Spark MicroGrants Company Profile

Background

Mission: Spark MicroGrants enables communities to design and launch their own social impact projects.

Vision: A world where everybody lives with dignity and determines their own positive future.

Founded in 2010, Spark MicroGrants is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to empowering communities facing poverty by facilitating community-driven development. Operating primarily in East and West Africa—including Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Ghana, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo—Spark has partnered with over 180 communities to date. The organization’s innovative approach combines capacity building with microgrants, enabling communities to identify their priorities and implement sustainable projects. This model promotes gender equity, fosters authentic local development, and offers a sustainable solution to effective poverty alleviation.

Key Strategic Focus

Spark MicroGrants focuses on catalyzing sustainable collective action and improving livelihoods through its Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP). This process involves a six-month planning period during which communities engage in weekly meetings to identify goals, plan projects, and establish village savings groups. Each community receives a one-time microgrant of up to $8,000 to implement their chosen project, which may include initiatives such as schools, farms, or health centers. The organization targets rural villages in East and West Africa, aiming to empower communities to drive their own development and achieve long-term sustainability.

Financials and Funding

In November 2023, Spark MicroGrants successfully closed its first philanthropic funding round, securing $27 million—exceeding the initial target of $25 million. This round was anchored by the World Bank, Comic Relief, and the Government of Rwanda, with additional support from nearly 30 philanthropic partners. The funds are intended to support an ambitious three-year strategy in Rwanda, Malawi, and beyond, focusing on scaling the FCAP model to a national level.

According to the organization's Form 990 tax filings, Spark MicroGrants reported the following financials:

Fiscal Year Ending December 2023:

Revenue: $10,336,960

Expenses: $7,702,239

Net Assets: $17,590,859

Fiscal Year Ending December 2022:

Revenue: $13,702,703

Expenses: $5,299,715

Net Assets: $14,752,657

Pipeline Development

Spark MicroGrants is actively working on scaling its FCAP model to a national level in multiple countries. The organization is implementing national-scale pilots in Rwanda, Malawi, Uganda, and Ghana, each reaching between 100 to 500 villages. These pilots include external evaluations by third-party firms and policy work aimed at national adoption of the FCAP model. The goal is to expand the program to over 1,000 villages as the next step toward national coverage.

Technological Platform and Innovation

Spark MicroGrants' primary innovation is the Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP), a structured approach that combines community facilitation with microgrants. This process involves:

1. Community Engagement: Facilitators work with communities to identify goals and plan projects through a series of weekly meetings.

2. Capacity Building: Communities receive training in project management, financial literacy, and governance.

3. Microgrant Provision: A one-time grant of up to $8,000 is provided to implement the chosen project.

4. Sustainability Planning: Communities establish savings groups and plan for the long-term sustainability of the project.

This model has demonstrated a 91% project sustainability rate and has been recognized for its ability to catalyze collective action that continues long after the initial project completion.

Leadership Team

Sasha Fisher, Co-Founder and Executive Director: Sasha co-founded Spark MicroGrants in 2010 after experiences in South Sudan, South Africa, India, and Uganda. She holds a BA from the University of Vermont in Studio Art and Human Security.

Katherine Reynolds, Director of Learning & Sector Building: Katherine has been with Spark MicroGrants since 2017, focusing on learning and sector building initiatives.

Michelle Lee, Development Director: Michelle joined Spark MicroGrants in 2019, leading development and fundraising efforts.

Leadership Changes

As of the latest available information, there have been no recent significant changes or appointments within the company's leadership team.

Competitor Profile

Market Insights and Dynamics

The international development sector, particularly in community-driven development, has seen a shift toward participatory models that empower local communities. Organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of involving communities in decision-making processes to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of development projects.

Competitor Analysis

While Spark MicroGrants operates a unique model, other organizations in the sector include:

Village Enterprise: Focuses on poverty alleviation through entrepreneurship and innovation, providing training and seed capital to start small businesses.

BRAC: A global leader in developing cost-effective, evidence-based programs in conflict-prone and post-disaster settings, focusing on empowering communities.

One Acre Fund: Supplies smallholder farmers with financing and training to increase their incomes and improve food security.

These organizations share a common goal of empowering communities but differ in their methodologies and areas of focus.

Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships

Spark MicroGrants has established significant collaborations to strengthen its impact:

Government of Rwanda: Partnering on a national scale strategy to ensure every village across Rwanda can benefit from the FCAP process.

World Bank and Comic Relief: Anchored the recent $27 million funding round to support the organization's three-year strategy.

Woodcock Foundation: Provided a three-year, $660,000 grant in 2023 to support community-driven development efforts.

Operational Insights

Spark MicroGrants' distinct competitive advantage lies in its FCAP model, which emphasizes community ownership and sustainability. By facilitating a structured planning process and providing microgrants, the organization ensures that projects are community-driven and have a high likelihood of long-term success. This approach differentiates Spark from traditional aid models that often impose external solutions without local input.