The city’s new SPARK Innovation Academy has a mission to bridge the “digital divide” between professionals in nonprofits and other industries. 

The free course provides support for local nonprofits in using digital tools, said Juliet Fink-Yates, the Office of Innovation and Technology’s broadband and digital inclusion manager.

Too often, nonprofits don’t have the funds for administrative positions, leaving them to figure out many of these responsibilities on their own. 

“I think there’s a huge need in the nonprofit sector to upskill, because [employees] often have to be really scrappy, and they have to kind of figure things out on their own,” she said. “So if we can help them do it and figure it out in ways that are easier, time-efficient, and more effective, they can then use that saved time to get more funds for the actual programs that they’re running and show their funders the work that they’re doing in really meaningful and impactful ways.”

The course

The first cohort of the SPARK Innovation Academy will offer nine weeks of training, skills and software tutorials for 20 Philly nonprofit professionals. 

Titled “Transformative Technologies for Nonprofits, the “collaborative” program will take place every Tuesday from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.  

“Each week has a different topic and really goes through an innovation experience and process where you’re working through a problem that you have, and you’re learning strategies, technology, and innovation tools to address that problem in a really deep and meaningful way,” said Fink-Yates. 

First up: guidance on how to more efficiently use common platforms. 

“One of our first sessions will just be diving deep into Microsoft 365, and the Google Suite platform,” she said. “We found that a lot of professionals don’t even use those platforms as robustly as they could, and they don’t often use them for true collaboration.”

Additionally, the course will help participants be able to decide which software tools and platforms are best for different situations, as well as how to differentiate between digital tools.

The goal is to prepare professionals to feel comfortable and confident making these decisions on their own going forward. 

“So we’ll be talking about everything from the very simple tools that folks might use, like a Google form or a Microsoft form, to more complex forms that you can use and why you might choose one versus the other,” she said. “That’s a technology tool, but at the same time, we’ll be working with folks to think about why they’re doing the survey. Or if they’re even asking the right questions. Or, how do they frame a question? Or, how do you use AI to generate those questions?” 

She said the course will also explore AI and graphic design tools, such as Adobe Express and Canva, to better support nonprofits when creating flyers or using social media. 

“Collaborative” nature

Beyond the cohort’s teachers and materials, SPARK organizers hope cohort members are able to help one another with their existing skills.

“That’s where I think the cohort model comes in,” Fink-Yates said. “One cohort member can say, ‘This is how I use this tool at my nonprofit, and I do this part really well.’ And somebody else may say, ‘I’ve never used that before, but I use this other tool for surveying, and I use it all the time.’ The idea is that as much as we’re teaching them, they’re learning from each other, too.” 

The program is built around participants bringing skills and software back to others in their own organization. 

“It’s really meant for them to take it back and share it with the others in their organization and help them really transform or ‘spark’ their own innovation within their organization,” she said.

Various Philly leaders echoed support for the program and why it is so important.

“Nonprofits are the backbone of Philadelphia,” said Melissa Scott, chief information officer for the City of Philadelphia, in a statement. “When they have access to the right digital tools and knowledge, they can focus more time and energy on what matters most, serving their communities.” 

In the future, Fink-Yates said, she hopes other program cohorts can reach small businesses and also partner with universities “to design and develop programs for professionals.” 

Nonprofit professionals interested in applying for the SPARK Innovation Academy can learn more during a virtual information session on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at noon. Applications for the cohort are due no later than Friday, Nov. 14, at 5 p.m. 

Finalists will participate in a short interview, and those selected to participate in the program will be notified before the winter holidays. Classes for the first cohort will begin on Jan. 13, 2026. You can apply here.