Nonprofits Reap Record Cash from Fast Pitch Tucson
$360,000 Goes Out at 10th Anniversary Event
By Loni Nannini
Social Venture Partners Tucson celebrated the 10th anniversary of its Fast Pitch Tucson event by gifting a record $360,000 to eight local nonprofits.
“This is a historic giveaway for us,” said Brittany Battle, director of Fast Pitch after the April 3 event at the Fox Tucson Theatre.
There were $241,000 in awards given onstage from sponsors, including a $100,000 endowment from Arizona Complete Health, a $40,000 match from the Connie Hillman Family Foundation, and more than $79,000 raised in two hours from the audience that night.
“That is a huge impact, and we are really proud of our community for stepping up to make it happen,” Battle said.
Presented by Tucson Electric Power, the anniversary event featured three-minute pitches from participating nonprofits vying for monetary awards. It also showcased donors, sponsors and supporters, past participants, mentors and others who have been instrumental in helping Fast Pitch funnel more than $2 million into the nonprofit sector over the past decade.
“It has become a beloved program and event in our community because it is a beacon of hope for what is actually possible when people come together to create lasting change,” said Battle. “We know we are stronger together, and Fast Pitch is a space in which our community can witness that in action. We have this beautiful commitment between the business, social and nonprofit sectors that work in harmony to create this level of impact.”
Since its inception, the program has served 100 local nonprofits dedicated to breaking cycles of generational poverty and driving equity by addressing social issues such as education and literacy, arts and recreation, foster care, hunger and food insecurity, health and wellness, housing and homelessness, and more.
The diverse cohort of 2025 nonprofits includes El Grupo Youth Cycling, El Rio Health Center Foundation, Borderlands Theater, Greater Community Vail ReSources, Amphi Foundation, Compass Affordable Housing, Inc., Intermountain Centers for Human Development, and Tucson Juneteenth Festival, Inc.
Benefits to participants extend beyond the awards they get at the annual event. The 100 Fast Pitch alumni organizations have collectively increased revenues by $123 million in the past decade and, after participation, 70 percent of nonprofits secured funding or grants from new funders.
Fast Pitch also aids with the creation of marketing strategies, capacity building and public speaking. Additionally, mentorship from community leaders and increased public exposure helps build long-term connections with volunteers, board members and donors.
“SVP Tucson is proud to highlight the wonderful work of many of our local non-profits through our annual Fast Pitch program,” said Anne Miskey, president and CEO of SVP Tucson. “Non-profit participants not only learn how to tell their stories and highlight their impact, but are able to build awareness of the work they do throughout the broader community. Fast Pitch shines a light on the difference they make and helps them build and be sustainable for the long term.”
By facilitating collaborations and leveraging the collective power of individual donations, sponsored awards, endowments and other gifting opportunities, Fast Pitch seeks to change the way the community views fundraising.
“We have to think about ways to create more sustainable funding for nonprofits,” Battle said. “We want Fast Pitch to be a portal or conduit for donors to gift money and create long-lasting funding streams for nonprofits.”
Pictured above from left – Royce Sparks, Intermountain Centers for Human Development; Jonathan Heras, Borderlands Theater; Denise Aquino, El Grupo Youth Cycling; Tim Kromer, Amphi Foundation; Liana Hicks, Greater Community Vail ReSources; Angelica Mendivil, Compass Affordable Housing, Inc.; John Fung, El Rio Health Center Foundation; Larry Starks, Tucson Juneteenth Festival, Inc. Photo by Christy Pickrell
