StartSomeGood: The Blog

StartSomeGood News

Brand New Good! Recently launched campaigns:

The need for literacy training, especially among low income youth, is extremely high. With funds raised through this project, Access to Meaning can collaborate with schools in Southern Berkshire County to offer intensive reading instruction to low-income youth in the region. Raising $2,000 means one student can receive intensive one-on-one instruction this summer.

Community Boost Consulting is sending 3 recent college graduates on the Social Impact Tour to help inspire aspiring social entrepreneurs. They will travel over 3,000 miles in 30 days, speaking to over 300 social entrepreneurs and thought leaders in the entrepreneurial space. The goal is to create inspiring online content that will capture the attention of aspiring entrepreneurs. $5,000 is the minimum amount these grads need to cover basic transportation and food.

Goddess Graduates with a Vision is combating the lack of female leadership in Australia by giving girls charismatic confidence and possibility thinking to pursue leadership positions in business and politics. This campaign needs at least $5,000 to develop a pilot program for 100 young women graduates.

Eliminating homelessness in the U.S. by 2020 seems like an impossible task, but to Project Homeful it’s an achievable goal. Project Homeful is building an online web portal that will be used to bring providers together to support those in need of places to live. The $11,000 tipping point goal will allow Project Homeful to begin web development.

Progreso y Oportunidades Magazine is a free publication aimed at supporting the formation, growth, and integration of the Hispanic community in the United States. It will provide positive content to improve the quality of life of Hispanic immigrants and give them tools to support and strengthen their families. Linda Coelho, the brains behind this initiative, needs at least $10,000 to launch the magazine and distribute 15,000 copies.

People Pledge is the first and only online fundraising platform that empowers Australians to help a loved one as they endure a medical crisis. They want to run free workshops in Australia to reach families stressed with medical bills and help them fund raise online. They need $3,000 to set up free workshops in Western Sydney and across regional and rural NSW.

Compassionate Earth Walk is a 1,800+ mile pilgrimage along the northern leg of the keystone xl pipeline from Hardisty Albeta, CA to Steele City, Nebraska. This pilgrimage will hopefully encourage others to deepen their relationship with self, community, nature, and divine purpose. This campaign is looking to fund a camp of 25+ pilgrims to complete the walk.

Let’s Celebrate! Recently Tipped Campaigns…

Gearing Up provides women in transition from abuse, addiction, and incarceration with the opportunity to improve their physical, emotional, and social health by riding bicycles. Gearing Up helps women through regular coaching, mentoring, and support, encouraging them to adopt healthy lifestyle changes. Gear Up and Change a Life raised $4,815 to get 12 women through their first 100 miles.

Kick at the Darkness – A Photographic Journey is a documentary photo essay that will capture the psycho-social impact of humanitarian response on aid workers in Haiti. Amy initiated this project while working in Haiti as part of earthquake response and this campaign will allow her to complete it. The funds raised so far will cover her ten day trip to Haiti.

Shawn D. Ross

I am a Northwest Native living in Washington State. A graduate of Washington State University and University of Phoenix with degrees in Architecture and Education I write about social, cultural, and personal improvement on the StartSomeGood Blog and SDRinspire. I am also a filmmaker and owner of Giraffe and Penguin Productions, a single daddy of two beautiful children, avid reader, writer, and hat wearer (Not in that picture but believe me, I wear ‘em). I am currently at work on my first feature length documentary. Follow me @shawndross and visit my websites: sdrinspire.tumblr.com and giraffeandpenguinproductions.tumblr.com.

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What good do you want to create? Visit our site to learn about how to start your own campaign.

This Week in Social Entrepreneurship

Law and Social Enterprise Fellows Anurag Gupta and Aroma Sharma of NYU School of Law are hosting Legal Bootcamp for Social Entrepreneurs on Tuesday, May 21st at 6 pm. Tickets are $10 and the session will provide activists, entrepreneurs, and social innovators with a framework for thinking about corporate structure and financing.
Microsoft YouthSpark is sponsoring Challenge for Change which offers you the chance to share how you want to spark positive change in your community and the world. If you are between 18 and 25 and want a chance to win an epic life-changing experience volunteering in Kenya this summer, $2,500 to initiate your idea into a reality, a Microsoft technology bundle, and the opportunity to serve as a Microsoft YouthSpark ambassador for a year, enter the challenge with your idea by May 24th.
Each October, Bluhm/Helfand Social Innovation fellows get the chance to gain exposure for their organizations, establish a community of support, and receive a $10,000 financial contribution for their venture at Chicago Ideas Week. If you are 35 or younger and have a venture that is innovative and addresses compelling social needs then you should apply to this fellowship by June 6th—winning could mean launching your venture to another level.
The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship provides platforms to highlight and advance leading models of sustainable social innovation. The search and selection process has begun to recognize outstanding social entrepreneurs around the world. Global selection is open to all organizations based in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and North America.
Join guest speakers Joyce Sou, Manager at B Corps and Social Impact Metrics, the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing, and David Upton of Common Good Solutions for this free webinar—Social Finance Connects: Demonstrating Impact From Corporate Structures to Certifications.On Thursday, May 30th at noon US EST, this webinar will cover corporate structures and certifications which help social enterprises demonstrate their impact.

