SVP Charlotte is proud to invest in and collaborate with high-impact nonprofits that are driving meaningful change across our community. These organizations are tackling urgent challenges with creativity, compassion, and determination—and we’re honored to walk alongside them as they grow their capacity and deepen their impact.
Each year, SVP Charlotte selects one nonprofit from the SEED20 Alumni Network to become our Investee. This three-year partnership includes:
• Grant Funding to support strategic growth and sustainability
• Intensive Capacity Building through hands-on support from SVP Partners
• Professional Development tailored to the nonprofit’s leadership and goals
Our Investee program is designed to help visionary organizations strengthen their infrastructure, expand their reach, and move closer to fulfilling their missions. It’s more than a grant—it’s a collaborative journey.
If you’re a SEED20 alum interested in applying or learning more, please reach out to kbeck@svpcharlotte.org.
The Arts Empowerment Project
The Arts Empowerment Project’s (TAEP) mission is to break cycles of violence and trauma through arts opportunities that ignite change in vulnerable youth. Their vision is a community that gives every child arts experiences that broaden horizons, foster resilience, and build essential life skills. This mission and vision drives every aspect of our programming, from their careful selection of teaching artists to strategic partnerships with juvenile courts and social services. Their programs serve youth in grades K-12, many of whom have experienced trauma, with distinct age-appropriate programming tailored to developmental needs: elementary (ages 8-11), middle school (ages 12-14), and high school (ages 15-18). TAEP focus mainly on court-involved youth, children in foster care, and underserved youth lacking access to arts programming.
Executive Director: Natalie Frazier Allen, JD
SVP Lead Partners: Indre Buechler, Rachel Johnson and Molly Withers
GardHouse
GardHouse GardHouse is a Charlotte-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that focuses on creating a seamless pipeline to employment for underserved college students. As Charlotte’s leading workforce development program for college students, we provide paid semester-long internships, career coaching, and professional development opportunities.
GardHouse was first introduced to SVP through our annual SEED20 program. Within the first year of SVP Charlotte’s investment, we are collectively working to strengthen its board and grow its social capital to increase placement opportunities for its interns.
Executive Director: Jonathan Gardner
SVP Lead Partners: Michelle Cottrell, Holly Edwards (RSM), Michael Sinsheimer, and Cristy Travaglino
Youth Meditation
Youth Meditation is a nonprofit organization founded in 2014 dedicated to empowering youth, teachers, and parents with practical knowledge and effective tools for managing stress, anxiety and emotions as they navigate through adolescence. Leveraging trained professional instructors, Youth Meditation offers 8-week, age-appropriate programs for children in select Charlotte Mecklenburg schools (special emphasis on Title 1 schools) and other local nonprofit organizations. They offer similar programs for teachers and parents who support these students. Teachers have reported gaining an average of 15 min of teaching time per day in classrooms who use YM’s techniques. Youth Meditation financially augments their support of the work in schools and nonprofits by also offering their programs to companies, organizations and private individuals. Emerging from the pandemic, SVP Charlotte is collaborating with Youth Meditation to help identify and overcome barriers to bringing their innovative and effective program to more schools in the CMS System. They are also working together on a strategy to increase awareness of their programs in the community and to diversify revenue streams to help the nonprofit grow more sustainably and quickly.
Executive Director: Angela Gala
SVP Lead Partners: Scott Leo and Josie Rivera
SVP Charlotte is honored to have worked with these local nonprofits since 2005 by investing partner skills and time along with multi-year investments.
Sheltering Families Intact
