After selling the tech business he’d built over 15 years, Eric Walter wanted to do something more rewarding. “More fulfilling spiritually,” he says. “Out from behind a desk and outside.” His Chicago tech business, Gorilla, had Patagonia as a client. “Sustainability infused everything they do,” says Walter. “That changed something for me.” After considering a […]
Years ago, Cynthia Chiles’ mom made hand-lettered fliers to let people know when to come pick apples from the family’s orchards. She took out a classified ad when fruit was ripe. When Chiles took up a leadership role at Crown Orchard 15 years ago, she still did the marketing herself. “I have a degree in […]
Greater productivity is good for business. What if the materials that comprised your products could be used—and reused—more productively over their entire life cycles? No matter what your business makes, you have potential to get more value out of your materials. Charlottesville-based nonprofit GreenBlue can help. Its mission is to foster “a resilient system of […]
At the Chancellor Street Preschool Co-operative, the business manager is a parent. The person who refills the supplies and maintenance closet with soap and toilet paper is also a parent. Parents administrate admissions and provide diversity outreach. Parents set the tuition, design the schedule and make strategic decisions about the school’s future. “Every job is […]
Refugees flee violence and persecution to rebuild their lives—and careers—in new places, and over the years, the Charlottesville area has been the initial home for more than 3,500 refugees from 32 countries. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps them integrate into the workforce by partnering with local businesses. Design Electric, a 250-person company that builds […]
Cristine Nardi asks us to imagine Charlottesville without the nonprofit sector. No Paramount Theater or Discovery Museum on the Downtown Mall. No WNRN to listen to in the car. No Thomas Jefferson Foundation to open the doors of Monticello. No Jefferson School to preserve the legacy of the African-American community. No University of Virginia or […]