Make a Difference Community Partner Grants

Our 2024 grant opportunity for Twin Cities nonprofits

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Mytech’s mission is to grow, help, and make a difference. By partnering with local businesses, and giving back to our community we can make a difference in the community as a whole. 

With this in mind, we partner with local like-minded companies that are ready to make a difference to local nonprofits. There are various prizes offered this year, including 3 years of managed and professional IT services, a financial empowerment workshop, board of director training, and more! 

Applications Close on November 20th!

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We will be accepting applications between October 1st, 2024 and November 20th, 2024. All organizations will be judged based on their need, their technology vision, and their ability to capitalize on the value of our services. The winner and the top 3 finalists will be announced at an event on December 4th, 2024.

Meet your Judges

Lyf Wildenberg | CEO/President, Mytech Partners

Lyf Wildenberg is a seasoned Technology Professional with over 20 years of experience in leading a successful IT services business. Lyf specializes in strategic direction, organizational design and thought leadership in the IT services industry. 

In his current role at Mytech Partners, Lyf leads a dynamic team that is successfully delivering IT services to SMB clients in several US markets. Additionally, he has been instrumental in Mytech Partners growth and development of shared service model. 

Outside of work, Lyf and his wife Andrea, are pursuing their private pilot certificate with the goal to become Flight instructors upon retirement.

Todd Barnes | General Manager, Mytech Partners

Todd is a versatile and highly motivated professional with strong problem-solving skills and a passion for leadership. A proven leader with experience including business operations, facilities management, logistics, supply chain management, project management, inventory management, service delivery, training, safety, and process improvement.

Bringing 20 years of experience in the technology industry, Todd has a passion for problem solving and helping others achieve success.

John Sullivan | Carlson, Inc. Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary (Retired)

In his position with Carlson, John provided primary support to the company's Board of Directors and served as a member of the executive team. Prior to Carlson, John served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Imation Corp.

John is also active in local community organizations. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Matthew Shepard Foundation. He recently served as Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Minneapolis Foundation, as Co-Chair of the Power to Build Capital Campaign for Family Tree Clinic, and as the immediate past Chair of the Board of Directors for the Regions Hospital Foundation.

John previously served on the Board of Directors for Minnesotans United for All Families; as President of the Board of Directors for the Jungle Theater; on the Board of Governors for The Children’s Theatre Company; on the Board of Directors for James Sewell Ballet; and on the Board of Directors for Grace House, an adult foster care facility for people living with HIV/AIDS.

John was a founding member of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Business Council in 1997 and served as its co-chair from 2001 to 2003. John also served on the Board of Directors of OutFront Minnesota, the organization serving the LGBTQ community in Minnesota.

Whitney Emanuel | Whitney Wealth Group: Founder, Speaker, Mentor

Whitney Emanuel has been a financial advisor since 2011 and went independent in 2019 and launched Whitney Wealth Group. Whitney works with high-income, purpose-driven owners & executives throughout the country that want to align their purpose and values with their money. In addition, she does public speaking designed to empower teams, networking groups, and organizations to unlock their financial potential. With a commitment to creating a judgment-free environment, Whitney sparks conversations that delve into the profound connection between time, money, and personal values. Whitney believes money is simply the means to your end: not the focus of your plan. Instead of starting with how much money you have, she starts the client relationship with client core values and how to live those out through your money behavior.

Whitney’s core values are faith in Jesus, service, health, family, decisiveness, and joy. She lives in North Minneapolis with her 10-year-old daughter, Zurisadai. Other than being a mom and business owner, Whitney pastors those who are struggling with addiction and are new in their sober and/or faith journey. Whitney and Zuri serve in their faith family that provides for one another’s needs in housing, prayer & mission. In all of her life ventures, Whitney is passionate about ushering individuals out of a place of fear and shame into love, joy and peace.

Jenna Sherrick | Sr. Marketing Manager, Evolve Systems

Jenna Sherrick is the Senior Marketing Manager at Evolve Systems. She oversees the marketing team specialists, leads strategy on marketing retainers, and meets with potential clients to determine the best strategy for digital success.

Her career started as an SEO specialist at a marketing agency specializing in industrial B2B, giving her a unique perspective on why industrial marketing differs from other industries. As her career progressed, she developed a love for data and found that the answers for the next steps truly lie in the numbers. Her favorite part about her current role is focusing on the big picture and determining what tactics must be pulled in.

In her free time, you can find her experimenting with a new kitchen gadget or playing with mud in her garden. She has one velcro furbaby named Zara, a black Lab, who is an important part of the family. Jenna recently got engaged in Italy and could not be more excited about the next chapter in her life with her partner, Graig.

John Wurm | Organizational Development and Engagement Director, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits

John Wurm is organizational development and engagement director at the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, where he leads the organization’s varied communications efforts, develops and executes marketing and promotional planning for MCN programs and products, and oversees the nonprofit and associate membership programs.

Prior to joining MCN, John worked for 14 years in the Twin Cities book publishing industry, assuming a wide-range of product marketing, communications, and media relations roles. His previous nonprofit experience also includes communications, events, and marketing roles at the United Way of Minneapolis and Redleaf Press, a leading nonprofit publisher of resources for early childhood professionals.

