Spark-Y

Let's partner for youth empowerment.

Nice to meet you. We're Spark-Y, an award-winning youth empowerment nonprofit serving over 13,000 youth in the Twin Cities, and beyond, since 2013. We provide access and opportunity to youth through hands-on education, projects, and employment that encourage personal and professional development, as well as collective care for our communities and environment we all share.

DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT: We have a matching gift, up to $25,000, for all donations made by 11/16/2023 midnight. If you are participating in giving week, please consider donating to Spark-Y and empowering more Twin Cities youth with hands-on STEM and sustainability education.

Why Support Spark-Y? 

1. A suite of programs for youth empowerment and professional development. These programs serve youth ages 6-24 and provide real, measurable impact and achievements such as paid classroom credit, employer-backed certifications, marketable job skills, diversionary support, and more.
2. Spark-Y engages youth in large-scale sustainable infrastructure projects that solve problems and engage youth with the community. These real-world projects, delivered on time and within a budget, develop job skills and experience for youth participants that build confidence and their resumes.
3. Hands-on STEM/sustainability education that serves youth ages 5-13 years old in traditional and non-traditional school settings, such as in the classroom, at workshops, and in afterschool programming. Youth in Spark-Y school programs are engaged in hands-on learning in STEM, sustainability, and entrepreneurship topics.
4. Spark-Y’s makerspace and in-house sustainable agriculture systems to innovate and test ideas, as well as incubate and activate micro-enterprises. These enterprises, such as growing and selling microgreens to coops and restaurants, or manufacturing and retailing at-home STEAM kits, provide real entrepreneurial experience for youth and result in revenue-generating sources for the organization.

Thank you for considering supporting youth empowerment with your donation.