Shawn D. Ross

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Do you have a social entrepreneurship news story or an event you’d like to see on the StartSomeGood Blog? Email Nicole (Nicole @ StartSomeGood.com) or find her on Twitter @nricchio to connect with us.

Empower Young Australian Entrepreneurs to Attend the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Summit

The Enterprise Network for Young Australians (ENYA), invests in Australia’s youth, creating an entrepreneurial ecosystem so they can connect, flourish, and create a better tomorrow. This year, 23 entrepreneurs from ENYA are representing Australia at the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Summit in Moscow which brings young leaders together from all over the world to represent their countries. These 23 entrepreneurs are working to build a better future for Australia and have the chance to influence policy and agenda when the G20 Summit Leaders meet later this year.

Of these 23 delegates who are going to Moscow, 10 are leading early stage startups and are on very tight budgets. They need to find ways to fund their flights, accommodations, and registration fees. This is where you come in—their StartSomeGood campaign can aid them in raising part or all of the costs associated with traveling to Moscow. You can have a direct hand in helping get these amazing leaders over to Moscow to represent you and the future of Australian business!

By the way, this campaign is jam-packed with amazing rewards for supporters. Just $30 gets you a one day coworking pass to HUB Sydney, Melbourne, or Adelaide. Want to hang out with the delegates? $99 grants you entry to their Russian-themed party with a 3 course dinner, drinks, and Russian entertainment. Other rewards include workshops and training sessions with noted entrepreneurs, domestic plane tickets, corporate identity and brand creation, an iPhone app designed for your business, and even the chance to be an honored guest of the ENYA team at the summit. These are some of the most exciting rewards we’ve seen on StartSomeGood to date, so don’t miss out!

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What good do you want to create? Visit our site to learn about how to start your own campaign.

posted 16 May, 2013
by nricchio
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This Week in Social Entrepreneurship

The Elevating Impact Summit, hosted by the Portland State University Impact Entrepreneurs, will inspire you with new ideas for working with purpose. Meet other bold, creative thinkers as they show how they have dared to make a difference in the world. You’ll get to hear keynote speaker Eric Dawson share his inspiring story of how he started the Peace First Prize to eradicate youth violence, watch the Pitch Fest live and cheer on your favorite up-and-coming social entrepreneurs, and speak with hundreds of other groundbreaking entrepreneurs who know what it’s like to overcome the difficulties that go along with starting a business. Register by May 21st for the early bird discount and join a group of amazing changemakers on June 21st for a day of celebrating new approaches to creating social impact across sectors.

Spend 5 months in Nairobi engaged in holistic, future-oriented training endorsed by leaders across social, business, education, and government sectors. The Post-Graduate Certificate in Social Innovation Management will give you the training necessary to be a effective social change maker and the intensity is the equivalent to that of a 2-year traditional master’s degree. The Amani Institute offers this unique, field-based program and only 15 spots remain for these pioneers of impact. Are you one of them?

Vibewire is calling for ideas that could change the future. All changemakers (30 and under) who are looking to launch creative projects with social impact are welcome to apply and compete for $2,000 in seed funding and a membership to the Vibewire Innovation Lab co-working space. If selected, you’ll have the chance to pitch your idea at the Pitch the Future Event at the Vivid Festival of Ideas in front of Sydney’s creative and changemaker communities on May 30th.

Walkability is about destinations. If you live in a walkable neighborhood, walking becomes a part of life and not merely an optional leisure activity. WalkDenver is helping enhance the walkability of cities and raising awareness to the fact that people will walk when there is somewhere to walk. Join the Better Block Event in Five Points on May 11th to highlight this neighborhood in an effort to enhance its walkability.

May 17th is Food Revolution Day! Join the Food Revolution and take a stand for good food and essential cooking skills. This is a chance for people to come together and share their kitchen skills, food knowledge, and resources as a way to raise awareness of the importance of good food and better food education. Cook it, share it, live it—take a stand against processed foods that are helping fuel today’s obesity epidemic and help us get back to the basics.

