A little about Sarah
An Eastern NC small town girl who grew up loving her community and wanting to serve others from a young age, Sarah Shifflet is no stranger to community service. Her family ran the local hardware store and were major proponents of education. As a first generation college graduate, Sarah knew that her Business Degree from UNC-Chapel Hill afforded her chances her parents had only dreamed about, and she was driven to turn her opportunity into opportunities for others.
While raising two kids, Sarah began volunteering around children’s rights and community well being. Professionally, she worked at the Council for Children’s Rights including work with SVP’s Investee, Nurse Family Partnership (NFP).
Now with her daughter, Anna, 24, finishing law school and moving to NYC and her son, Paul, 26, going to business school after 4 years of asset management in Philadelphia, she and her husband Allen are taking time to re-invest in the community.
How’d you get involved with SVP?
As a founding member of Women’s Impact Fund, I have been involved in similar initiatives. But joining SVP was really a way for Allen and me to serve as a couple. We have been involved via friends for a long time and have seen the impact. Allen’s interest in SVP’s model of investment and engagement was the real driver of our decision.
One reason that we had not previously joined was because I was fortunate enough to be a nonprofit leader of the initial assessment and implementation of Nurse Family Partnership…so my initial connection was as a professional working with SVP Partners on how to get the NFP program placed and scaled.
What’s is your current involvement with SVP?
I personally am in an exploratory stage of where I want to support and best contribute. Besides being on the NFP Board, I serve as a tutor and contributor for Heart Math Tutoring.
What do you think is SVP’s biggest contribution to the community?
The combination of energy and dollars differentiates SVP from other funders. The objective lens and business acumen that is brought to the table is invaluable to the nonprofit community. Taking risks and finding solutions such as Heart Math Tutoring is a great example of program development that addresses community problems.
How would you describe SVP to others?
An innovative vehicle for individuals to invest in our community’s opportunities and well being by contributing both time and financial resources.
What else would you want to make sure we know about SVP?
SVP educates its members and makes them better personal investors. It makes all of us wiser investors as we learn about the community and its needs. Innovative solutions and best practices combined with risk taking are its hallmarks.
Investing resources in the community is “serious business” but, from what I have seen so far, SVP makes it fun. Meeting smart people and learning from their skills and experiences is very valuable.
Why would you suggest another (individual, nonprofit, funder, etc) get involved with SVP?
This model is a community platform for making a real difference. We must roll up our sleeves, work hard, look at things differently, and invest our resources.
