Two Point Capital is a grateful supporter of Rochester’s leading non-profit agencies: the United Way of Greater Rochester, Causewave Community Partners, Rochester Area Community Foundation. And for good reason: we understand the importance of professional standards, solid business practices, financial accountability, and elimination of redundancy in the not-for-profit realm.
But even as we celebrate discipline in our own practice, and within the human services sector, we recognize the crucial importance of discovering and nurturing the cutting-edge innovation that drives the next generation of solutions.
That’s why we are pleased to again be a sponsor of Causewave’s Matchstick Prize, which recognizes the Small but Mighty agencies helping our neighbors to live a richer life.
This year, as last year, Two Point was pleased to join the judges’ panel for the Prize. Jack McGowan and Debbie Coffey joined judges from the other sponsors (The Credit Union Collective of Reliant, Summit, and Pittsford Federal Credit Unions) and the Democrat & Chronicle, plus representatives from Causewave) to sift through 65 applicants, a record number. The requirements for consideration: less than $1 million annual budget, and a significant impact on the Greater Rochester community.
The judges meeting was virtual this year, but no less animated. These were hard decisions! We emerged with five finalists, each of whom Two Point Capital will award a $1,000 prize as part of our Stoke the Fire sponsorship.
This year’s finalists (drum roll, please!) are:
The Center for Teen Empowerment
The Junior League of Rochester (and in particular its Diaper Bank)
Of course, the big Matchstick Prize is yet to be announced. The winner will receive a $5,000 cash grant plus a$25,000 media grant. You can join us for that event on Thursday, August 6, at 11 am, via Zoom. (And you can check out ALL 65 nominees on this page, as well.)
Why do you want to join this community celebration? Well, first, it’s an opportunity for you to see up close and personal the fresh ideas being brought to life in our community, particularly as we all struggle through COVID-19 challenges. And second, we guarantee it will brighten your day, because there is nothing quite like the heart and ferocity we witnessed among these finalists.
Previous winners have included: C.U.R.E. Childhood Cancer Association, R Community Bikes, The National Alliance for Mental Illness, and Coffee Connection.
Extra! Extra! Read all about it
The Democrat & Chronicle, a major sponsor of the Matchstick Prize, with a $25,000 in-kind donation of print and digital promotion for the winner, published a great story last week (and we expect there will be a great story this week, too).
We’ll be back to report on the winner (and all the tears and laughter that go with the big unveiling). Last year, we were able to celebrate this with a rooftop celebration in downtown Rochester, with merriment, food, and drink. This year, we celebrate it with a home-made sandwich and an iced tea, but still a heart full of gratitude for all that our nominees, and Causewave, do.
ABOUT CAUSEWAVE COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Causewave, founded as The Advertising Council of Rochester 70 years ago, is a nonprofit collaborative of local businesses and volunteers that works to achieve meaningful change for organizations and communities through a variety of projects that includes the Matchstick Prize.
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