Skye Strategies, a Chattanooga grant and fund development agency, has expanded its staff and is moving into a new office in The Edney Innovation Center at 1100 Market Street, which is positioned as the gateway to the Chattanooga Innovation District. Skye Strategies was the first new company to join Society of Work last fall as buildout began on Society of Work’s new co-working space on the sixth floor of The Edney.
“Skye Strategies is excited about moving into our new office suite at Society of Work and the expansion opportunities the new space offers us,” said Jennifer Hoff, agency president and founder. “Society of Work’s co-working model is integral to me being able to expand my business in a manageable way, and doing so in a collaborative environment at The Edney where many entrepreneurial minds gather to work and create is quite energizing. I have already added to my team by hiring a new vice president of Strategy and Operations and expect to add additional staff in 2016.”
Connie Fernandez, former president and CEO of The Speech and Hearing Center, is serving as Skye Strategies’ new vice president of Strategy and Operations. Ms. Fernandez has over 17 years of experience with business development and marketing, grant writing, fundraising, program development, and strategic planning, which is beneficial for both client development and business expansion.
Skye Strategies launched in 2012 and took part in the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce INCubator program that supports start-up ventures. After three years, and growing 30% each year, the agency is now creating jobs for Chattanoogans, which was a long-range business goal of the company. Since inception, Skye Strategies has helped many vital community agencies acquire the funding and support necessary to serve the community.
“I have a passion for improving the Chattanooga region, which is why I decided to launch Skye Strategies over three years ago,” said Ms. Hoff. “Working closely with nonprofit organizations and other agencies that directly impact and improve the lives of children, families, and individuals across our community is extremely rewarding for me and my staff.”
Because of the company’s rapid growth and substantial impact on the community, the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga awarded Skye Strategies the 2015 Woman-Owned Business of the Year Award at its annual Entrepreneur Power Luncheon. “We have engaged Skye Strategies for several years for grant writing and overall development support,” said Warren Logan, Jr., president and CEO of the Urban League. “The agency’s approach to in-depth grant research and the staff’s ability to write highly compelling, knowledgeable, and competitive grants has resulted in over a 90% success rate with acquiring local, regional, and national grant funding for our programs.”
Society of Work’s founder Kelly Fitzgerald, said the new space will allow her to offer expanded co-working opportunities, as well as new, small offices for those who desire a more static presence. “I’m thrilled that our new space in The Edney Innovation Center has allowed us to connect with new businesses like Skye Strategies,” said Ms. Fitzgerald. “While Skye Strategies was previously unable to utilize space in our original location, our new office spaces and co-working model sparked the interest of the owner.”
Skye Strategies will transition to its new office at The Edney Innovation Center in February and will continue to focus on expanding the agency’s impact across the Chattanooga region. Organizations interested in learning more about the agency’s work can visit www.skyestrategies.com, the agency’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/skyestrategies, or call 423 710-8808.