By Shannon Sackmann, Membership Director
When SVP Partner Peter Spear was asked whether he had any local business contacts that might be interested in SVP’s unique offering, “My initial reaction was that I didn’t,” reflects Peter. But during lunch with a friend, his friend perked up when the topic of conversation moved to SVP Boulder County.
Having been a senior executive at Level 3 before retirement, Peter’s friend saw that SVP’s model sounded like a smart, highly leveraged option for corporate/community relations. He thought SVP might be particularly appealing to Level 3’s Senior Director of Corporate Social Responsibility. Peter made an email introduction to Shannon Sackmann, SVP’s Membership Director and a meeting was set.
A couple of weeks later Shannon met with Sondra Smith, Senior Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Level 3. Sondra was interested in learning more about SVP Boulder County and suggested other organizations who might also be interested. “Sondra had terrific insight into the local CSR community and meeting with her provided me with a number of new ideas and possible leads. These leads have skill sets needed for our consulting work with Investees,” says Shannon.
By introducing a friend or professional colleague to SVP Boulder County they learn more about our important work, and if their philanthropic goals align with ours it could lead to a partnership. Both are a win for SVP Boulder County and the nonprofits we work with.
Do you know of an individual or company that believes building strong nonprofits in Boulder County benefits everyone in our community? “It’s hard to think of people off the top of your head, but it’s something to keep in mind and mention when the topic comes up,” notes Peter.
Whether it’s an individual or business already giving nonprofit support, or someone new to the space, SVP offers a unique way to get involved. Find testimonials here, and additional business membership details here). Have someone you want to introduce to SVP? Shoot Shannon a quick note to discuss, and thank you!
