“SVP has been an absolutely amazing experience. It’s grown my confidence in so many different ways.” - 2022 Fellowship participant
Applications will be available for the next class in June, 2025.
We invest our time in providing professional development and building relationships with nonprofits through the SVPSA Fellowship
After a few grant cycles, our partners realized we wanted deeper connections with the nonprofits we support at the same time, we identified a need for professional development on nonprofit basics for local leaders. With input from our first Fellowship cohort, we designed a curriculum tailored to the needs they identified.
The SVPSA Fellowship focuses on foundational topics for leaders new to nonprofit work, their roles, or managing small, younger organizations. We've hosted four cohorts and are now on Class 5, with 24 nonprofit executives attending monthly full-day sessions from September to March (excluding December).
Participants consistently report the program's impact through monthly and end-of-session surveys. They're more confident, collaborative, and skilled in board and financial management, fundraising, grant writing, technology, networking, and data management.
These relationships help us better support strong grassroots nonprofits with our time, talent, and treasure through SVPSA.
Our 2024 - 2025 Fellowship Cohort
Lexi Bacharan, Texas Diaper Bank
Bryce Boddie, Hill Country Family Services,
Lina Eklof, San Antonio Humane Society
Beto Gomez, Better Futures Institute
Brooke Haley, Youth Code Jam
Sarassa Inglis, Ransomed Life
Margaret Judson, School Connect San Antonio
Natasha Lane, Alamo Area Community Network
Jessica Lizardo, Special Olympics Texas
Lex Loro, Pride Center San Antonio
Emily Marcotte, Thru Project
Krista McAnally, DaisyCares
Kenny McGee, Children Matter
Victor Medina, TBI Warrior Foundation
Minka Misangyi, Girls on the Run Bexar County
Deirdre Murphy, San Antonio Sports
James Nortey, San Antonio for Growth on the East Side (SAGE)
Janet Pedrotti, Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas
Jessica Rosales, Respite Care of San Antonio
Crissy Schrubb, STEPS for Life
Veronica Simpkins, Latched Support
Abigail Teveni, YWCA
Shelley Weber, Junior League of San Antonio
Mary Wise, The Children's Shelter
Skill Building
SVPSA's Fellowship was developed to strengthen nonprofit executive level leaders to round out their skills. The 7 month program, that is held September - March of each year includes 6 full day sessions (we do not meet in December) with dozens of experts from all areas to share their experience and tools for success. Topics include:
- Leadership, developing your mission and vision
- Board development, roles and responsibilities
- Human Resources, managing teams
- Financial strategy, tools and policies
- Nonprofit technology and resources
- Marketing, PR and community relations
- Fundraising
SVPSA measures the results of our Fellowship experience. Click here to read the report from Class 3.
Results
- More innovation, collaboration and partnering
- Inspired leaders, who have renewed energy for their mission
- New practical skills, equipped to share their expertise, utilizing today’s most effective business tools, so they can do more.
"I feel like I have a whole new support system that I never knew existed. It really has been wonderful and keeps me sane in a world that I'm struggling in right now."
Fellowship Goals
SVPSA Fellows have shown measured improvement in skills, knowledge and confidence. After each session, we evaluate the speakers and the content and our graduates reveal they have gained in their technical expertise and knowledge in 10 areas, including governance best practices, marketing strategy, engagement with donors, understanding communications styles, managing finances, creating evaluation systems, fundraising, strategic planning, understanding HR and better understand technology issues.
