenstone Corporaton
Also Served in 2020:
RICK EICHSTAEDT
JESSICA WADE
Attorney
Senior Account Director · Desautel Hege
GAGE STROMBERG
Attorney · Powers Stromberg Pension Consulting
K ATE LEBO Author
OUR 2020 TEAM BROOKE MATSON
WILSON FAUST
NICOLE ADAMSON-WOOD
MELISSA DZIEDZIC
Executive Director · Chief Engineer Development Director · Coal Shoveler
Program Manager · Stationmaster Program Manager · Conductor
Special Thanks to the Following Individuals: NICKI THOMPSON Americorps VISTA
MAT T SL ATER Americorps member
PAM ROLLISON AARP member
SPARK CENTRAL 1214 W. Summit Parkway · Spokane, WA 99201 · Spark-Central.org · 509 279 0299