MVP Shoals

In order to strengthen the already strong service-oriented community of the Shoals area, UNA alum and employee Bethany Oliver has created an organization to help people help people. 

MVP (Mission Vision Purpose) Shoals is a management services organization (MSO) that is designed to help nonprofit organizations be successful. There are MSOs across Alabama, but none in the Shoals. 

“I always wanted to do the whole change the world thing,” said Oliver. “My passion changed to help nonprofits be successful so they can go change the world.”

Oliver is enrolled in the nonprofit leadership program at Belmont University, where she sparked the idea to create an MSO for the Shoals. 

“People don’t want to have to go to Birmingham for help and this will be in the Shoals’ backyard,” Oliver said. 

MVP Shoals will offer training for nonprofits in social media, charity trackers, and ways to improve the organization overall. Experts in grant writing and other areas will be training the organizations as well. 

“I am from the area and I now work in the area and I have seen so many unorganized nonprofits that make it hard for the community to find volunteer opportunities,” Oliver said. 

MVP will be a central hub for nonprofits and will include an online calendar, an online directory, a list of internships, and links to the organizations’ websites. 

“The community will be able to go one place to find out who needs volunteers in the Shoals,” Oliver said. “MVP will connect the community to the organizations.”

MVP’s first meeting will be Feb. 19 at 5:30 P.M. at Indie Spaces located in downtown Florence. Nonprofits are encouraged to send one representative to the meeting.

The long term goal for MVP is to have an office space and a staff. Oliver also wants to start a nonprofit program at UNA.