Your current challenge can be your greatest achievement.
Social Prosperity Partners connects the vast public administration and community building expertise of John Little with Matt Lehrman's extensive experience in nonprofit management and audience engagement, providing our clients with a diverse toolkit of knowledge and skills.
Whether you choose to engage us as a team or individually, we strive to provide unwavering support to one another, which is one of the most valuable qualities of any partnership.
Regardless of whether you're developing a long-term strategic vision or facing more pressing challenges, we're eager to partner toward your success.
"Two Men on a Mission to Restore Civility" - Matt Lehrman & John Little of Social Prosperity Partners featured on ABC15, Phoenix, AZ, 8/15/2017.
Matt Lehrman
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Matt’s expertise is serving clients responsible for strategic decisions that require coordination and consensus among diverse constituencies.
Previously, Matt founded and served as the long-time executive director of the pioneering collaboration of Arizona’s arts and cultural sector known as Alliance for Audience & ShowUp.com.
He subsequently served as Interim Managing Director of Arizona Theatre Company, guiding the beloved state theatre company through a period of dire financial, governance, and management instability.
As a professional facilitator, Matt has guided strategic deliberations of governing councils, management teams, and boards of directors—as well as facilitated public dialogue for large-scale community projects.
An acclaimed speaker nationally, Matt inspires and instructs audiences of civic and nonprofit organization leaders on topics of civility and community engagement.
He produces and hosts the Community Catalysts podcast that examines the qualities of community leadership and the many paths and forms it can take..
John Little
Co-Founder & Senior Partner
John’s enduring passion for community building is rooted in more than 35 years of service and leadership in local and regional government plus seven years providing strategic planning services and executive coaching to clients in the for-profit, nonprofit, and public sectors.
Before being named city manager in 2008, John served in increasingly responsible roles within the City of Scottsdale—heading departments of Human Resources, Organizational Effectiveness and Transportation as well as being appointed executive director for Downtown Development where he facilitated an estimated $6 billion in public and private investment over a 4-year period.
John is the City of Scottsdale’s only two-time honoree of the Bill Donaldson Award recognizing excellence in leadership, innovation, risk-taking, teamwork, creative problem-solving and community service.
As well, he has been honored by the Scottsdale Area Association of Realtors as “Citizen of the Year” for his important contributions to community building.
Inclusivity Matters
Social Prosperity Partners is an equal opportunity employer. We embrace diversity and foster an inclusive work environment, free from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status. We value the unique perspectives and experiences that each individual brings to our team, as we wholeheartedly believe that diversity strengthens our ability to serve our clients and communities effectively.
Black Lives Matter
So do words. So does listening. So does acknowledging that best intentions don’t make up for past insufficiencies. So does learning. So does recognizing injustice. So does accepting responsibility. So does taking action.
We named our firm Social Prosperity Partners to describe our inclusive, empathetic, thoughtful, creative, and fact-based approach to helping people join together to solve mutual problems and pursue shared aspirations.
Leading “courageous conversations” is the work we do, but conversations are rarely enough.
The great ideals of our nation are stained by a history of oppression and injustice. We share sadness and outrage with those who are disenfranchised, marginalized, and victims of disrespect and violence. We believe #BlackLivesMatter and recognize our personal and professional responsibility to do the hard work of correcting systemic racism.
Courageous conversations are a good start, but they’re just a step toward achieving actual social prosperity.
We issue this public statement because empathy is not reserved for times of sorrow and it's a value that supersedes any partisan agenda. Empathy is the foundation of a just and compassionate society.
We’ve got work to do. We’ve all got work to do. Let's get to work together.
Matt Lehrman & John Little
Social Prosperity Partners