Across North Texas, long-standing, systemic challenges prevent many individuals and families from thriving. United Way of Metropolitan Dallas believes the best way to dismantle these obstacles is to unite as many people and organizations as possible, creating a movement to build a stronger, more equitable community.
The nonprofit’s social innovation work is one key to this goal. By adopting an innovative mindset and partnering with local social entrepreneurs, United Way taps into new and creative solutions to our region’s most persistent inequities, an approach known as social innovation.
To call attention to the power and potential of social innovation, each spring United Way of Metropolitan Dallas hosts The Pitch, powered by PNC Bank and Amazon. At the exciting, one-of-a-kind competition, finalists of the organization’s Social Innovation Accelerator in collaboration with Accenture compete live on stage for hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes and the title of Social Innovator of the Year.
This year, The Pitch will be held on Thursday, May 2, at 6 p.m. at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving. United Way invites every community-minded North Texan to join the event to cheer on the finalists, network with fellow attendees who are invested in the future of our community, and enjoy food, drinks and fun.
A competition that drives community progress
The Pitch is the culmination of United Way’s Social Innovation Accelerator in collaboration with Accenture, a development program for social entrepreneurs whose work aligns with the nonprofit’s mission to improve access to education, income and health. Each year, United Way selects 10 fellows to join the Social Innovation Accelerator, during which they receive seed funding and professional mentoring, refine their business plans and complete key business milestones. Then, United Way chooses five finalists to compete at The Pitch.
During the live competition, the social entrepreneurs will pitch their bold ideas to a panel of judges who are leaders in North Texas’ business and philanthropy communities. The finalists will compete for a total of $275,000 in prize funding that will enable them to expand and accelerate their social impact work, plus the title of Social Innovator of the Year. Audience members play an important role at The Pitch, because they vote for one finalist to win the $30,000 Audience Choice Award.
“United Way of Metropolitan Dallas has emerged as a leader in the North Texas social innovation sector,” says Jennifer Sampson, McDermott-Templeton president and CEO of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. “Every spring, we bring together change-seekers from across our community at The Pitch, where we celebrate the impact of social innovation and cheer on five entrepreneurs who are making North Texas a better place to live and work for everyone.”
Social innovation yields bold solutions
United Way of Metropolitan Dallas’ mission is to improve access to education, income and health. The organization embraces social innovation as a key part of its strategy, which enables the nearly 100-year-old nonprofit to develop, identify and elevate fresh ideas to address the inequities that persist for many North Texans.
Through programs like the Social Innovation Accelerator in collaboration with Accenture, United Way supports social entrepreneurs who are creating measurable change in North Texas, enabling them to expand their programming or launch new initiatives. This also drives collective impact toward United Way’s Aspire United 2030 goals in education, income and health.
This year, PNC Bank and Amazon have partnered with United Way to power The Pitch.
“As a national main street bank, we understand that every community is unique and this understanding guides not only our business model but also how we look for ways to uplift the North Texas community,” says Brendan McGuire, PNC Bank regional president for North Texas. “United Way’s Social Innovation Accelerator uplifts entrepreneurs who have developed innovative solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing our community and economy.”
Vickie Yakunin, head of Community Affairs for Amazon in Texas, says it’s important for business leaders to invest in innovative programs that create measurable change.
“At Amazon, we believe in the power of innovation to create solutions to challenges, drive impact and generate economic growth,” she says. “Through The Pitch and the Social Innovation Accelerator, United Way is tapping into creative ideas from entrepreneurs who live and work in the very communities that will benefit most from our investment and support. It’s incredible to see a program like this create ripples of impact, not just on the finalists, but also for the North Texans whose lives they directly improve.”
More than 345,000 lives changed
Since United Way created the Social Innovation Accelerator in 2013, the program has provided transformational funding, training and mentoring to 83 North Texas social entrepreneurs. With the support of United Way’s network and credibility, these startup organizations have gone on to raise an additional $61.4 million, build more than 1,900 partnerships and impact more than 345,000 North Texans.
As each cohort of Accelerator fellows finishes the program, this community-wide impact only grows.
Jorge Corral, Accenture Dallas office managing director and United Way Board member, says his organization has been a longtime supporter of the Social Innovation Accelerator because it enables them to drive progress in education, income and health — three areas that affect every North Texan’s quality of life.
“Accenture has worked with United Way on the Social Innovation Accelerator since 2017, and we’ve been proud to be at the forefront of this incredibly impactful program,” he says. “Our strategic partnership has allowed us to have a direct and lasting impact in North Texas.”
Meet the finalists
This year’s Pitch finalists are passionate social innovators whose work supports United Way’s mission to improve access to education, income and health:
- Courtney Hamilton, Tech Savvy DFW: Creates access to STEM education in lower-income communities in North Texas, with a goal of ensuring that students in minority communities have a chance to future-proof their own lives.
- Robin Head, Entryway DFW: Transitions individuals and families out of homelessness to economic self-sufficiency by providing full-time employment, housing and career training opportunities in partnership with the real estate industry.
- Prinscilla Moore, Delighted to Doula: A nonprofit offering bias- and judgment-free education and postpartum support to mothers in communities that traditionally receive the lowest quality of care, with a goal of reducing maternal mortality rates.
- Roy Scott, Healthy Hip Hop: A platform that integrates hip-hop culture, literacy and social-emotional learning, providing classroom-friendly hip-hop music that schools use to engage students in new and exciting ways.
- Cessilye Smith, Abide Women’s Health Services: A nonprofit that offers low-cost, culturally informed prenatal and postnatal care, with the goal of reducing infant and maternal mortality among people of color.
What to expect at The Pitch
During The Pitch, each fellow will have five minutes plus a short Q&A with the event judges to present their innovative ideas for benefiting North Texas.
The finalists will compete for five awards: the $60,000 Social Innovator of the Year Award presented by Amazon, the $30,000 Audience Choice Award presented by Sara and Gary Ahr, the $20,000 Impact Award, the $20,000 Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, and the $20,000 Innovation Award. Each fellow will also receive a $25,000 Acceleration Award for reaching the finals.
The judges will evaluate and score each pitch based on impact, innovation and sustainability.
The panel of judges includes Jorge Corral, Accenture Dallas office managing director and United Way Board member; Danyel Surrency Jones, head of Amazon’s Undiscovered & Small Business Accelerator; and Steve Hall, founder and CEO of Generosity Ventures LLC and chairman and CEO of Make It Matter Foundation. The organization plans to announce additional judges in April.
In addition to Accenture, PNC Bank and Amazon, other supporters of the Social Innovation Accelerator and The Pitch include The Eugene McDermott Foundation, The Good Foundation, Carol and Kevin March and The March Tocqueville Fellows Initiative, Sara and Gary Ahr, CGI, Melanie and Scott Schoenvogel, The Hoglund Foundation, The Moozie Foundation, Sammons Enterprises and Vistra Corp.
To purchase your ticket for The Pitch, visit unitedwaydallas.org/ThePitch and use promo code DMN for a $15 discount. Tickets are not available on the day of the event at the door.