Strengthening Community Health Through Strategic Nonprofit Partnership

Sometimes nonprofits can have greater impact together!

Heightened Development recently had the opportunity to support Play. Advocate. Live Well (PAL) in Spartanburg as the organization explored strategic partnership opportunities that ultimately led to a merger with Hub City Roots.

Both PAL and Hub City Roots shared a commitment to improving community health. PAL focused on promoting active living and physical activity, while Hub City Roots worked to expand access to healthy, locally grown food. Initial conversations centered on collaboration and coordinated community messaging.

Over time, leaders began asking a deeper question: what structure would best position both missions for long-term impact?

Through guided conversations about organizational strengths, sustainability, governance, and the range of possibilities along the nonprofit partnership continuum, it became clear that a merger offered the greatest opportunity to strengthen infrastructure, streamline messaging, and expand community reach.

“I am grateful to Chamlee with Heightened Development, as she thoughtfully and strategically guided PAL and Hub City Roots through the meaningful and challenging process of partnership exploration,” said Laura Ringo, Executive Director of PAL. “It is a joy to partner with amazing leaders like Laura Ringo, and to see how impact can grow when organizations imagine new possibilities,” said Chamlee McGuire, Founder and Principal of Heightened Development. “PAL has a history of many successful partnerships, from loose collaboration all the way to merger. These have allowed them to deepen their impact for years to come.”

PAL and Hub City Roots merged in July of 2025. PAL, as the remaining entity, is now better positioned to advance healthy living in Spartanburg through both active lifestyles and improved access to nutritious food. This experience serves as a reminder that strategic partnerships, when approached thoughtfully and grounded in mission alignment, can create new opportunities for nonprofits to deepen their impact and strengthen their future.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chamlee/,
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https://www.linkedin.com/company/pal-play-advocate-live-well/posts/?feedView=all, https://www.facebook.com/palspartanburg