When nonprofit leaders across Philadelphia gathered at Jefferson this spring for the first SPARK Innovation Academy cohort graduation, the celebration marked more than the completion of a nine-week program. It represented a growing collaboration between Jefferson and the city of Philadelphia to help organizations solve complex challenges through innovation, systems thinking and technology.
Developed through a partnership with the city’s Office of Innovation and Technology, the SPARK Innovation Academy brought together nonprofit professionals to strengthen problem-solving, communication and technology skills they can apply directly within their organizations. The inaugural cohort of 20 participants graduated in March after working through collaborative workshops focused on design thinking, stakeholder engagement, data visualization, survey design and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
“We wanted to focus on leaders from nonprofit agencies around Philadelphia,” says Dr. Jeffrey Klemens, an associate professor of biology and one of the faculty members who oversees the program. “The goal was to combine design thinking and systems thinking with technology adoption in a way that helps participants improve processes and communication within their organizations.”
Jefferson’s Partnership With the City of Philadelphia Helps Nonprofits Build Innovation Skills
Nonprofit leaders across Philadelphia learn design thinking, technology and collaboration skills to strengthen their organizations and communities.
Developed with the city of Philadelphia’s Office of Innovation and Technology, the first SPARK Innovation Academy cohort graduated this spring. Photos/Albert Lee for the city of Philadelphia
Dr. Jeffrey Klemens (center) and Dana Scott (left) served as Jefferson faculty leaders for the SPARK Innovation Academy. Jefferson colleagues, including Industrial Design Associate Professor Eric Schneider (right), guided participants through practical exercises.
The academy evolved from Jefferson’s long-running Academy of Municipal Innovation (AMI), launched in 2012 in partnership with the city. For over a decade, AMI has helped city employees and SEPTA staff tackle operational challenges and develop innovative approaches to public service. SPARK builds on that foundation while expanding the focus to nonprofits serving Philadelphia communities.
According to Dana Scott, another faculty leader for the academy, participants often begin the program thinking they already understand the problem they need to solve, only to discover deeper organizational challenges along the way.
“Sometimes, they come in with a certain problem statement, and they end up working on something completely different,” says Scott, the William A. Finn ’67 Director of the Design, Engineering and Commerce Core Curriculum. “A lot of what the academy is about is reframing and looking at the bigger picture.”
While each participant brought a unique challenge to the program, recurring themes emerged around communication, stakeholder engagement and effectively using technology to share organizational impact. Colleagues and guest speakers from across Jefferson guided participants through practical exercises designed to help them better understand the people they serve and communicate data more effectively.
Jasmin Velez, with Kensington Corridor Trust, joined SPARK to strengthen her communication and storytelling skills while learning how technology could help streamline her work on a small nonprofit team.
“One of the things people in all organizations are dealing with right now is this massive increase in data,” Dr. Klemens says. “We spent time thinking about who your stakeholders are, what you know about them and how you can fill in those information gaps.”
For many participants, the most valuable part of the experience was learning alongside peers from other nonprofit organizations.
“It was great to be in community with folks who understand the nonprofit realm,” says SPARK graduate Jasmin Velez, development and communications manager at Kensington Corridor Trust. “Having several weeks to share our experiences, lessons learned and challenges really made this a fruitful experience.”
Velez joined SPARK to strengthen her communication and storytelling skills while learning how technology could help streamline her work on a small nonprofit team. “The most insight I gained throughout the process is about how much of our wins we are not sharing and ought to,” she says.
SPARK graduate Zakia Ringgold says the academy helped her think more strategically about innovation and program design. “What stood out most was how intentional the program was in helping us think differently,” notes the director of business capacity and growth systems at the Lancaster Avenue 21st Century Business Association. “SPARK was not just about learning concepts. It created space to slow down, ask better questions and challenge assumptions.”
Ringgold has already begun applying lessons from the academy to strengthen her organization’s Capital Access Readiness Program by improving stakeholder communication and using surveys to better understand business owners’ needs.
Zakia Ringgold says the academy helps her think more strategically about innovation and program design at the Lancaster Avenue 21st Century Business Association.
Faculty members say the collaborative cohort model is one of the academy’s defining strengths. Participants frequently exchanged ideas, shared resources and continued connecting outside of class sessions.
“When you pull those people into a room, you realize that although they might be working on different things, there’s a shared set of values and goals,” Dr. Klemens says. “One of my favorite things about teaching the course is watching how much learning happens among participants.”
Scott adds that the relationships formed during the academy often continue long after graduation. “They don’t want it to end,” Scott says. “There’s already a WhatsApp group happening and meetups being planned. That collaborative learning aspect is a very impactful part of these academies.”
For Jefferson, the partnership reflects a longstanding commitment to interdisciplinary learning and civic engagement.
“We’ve really enjoyed working with and teaching a variety of participants from the city of Philadelphia over the years,” Scott says. “It was a privilege to work with the Office of Innovation and Technology to co-develop SPARK and support the expansion of its offerings to a new cohort.”
Dr. Klemens doesn’t believe many universities collaborate with city government in this way. “It’s an incredible contribution that Jefferson has made,” he says, “creating this network of people across Philadelphia who share this experience and carry these ideas back into their organizations.”