John holds a B.A. in mass communications, with an emphasis in public relations, from St. Cloud State University. He has been with MCN since 2012.

Bala Guntipalli | Founder and President, Affnetz

Resulting from years of Nonprofit leadership, several thousands hours volunteering, board roles and membership(s) in such Nonprofits, the word “Service” takes on a special meaning for Bala Guntipalli.

Nonprofit and member-based associations for which he volunteered or served in leadership positions were Rising Star OutReach, Toastmasters International, Business Network International (BNI), The Blake School, The Children’s Workshop Montessori, Ronald McDonald House Charities (Upper Midwest) and many others.

Nancy Korsah | Founder, President, & CEO, Black Business Enterprises

Born and raised in Italy to Ghanian parents, Nancy moved to the U.S. in 2001. This was a stark contrast to her experiences growing up near Milan, where she and her family were the only Black people in town.

After traveling to over 60 countries as a flight attendant and learning even more languages (she now speaks seven, including Japanese), Nancy’s key life moment occurred when she lived in Charlotte, North Carolina. After earning several promotions at a major bank, she learned that people of color in the bank’s call center were earning $10-12 less per hour than their white counterparts, even if they had the same or more responsibilities. After helping her colleagues secure fair pay, improve their resumes and land better jobs elsewhere, Nancy got a vision for an organization that could help address inequity at a systemic level. She started Black Business Enterprises (BBE) in 2015.

BBE’s mission is to give minority entrepreneurs access to capital and other critical resources they often lack — including financial literacy, business planning, technology, marketing and mentorship — so they can start, grow and sustain successful businesses that improve their lives and build their communities. Today, BBE has over 72,000 registered members in 32 countries and every state, including Nancy’s current home base of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Nancy’s future goals for BBE include reaching 1 million members worldwide, making sure that every BBE member goes through rigorous financial literacy training, and raising $4 million so BBE can provide larger grants and make an even greater impact.

In addition to BBE, Nancy owns a home care agency with her family; performs diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and anti-racist behavior training for businesses; is a popular one-on- one coach and mentor for entrepreneurs; and hosts the popular Black Business Enterprises podcast and the Black Business Ball.

Jason Sprenger | Founder & President, Game Changer Communications

Jason Sprenger is a national leader in using the entire spectrum of strategic communications to transform organizations and create/accelerate business value. He founded Game Changer Communications in September 2012, and since then has specialized in helping small to medium-sized B2B and tech organizations find their voice, accelerate growth, optimize sales, launch products/businesses and more. He has held Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) since 2009, and introduced the Umbrella Model for Public Relations in 2015.

Before Sprenger founded Game Changer, he built and ran two corporate PR departments (most recently as Public Relations Manager for North America at FICO). Before that, he worked in three Minnesota-based PR firms and had most every kind of client there is.

Sprenger currently serves on the PRSA National Board of Directors, where he helps lead and set policy for the Society and the PR/communications industry as a whole. Before his election to the Board, he served in a variety of leadership roles at all PRSA levels over 20 years – including as the 2016 President of the Minnesota Chapter and the 2020 Chair of the Midwest District. He also served seven years on the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival Advisory Board and a combined seven years on the Boards of Minneapolis-area nonprofits Bolder Options and The LEAD Project.

Stephanie Snyder | Executive Coach, Keystone Group International

Stephanie brings her coaching and advising experience to individuals and teams. As an executive coach and strategic business advisor, Stephanie is passionate about elevating leaders and helping them chart new paths to success. With a background in Healthcare, Business, & Education industries, she brings a wealth of experience in advocacy, team leadership, and driving positive individual and organizational change.

Stephanie is a strategic business coach deeply interested in how leaders elevate results and chart new paths even when stuck or when resource-limited. She is unreasonably excited by individuals motivated and ready to invest in themselves to make actionable/positive + impactful changes.

Known for her ability to quickly establish rapport and create a safe, trusting environment, Stephanie excels at bringing out the best in her clients. She is deeply committed to helping leaders elevate their impact, even when faced with personal or professional challenges and feeling stuck.

Laura Cohen | Director of Community Engagement, C9 Gives Foundation

Known as a results driven Business Growth Strategy Consultant, Advising, Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, + Effective Executive Coach, Growing Businesses , creating impactful strategies to drive profitable new business opportunities, resources and creative ideas that drive businesses leads + brand visibility.

Clients hire her to help them grow: BUSINESS GROWTH CONSULTING - guiding small to mid-size business owners in achieving their revenue goals through customized & defined business development & marketing strategies + business acumen. Advised MANUFACTURING company on creating new strategy to retain and grow current customers that increased sales by 20% in two months.

STRATEGIC MARKETING & BUSINESS ROADMAP PLANNING - creating individualized, comprehensive strategy and supporting tactics to advance a company’s brand and positioning and provide direction on generating new business and growth opportunities. FINANCIAL WEALTH ADVISOR increased brand visibility by 200% through media relations, marketing communications & PR strategies gained new business referrals.

PARTNERSHIP & SPONSORSHIP ALIGNMENT FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT - providing marketing and sales advice with tactical, actionable strategy which results in business owners focused on their expertise and accelerating growth. ADVISED MORTGAGE FIRM on partnership with nonprofit organization resulting in higher brand visibility, relevant referrals and profitable business leads.