The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, a nonprofit community organization that manages charitable funds and provides grants to support regional organizations, has donated $100,000 to the capital campaign for SparkHaus.
SparkHaus, a new entrepreneurship hub set to open Sept. 1 in Covington, promises to become the epicenter of Northern Kentucky’s entrepreneurial community, bringing several startups, investment firms and entrepreneurial support organizations together under one roof.
“At Greater Cincinnati Foundation, we believe in the power of place-based investments that unlock opportunity,” Greater Cincinnati Foundation’s Vice President of Community Investments Robert Killins Jr. said in a press release published by Kenton County. “SparkHaus is a bold and timely example of how we can support entrepreneurs in building vibrant communities right here in our region.”
Additionally, Procter & Gamble, based in Cincinnati, and the Carlisle family have become lead funders. Earlier contributions included $85,000 from Truist Financial, Tom Uebel, and the Verst Family Foundation.
To date, $2.8 million has been raised toward the $16 million project. Kenton County Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann has said the goal is to open the facility without debt.
“The goal from day one has been to open SparkHaus with zero debt so that every dollar generated by this space can go directly back into supporting our region’s entrepreneurs,” Knochelmann said in the release.
Earlier donations to SparkHaus came from private foundations, corporations, and individuals, including the Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile Jr. Foundation, the Schott Foundation, the R.C. Durr Foundation, the Drees Family Foundation, Corporex Cos., St. Elizabeth Healthcare, First Financial Bank, and the Milburn Family Foundation.
SparkHaus is a partnership between Kenton County, the Northern Kentucky Port Authority, and Blue North. A ribbon cutting is scheduled for September 22 at 9 a.m.