Fall Programs at Do Greater

Fall Programs at Do Greater Charlotte—Start Upward Essentials and Design to Dollars—are set to kick off in September.  Due to such a huge response, these programs are currently full.  For more information about these programs and to register, click below.  We encourage you to register if you would like to be placed on the wait list.

Designathon 2026

Designathon was a blast!  Thank you to all who participated and shared your creative thoughts and ideas in Code the City, a two-day challenge where teens used AI and design thinking to build solutions for Charlotte youth.  Special thanks to Truist Bank and Accenture for all your support to make this years event a success.

The House Where Up Starts.

Sparkhouse Charlotte by Do Greater is now open!  Uptown Charlotte will have a transformative space designed to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators, and creators. It’s where your start up, starts.

Not just another project; Sparkhouse Charlotte Uptown is a vital investment in Charlotte’s future.  It will be the only space in the city that connects Uptown’s economic power with under-resourced communities, creating new pathways for education, entrepreneurship, and upward mobility.

Come join the community.  Join the movement.  Join us.

PROGRAMS

Our spaces are hubs for learning. Whether in the Mobile Sparkhouse or the physical space, all are equipped with modern digital technology to provide educational opportunities centered around creativity, technology, and entrepreneurship across multiple interests including graphic design, video production, photography and more.

Register for 2026 Fall Programs

  • Registration is currently open for Start Upward Essentials and Design to Dollars
  • Classes are filling up fast, so register today!

Other Programs at the Sparkhouse Charlotte

Start Upward

Start Upward is a free entrepreneurship after-school program that helps teens find their passions through generating, testing, and launching ideas. Spend 10 weeks learning how to turn ideas into action, hearing from local entrepreneurs and building a business.

Middle to High School

For More Information on Start Upward and other programs, email kelsey@dogreater.org

Design-a-thon

The Design-a-thon is a weekend-long event for teens to learn the design-thinking process through creating solutions to community challenges. Students will be challenged to work in teams to create solutions to a real community problem.  The event is open to high school students in Charlotte and is free for students to participate in. It is an amazing opportunity for students to learn new skills, have fun, and make a positive impact in their community.

High School

Summer Camps

Regitration is Open for Summer Camp ’26 at Do Greater Charlotte. It’s the Summer of Design starting with Design to Dollars Art Camp , a hands-on camp where middle/high school students bring their ideas to life.  Camp Playmaker starts in July, 3 weeks of students learning  to design, prototype, and playtest their own physical game, and we will culminate the summer with Project Pipeline where students will dive into the world of architecture.

Middle to High School

 

Sparkhouse Charlotte by

Do Greater

Building Creative Confidence in Youth

We are extremely excited about the new brand of our creative labs.  For 4 years,  Sparkhouse West, has been an innovative space located on the bottom level of Shiloh Institutional Baptist Church. Our focus from the beginning was to create spaces that offer quality technology, a creative environment that inspires, and a nurturing community of support for underserved youth. We started with the Mobile Creative Lab and now Sparkhouse West, an 8,000 sq. ft. innovation and creativity hub  and the newly opened Sparkhouse Uptown, a 20,000 sq.ft. multi-level creative work space will continue to serve our youth and community.

These creative spaces allows Do Greater Charlotte to continue to move toward the promise to ignite creativity and empower youth in underserved communities turning their ideas into impactful opportunities.

Sparkhouse Uptown

Some people wait for opportunity.  We built an address for it. Sparkhouse Uptown opened in early July 2026.  It is a 20,000 square feet of workspace, studios and community—designed for creators and entrepreneurs who are serious about what’s next.  Onsite, we have a coffee shop—Sparkhouse Coffee—that is open daily and serves pastries from Beyond Amazing Donuts.  Here you will find community programs, production and podcasts studios, meeting rooms and spaces available to  rent.  For membership information, click the button below.

Sparkhouse West

Sparkhouse West is an 8,000 sq. ft. innovation and creativity hub for youth.  It’s where creative confidence is built in students through exposure to design, entrepreneurship, and innovative technology so they can turn their ideas into opportunities. Designed with the student in mind, the Sparkhouse West is purposed to ignite that creative spark in students with exciting programing,   The intimate coworking, colearning vibe creates a safe and comfortable place for youth to learn, engage and create.  During school hours, Sparkhouse is open to the community for coworking, meetings and events.

Sparkhouse Mobile Trailer

Sparkhouse is mobile!   Our new mobile unit converts to a stage that allows Do Greater invest in the community and create programs for our youth on the go.  Although we have 2 physical locations, Sparkhouse Mobile helps extend our reach, allowing Do Greater Charlotte to impact our community on a larger scale.

 

Sparkhouse Coffee

A Blend of Coffee & Creativity

Sparkhouse Coffee is a non-profit coffee shop where all of the proceeds benefit our programs.  Sparkhouse Coffee offers a high-quality coffee experience in the Uptown space at Sparkhouse Charlotte.

Hours:  M-F, 8-3pm

OUR WHY

“For every young person with a bright spark of hope and a pathway for his or her future, there is another, not so far away, living day to day without the necessities to light his or her own path.”

Charlotte Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force

William “Coach Mac” McNeely – Founder

William McNeely, a Charlotte, NC native, is an entrepreneur, non-profit executive, and former Apple Market Development Executive and Educator with a career that has encompassed the technology, marketing, and education sectors.

Driven by his commitment to aiding others, McNeely departed from corporate america following a double lung transplant to establish Do Greater Charlotte. This endeavor enables him to leverage his distinctive skill set to guide students in discovering their passions and crafting tangible paths to achieve academic and career objectives.

William has devoted himself to inspiring individuals to pursue greater things and make a greater impact on the lives others.

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Contact Us.

 

Do Greater Charlotte

2400 Greenland Ave

Charlotte, NC 28208

info@dogreater.org