Spark Collective

What Spark Collective does

Spark Collective LLC is a Chicago-based, founder-operated digital marketing services firm founded in 2022 by Josh Burns, focused exclusively on nonprofit organizations with $3 million to $10 million in annual revenue. The firm delivers a portfolio of integrated service modules—Digital Audit & Strategy (entry point), High-Impact Implementation (done-for-you), and High-Impact Coaching (done-with-you)—covering paid advertising (Google Ad Grant, Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads), organic social media, website optimization, email marketing, marketing automation, copywriting, and annual marketing planning. Its central intellectual asset is the proprietary Spark Growth Playbook, which connects digital marketing activities to nonprofit mission outcomes via a storytelling framework (Feel → Know → Do) and a digital journey framework (Awareness → Consideration → Action); supporting diagnostic tools include the Digital Donor Gap Analysis and an email segmentation methodology covering new donors, lapsed donors, geographic segments, interest-based segments, and monthly givers.

The underlying technology stack is composed of third-party SaaS tools—Google Analytics 4, Meta Ads Manager, HubSpot or Salesforce CRMs, Omnisend for email subject-line testing, and Basecamp for community and project management—rather than proprietary platforms or models. The firm has no API, no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, no patents, and no integrations catalog. All client engagements are delivered personally by founder Josh Burns, who maintains a 15+ year track record in nonprofit leadership and digital marketing and is credited with driving millions of dollars in client revenue and thousands of leads.

Spark Collective generates revenue primarily through monthly retainer engagements starting at $5,000 per month, supplemented by one-time Audit & Strategy and ad-hoc project work priced case-by-case. Paid media budgets are billed separately from service fees. The firm is bootstrapped, privately held, and structured as an LLC with no institutional investors, parent company, or disclosed funding. Distribution is entirely direct: Josh Burns conducts all business development through consultative "Clarity Call" sessions, with marketing driven by content (blog, The Spark newsletter, organic social) and podcast guest appearances on shows such as We Are For Good and Virtuous Software's Ask A Responsive Fundraiser series. The firm serves primarily US-based nonprofits but claims a global footprint, with International Justice Mission featured as a client.

Name

Spark Collective

Legal name

Spark Collective LLC

Website

https://sparkcollective.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Spark Collective is a Chicago-based, founder-operated digital marketing agency that helps mid-sized US nonprofits ($3M–$10M revenue) close the "Digital Donor Gap" through retainer-based services spanning paid ads, email, social, and website optimization, structured around a proprietary Spark Growth Playbook.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Digital Marketing Services

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Customer Retention, Win-Back & Churn Reduction Programs (MPAAAIAH)

Keywords

• Nonprofit digital marketing
• Digital fundraising services
• Email marketing strategy
• Paid advertising management
• Donor engagement consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Digital Marketing Retainers: Monthly retainer agreements for ongoing digital marketing services including Audit & Strategy, High-Impact Implementation (done-for-you), and High-Impact Coaching (done-with-you). Retainers provide consistent revenue and allow extended partnership for generating results over time.
2. One-Time Projects: Occasional project-based engagements offered case-by-case for specific deliverables such as audits, strategy documents, or campaign planning. Pricing varies based on scope and specific client needs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Spark Collective is a digital marketing agency that sells retainer-based and project-based marketing services exclusively to nonprofit and social impact organizations. Its core offerings include a Digital Audit & Strategy engagement, a High-Impact Implementation (done-for-you) retainer covering paid ads, organic social, website optimization, email, and automation, and a High-Impact Coaching (done-with-you) retainer where the founder guides the client's internal team.

Product overview

Spark Collective is a digital marketing agency for nonprofits offering a portfolio of integrated service modules centered around the Spark Growth Playbook framework. The core offering includes Digital Audit & Strategy, High-Impact Implementation (done-for-you), and High-Impact Coaching (done-with-you). Supporting service features encompass Paid Ads Management (Google Ad Grant, Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads), Organic Social Media Management, Website Optimization, Email Marketing, Marketing Automation, Copywriting, and Annual Marketing Plan. All services connect to organizational mission goals through the proprietary Spark Growth Framework and storytelling approach (Feel → Know → Do; Awareness → Consideration → Action). Retainer engagements start at $5,000 per month; one-time projects available on a case-by-case basis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Digital Audit & Strategy An initial digital audit of the organization's entire digital presence with a tailored strategy roadmap, providing clarity on digital marketing opportunities before implementation or coaching engagements. Sold as a standalone one-time engagement.
• High-Impact Implementation (Done-for-you)
• High-Impact Coaching (Done-with-you)
• One-Time Projects

Quantifiable outcome

• 66% YoY increase in year-end digital fundraising for a global nonprofit client (from $50,000 to $83,000)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• We Are For GoodminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Josh Burns appeared as a guest on the We Are For Good podcast (episode 692 Working Session) to discuss strategies for growing online giving for nonprofits. The appearance provided exposure to the podcast's nonprofit audience and positioned Spark Collective as a thought leader in the nonprofit digital marketing space.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Heller Consulting: Heller Consulting provides CRM and digital strategy services to nonprofits, including implementation on common nonprofit CRMs and digital marketing alignment. It overlaps with Spark Collective on the strategic and tooling side of nonprofit digital fundraising.
• Wired Impact: Wired Impact combines nonprofit marketing software with agency services focused on websites, email, and storytelling for nonprofits. It overlaps with Spark Collective on digital storytelling, email marketing, and website optimization for mission-driven organizations.
• Media Cause: Media Cause is a full-service digital marketing agency exclusively serving nonprofits, offering paid media, SEO, content, and creative services. It is one of the closest direct competitors to Spark Collective in the nonprofit-only digital marketing niche.
• Tapp Network: Tapp Network is a digital agency focused on nonprofits and associations, offering web development, digital marketing, and fundraising campaign execution. Its service mix on paid media, email, and websites directly mirrors Spark Collective's offerings.
• Big Duck: Big Duck is a communications and branding agency purpose-built for nonprofits, providing strategy, branding, and digital marketing. It competes directly with Spark Collective for nonprofit marketing budgets, particularly around messaging and donor engagement.
• Virtuous Software: Virtuous Software is a nonprofit CRM and marketing automation platform that also publishes thought leadership content (e.g., the Ask A Responsive Fundraiser series, in which Spark Collective's founder has appeared). It is a comparable domain player in nonprofit donor engagement and digital marketing strategy.
• Pursuant: Pursuant is an established fundraising and marketing agency for nonprofits and healthcare organizations, spanning strategy, creative, paid media, and analytics. It competes in the same nonprofit digital fundraising space as Spark Collective but at a larger, more enterprise scale.
• Beacon Digital Marketing: Beacon Digital Marketing is a boutique digital agency serving nonprofit, education, and association clients with paid media, SEO, content, and analytics. It is a comparable size and service mix to Spark Collective within the nonprofit/association segment.

Broad incumbents

• Bonterra: Bonterra is a large incumbent software suite for nonprofits formed from the combination of Network for Good, Salsa Labs, Classy, and others. It competes indirectly with Spark Collective by offering integrated fundraising, CRM, and marketing automation tools that some nonprofits may choose over a service-led agency.

Emerging players

• Funraise: Funraise is an emerging nonprofit fundraising platform providing donation forms, CRM, and campaign tools. It is an adjacent ecosystem participant — productizing capabilities (online giving pages, donor email) that Spark Collective currently delivers as services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spark-collective-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Spark Collective