Left to right—Bryan Feil, CCT; Jordan Collins and Christy Manning, Good Dirt Collective; and Gladys Martinez, CCT. (FPU photo by Joy Ndombeson)

The Fresno Pacific University Center for Community Transformation (CCT) 2025 Spark Tank Pitch Fest was held April 10, giving current and aspiring entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their business concepts to a panel of industry professionals.

More than $20,000 was awarded at this year’s event, which launched in 2013. In total, the competition has invested more than $100,000 to help fund and support more than 50 social enterprises.

This year, $10,000 was awarded to Good Dirt Collective, helping fund the nonprofit’s expansion to support foster girls in the Central Valley.

“It was such a great opportunity for us,” said Good Dirt Collective Chief Operating Officer Kasey Jackson. “We love our friends at CCT and just love what they’re doing so it’s such a fun experience to be able to pitch our upcoming need for space for our Mud Girls program.”

Good Dirt Collective intends to use the funds to purchase new equipment and furniture to help support their mentorship program, which will assist aged-out foster girls with workmanship and mentorship programs.

Other winners this year included $5,000 awards to Lowell CDC for their goal of launching a property management company, TuHogar Property Services; $3,000 to Quetzalli Shop to support artisan women in rural Mexico; and $1,000 to Print21, a screen-printing business operated by the Down Syndrome Association of Central California.

An additional $500 was awarded to Clean and Shine, Inc., Chez Maryse and Xiamy Ly-Yang and Branch Transitional & Sober Living.

This year’s judges included Anthony “AP” Armour, co-founder and CEO of Neighborhood Industries; Stephanie German, founder of German Business Consulting, advising founders and CEOs; Galiana Fajardo, senior principal, capacity building, at REDF, a venture philanthropy organization based in the Bay Area; and Sean Tambagahan, founder of Butler Branding to help mission-driven organizations tell their stories.

---

Learn more about the Visit Spark Tank Pitch Fest.