Ethics Club/ Sales Seminar SparkTank

Each year, the UW Ethics Club and Sales Seminar students proudly sponsor SparkTank, a Shark Tank-style competition that champions Albany County nonprofit organizations dedicated to providing essential services like food, shelter, safety, and clothing to community members in need.

Since 2018, Ethics Club and Sales Seminar students have raised $400,000 for local nonprofits that provide essential services, including food, shelter, safety, clothing, and health care.

Beyond the direct financial support to our nonprofit partners, an economic impact study conducted by the UW Center for Business and Economic Analysis revealed that the funds injected into local nonprofits triggered a multiplier effect, resulting in increased business-to-business spending and heightened household expenditure driven by labor income.

When combined with the direct funding from SparkTank, the overall economic impact reached approximately $1,624,000 in economic output, contributed $709,000 to the local gross domestic product, generated $618,000 in labor income, and led to the creation of 17.5 new jobs. This underscores the tangible and far-reaching positive effects of our collective efforts on both nonprofit organizations and the broader community.

This spring, we are gearing up to support a new group of nonprofits for SparkTank 2024, scheduled for Thursday, April 25, at the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center. This year’s finalists are as follows: 

• Laramie Interfaith, which provides food, housing, and other essential services to people in need,  
• Safe Project, which supports survivors of domestic, relationship, and family violence, sexual assault, and stalking,  
• Stork Support, which provides newborn and child necessities for families in need, and  
• Tele-Hope,  which pairs college athletes with youth in the community to help them to never lose sight of their dreams. 

We invite you to consider making a charitable gift to support the next generation of ethical business and community leaders, while also strengthening Albany County's extraordinary nonprofit community.

Your generosity will help us continue to make a lasting impact and create positive change in our community. Thank you!