Wonderful things happen in Wyoming all the time. SparkTank, a UW program designed to train students while helping nonprofit organizations, is a gem.
SparkTank is a Shark Tank–style event where students raise real dollars and award funding to local nonprofits that strengthen Wyoming communities.
SparkTank is hosted by the UW Center for Principle-Based Leadership & Ethics and the UW Ethics Club. It’s part of the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program, which encourages students to apply ethical principles in real-world contexts. What began as a small club project has grown into a model of community impact and values-based leadership.
Each semester, Ethic Club and sales students raise money through matching funds and community outreach. They partner with nonprofits that provide essential needs — food, housing, healthcare, and workforce support — to neighbors facing difficult circumstances.
Nonprofits from across Albany County apply, explaining how a SparkTank investment would advance their missions. A review committee selects finalists, who then complete a rigorous evaluation led by Ethics Club members.
That process includes site visits, on-campus Q&A sessions, and participation in the Better Business Bureau’s Charity Accreditation process, ensuring each finalist operates with transparency, accountability, and sound governance. This real-world vetting teaches students how to make thoughtful, ethical funding decisions — skills that will serve them in business and in life.
At the finale, finalists pitch before a live audience of students, faculty, sponsors, and community members. Student fundraising totals are revealed, the audience votes for a People’s Choice Award, and Ethics Club students make the final funding decisions.
Since 2018, SparkTank has awarded $743,000 to Albany County nonprofits. According to the UW Center for Business and Economic Analysis, SparkTank funding has generated more than $3.2 million in total economic output, added $1.4 million to local GDP, increased labor income by over $1.1 million, and helped create 30 new jobs.
In 2025, the event awarded $165,000 to four nonprofits: Laramie Connections ($47,500, including the People’s Choice Award), Ark Regional Services ($40,000), Climb Wyoming ($38,750), and Downtown Clinic ($38,750). These organizations represent Wyoming’s spirit of compassion, resilience, and neighborly care in action.
Beyond the numbers, SparkTank’s real impact is student transformation. They aren’t just studying ethical leadership; they’re living it. They learn to build trust, evaluate needs, navigate tough decisions, and engage with the community in ways that make ethics tangible.
Many students describe SparkTank as a turning point, a chance to connect classwork with something that genuinely matters. They discover that leadership isn’t about authority, but about service, integrity, and impact. One student put it best: “It’s not just business; it’s business with purpose.”
For nonprofit leaders, SparkTank provides more than funding. It’s a platform to share missions, connect with future leaders, and strengthen community relationships. The preparation — from refining pitches to answering students’ questions — often sharpens vision and storytelling.
The collaboration among students, nonprofits, faculty, and sponsors reflects something deeply Wyoming: stepping up for one another. SparkTank doesn’t just teach ethics in theory; it models core values of hard work, integrity, and helping your neighbor.
While SparkTank is focused on Albany County, its influence is spreading. The UW Center for Principle-Based Leadership & Ethics recently helped Casper College launch a similar program in Natrona County. Other higher education institutions in Wyoming and beyond have also inquired about introducing SparkTank on their campuses.
Looking ahead to SparkTank 2026, finalists will be announced by Friday, December 12, 2025, and the competition will take place Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at the University of Wyoming’s Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center.
For the students leading the charge, SparkTank is more than an event, it’s a meaningful legacy. It proves that ethical leadership can be dynamic, entrepreneurial, and deeply human. It’s where classroom learning meets community need, and where principle-based leadership comes to life.
As one supporter put it, “SparkTank shows what’s possible when young people learn to lead with purpose. It’s good for students, it’s good for nonprofits, and it’s great for Wyoming.”
SparkTank embodies a key objective of the UW Center for Principle-Based Leadership & Ethics: cultivating leaders who act with integrity, serve with humility, and create positive impact wherever they go. In a world that often celebrates profit over principle, this program reminds us that doing the right thing isn’t just ethical, it’s how Wyoming gets things done.
Assistance for this column was provided by my old friend, Kent Noble, the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Service Chair, who can provide more information at knoble@uwyo.edu.
Correction – in my last column, I said Weston County Clerk Becky Hadlock was investigated by the Attorney General and Weston County Attorney. She was only investigated by the Governor and the Secretary of State.
Tom Lubnau served in the Wyoming Legislature from 2004 - 2015 and is a former Speaker of the House. He can be reached at: YourInputAppreciated@gmail.com
