The North Memphis Volunteers, Organizing, Inspiring, Cultivating, and Education (V.O.I.C.E.) Coalition, supported by SPARCC, is a community-driven initiative that addresses disparities and empowers residents. This case study explores the journey of The North Memphis V.O.I.C.E. Coalition, a collaborative table focused on 20+ neighborhoods in North Memphis. Comprised of residents, community-based organizations, and institutional partners, The […]

This SPARCC case study highlights how the Bay Area for All (BA4A) collaborative, brought about policy change and equitable community development through community-centered work, ultimately improving the Bay Area’s housing crisis. BA4A, a collaborative table formed under SPARCC, consists of various coalitions and organizations that shared expertise and resources to advance  the “3Ps of housing” […]

By Sean Campbell The current financial system rewards the well-resourced and fails most BIPOC and low-income Americans. It simultaneously throws billions of dollars at unprofitable Silicon Valley companies while making capital inaccessible for small businesses and Main Street entrepreneurs. It has also done nothing to close our shameful racial wealth gap–indeed, it has made it […]

In 2020, SPARCC began its second three-year phase, just prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This new report highlights key findings and reflections from 2020-2021. The report by the Center for Community Health and Evaluation shares how SPARCC’s collective work in the first three years laid the foundation for systems change that is […]

Over the last 5 years, we’ve been working closely with our site partners to fund projects that center communities–from transit stop adjacent soccer fields to community owned housing, how we allocate money has evolved. As part of that evolution, we work closely with community leaders in identifying opportunities, helping develop them further, and structuring flexible […]

SPARCC sites were equipped for the events of 2020 due to the new relationships, trust, and administrative infrastructure built in the first three years of the initiative, which laid the foundation for an effective response in 2020.

This country, and much of the global economy, was built on anti-Black racism. The veneer of American exceptionalism would have you believe these days are long gone or even didn’t happen. Yet, anti-Black racism is embedded in the DNA of America.

By Vrunda Vaghela The Strong, Prosperous, and Resilient Communities Challenge (SPARCC) is a multiyear initiative investing in and amplifying local efforts in six regions to ensure that public investments in the built environment reduce racial disparities, build a culture of health, and respond to the climate crisis. The initiative’s long-term goal is to change the […]