(L-R) Chief Energy Officer Seth Streeter, Mayor Helene Schneider, Fast Pitch SB Winner Bethany Markee of Solvang Viking Kitchen, Jose Hutton of Hub 81, courtesy photo
Organizers from Social Venture Partners say inaugural event will become an annual opportunity for local nonprofits to gain exposure, refine messages and win money.
Thursday night’s inaugural Fast Pitch SB—a Shark Tank style competition for nonprofits to make three-minute pitches to a panel of judges and a live audience for cash awards was an exciting, successful event for all concerned, but Solvang Viking Cafe was the big winner of the night. Founder Bethany Markee—a former professional chef who took over the lunch program at the local elementary school cafeteria at Solvang School—now has an additional $26,000 in prizes to expand her program to feed more students.
Social Venture Partners Santa Barbara (SVPSB) chose the ten finalists out of a field of more than 100 applications from nonprofits looking to receive personal coaching and communications training from experts in the field.
Enthusiastic Fast Pitch audience, courtesy photo
The award winners are:
$5,000 Mission Award: Angels Foster Care
$5,000 State Award: A Different Point of View
$10,000 Audience Award: Solvang Viking Café
$15,000 Grand Prix Award: Solvang Viking Café
Plus, each of the ten finalists received a $1,000 SVP Award:
A Different Point of View
Angels Foster Care of Santa Barbara
Talented teen Jamey Geston entertained the crowd. Photo by Leslie Dinaberg
Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara
Santa Ynez Fruit and Vegetable Rescue (“Veggie Rescue”)
Solvang Elementary School’s Viking Cafe
The Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens
Sanctuary Centers of Santa Barbara
For more information about the program click here.
—Leslie Dinaberg
Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on May 17, 2014.