How effective is the imaginative Jim Clarke as an entrepreneur?

The man-about-town who thought up the florid and lacy details of Culver City’s year-long Centennial party – that concludes in a month – has become a magnetic (civic) father again.

Saturday’s first-ever Non-Profit Fair from 11 to 2 at the Vets Auditorium is bound to succeed if the anticipation driving the buildup is a reliable indicator.

In this personality-centric community, Mr. Clarke has organized the unthinkable — a potential blockbuster without a personality, a faceless but crucial crowd of ladies and gentlemen.

His idea took flight in March when he met in Council Chambers with 40 non-profit reps.

Mr. Clarke said every inch of the auditorium and the Rotunda Room has been mapped out and is occupied by a non-profit based in Culver City or serving this community.

Between the City Councilman’s burning love for his adopted hometown and his unrequited commitment to making Culver City a genuine City of Kindness, Mr. Clarke has written a formula that almost cannot fail.

Through old-fashioned will, Mr. Promoter Clarke has drawn a capacity turnout of 70 non-profits to this fair that has two goals:

• To introduce non-profit services and volunteer opportunities to community members.
• To acquaint the non-profits with each other – perhaps they can work or strategize together.

What is it about non-profits that has caught fire? Mr. Clarke was asked.

“As a city, we are limited about the kind of services we can provide, particularly tight budgets,” said the Councilman.

“Non-profits offer a real boost because they are able to provide many of the services” not available from City Hall.

One more Jim Clarke motivation:

“I want to make sure non-profits thrive,” he said. “At the same time, by creating this network of non-profits, I want to have them work together as effectively as possible.”