Diversified Insurance Solutions, one of Wisconsin’s largest full-service insurance brokerage firms, is awarding $5,000 SPARK grants to area nonprofits that take a creative and innovative approach to a local problem.

Now through September 25, tax exempt, nonprofit organizations can submit a grant request at www.DiversifiedSPARK.com. Over the course of several months, $30,000 will be awarded to nonprofits to positively impact the community and people they serve.

Diversified is looking to fund new or existing programs that use fresh ideas to address a community need or problem. The company’s giveback program is interested in supporting specific initiatives, events or actions that can be accomplished with a $5,000 grant or in conjunction with other funds.

“We launched SPARK two years ago and, once we saw the impact we could have, we decided to extend it for another year,” says James McCormack, founder and chairman of Diversified Insurance Solutions. “In the past, our SPARK grants have made nature accessible to special needs children and their families, provided intense reading assistance to teenage boys who were significantly behind their grade level and helped launch a safe and loving summer camp for foster children.”

Since it was launched in 2013 as part of the company’s 30^th anniversary, the Diversified SPARK Giveback program has provided a total of $30,000 to six organizations.

According to McCormack, each time a SPARK grant was awarded, the nonprofit visited Diversified so the company’s associates could learn more about the organization and what the money would accomplish.

“Having the nonprofits tell us firsthand about their programs and who they were helping was inspirational and moving. You’d look around the room and see people tearing up and nodding their heads in support,” he explains. “Based on that, we knew we wanted to continue to engage our associates and build on our culture of community support and involvement.”

This January to kick-off SPARK internally, Diversified hosted a blood drive with its associates. The blood drive exceeded its participation goal by 15 percent and collected enough red cell donations to impact the lives of 87 local patients.

Diversified Insurance Solutions is one of Wisconsin’s largest, full-service insurance brokers, providing employee benefits, risk management and business insurance to area companies. For more information, visit www.div-ins.com.