Shawn D. Ross

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This Week in Social Entrepreneurship

Storytelling is such an essential skill for professionals who need to connect with their audience. It comes so naturally to some, but for many of us it is a learned skill that takes time and dedication to get right. This is why Acumen and Ariel Group have come together to bring you Storytelling for Change, a completely free 4-week course that will help you better connect with other to inspire change. The course begins on May 11th, but you must register in advance, by May 5th, as part of a lab group that you will work with throughout your 4 weeks of learning and personal growth.
I have a great idea, but how do I get started? Should I use a for or non-profit model? How do I measure success in terms of social impact? Are these questions you ask yourself as a changemaker? Are you looking for practical advice for every stage of your entrepreneurial journey? UnLtd is offering a free Comprehensive Guide to Developing your Social Enterprise, a toolkit that offers guidance from initial idea to growth and replication. Download it here and get the support you need to start welcoming the challenges and opportunities of social entrepreneurship in a structured way.
It’s time to get your kickball on! Playworks DC’s 3rd Annual Corporate Kickball Tournament will take place on Friday, June 14th. This team-building fundraiser will get your team out of the office and onto the field for an afternoon of networking and fun. Not only that, you’ll be supporting healthy play for more than 3,500 children in 13 different low-income schools in DC. Space is limited, so register your team of 9-15 people ASAP to reserve your spot!
Impact Engine is a 16-week business accelerator that supports for-profit businesses making the world a better place. They’re launching their second cohort this year and invite you to celebrate during their Application Kick-Off Party on May 15th in Chicago. Cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a keynote on “Being Unreasonable” by Paul Hardej of FarmedHere, and a Q&A with Impact Engine graduates—this party can’t be missed!
Join us in congratulating the fifty-three finalists for the 2013 Echoing Green Fellowship! These finalists will travel from around the globe to meet with judges, staff, and each other for another round of rigorous interviews. The year’s applicant pool started with nearly 3,000 and will ultimately be whittled down to about 20 fellows. We wish all the finalists good luck, but a very special “go get ‘em” to StartSomeGood crowdfunding veterans Anjna Patient Education and WeCyclers. You’re making us so proud!

Shawn D. Ross

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Success is so sweet when you’re starting good!

Join us in celebrating some of StartSomeGood’s most recent projects to reach their tipping point goals!

Designer Amanda Ryan took a two-month-long volunteer trip in the slums of Bangladesh and cam home with a mission to empower and educate women through fashion. Bachhara is Amanda’s super hip clothing line of dresses created by local women in Bangladesh. The clothing line’s sales provide 90% of the revenue for the Jaago Foundation sewing centre, a social business dedicated to funding the Jaago Foundation School. Bachhara creates a space where women are trained and given the support they need to succeed. They’ve raised over $5,000 to date and can now bring a small collection from their 2013 Summer collection to Australia to sell.

The villagers of rural Malawi all share the same dream—to overcome poverty by creating their own community bank. With Empower Inc’s assistance, they have aspirations to become self-reliant and be completely independent of aid by 2015. Empower Inc has already begun training the management committee and front-line bank staff for the community banks. Now, they are Banking on Change—the $3,000 raised to date will allow them to continue training bank staff, set up a business kiosk for advising local entrepreneurs, and directly invest in the bank to increase the asset base for loans.

There is an exciting global movement to support female health and education in Africa. Girls for Girls USA is leading the charge, creating sustainable solutions that empower young women to reach for their dreams. Girls for Girls USA equips girls with the knowledge, tools, and infrastructure needed to generate a sustainable income. Founded by 40 amazing women across the globe, Girl for Girls USA has raised over $2,500 to register for 501(c) status and cover other various start-up costs.

Place in the Sun Foundation is developing childhood literacy and improving the overall quality of education in West Africa by training aspiring female teachers. They provide teacher training and classroom curricula to support aspiring teachers. The organization has already raised over $6,500 to launch its pilot program. This seven-week preschool summer camp in rural Mali not only supports aspiring women teachers, but also boosts essential early childhood education programs. It will serve as a pilot program for a permanent school in Mali.

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What good do you want to create? Visit our site to learn about how to start your own campaign.

The Tinker Tour is Giving a Voice to Tomorrow’s Generation

Mary Beth Tinker is a free speech champion, a determined changemaker, and an inspiring storyteller:

“Nearly a half-century ago, I was part of a small group of students who made history after we were suspended for wearing simple black armbands to school to mourn the loss of lives in Vietnam. At the time, I was a shy 13-year-old and history was the last thing on our minds.

But we did make history, eventually winning a landmark Supreme Court ruling in favor of First Amendment rights for students.

The Tinker ruling is still cited in nearly every student First Amendment case, and almost all American civics and history textbooks refer to it. In 2012, I was included in the book, 101 Changemakers: Rebels and Radicals Who Changed US History, along with such notable figures as Rosa Parks, Mark Twain, Albert Einstein and Martin Luther King (heady stuff indeed for something I did when I was just 13!)”

Now, she’s ready to tour America and talk to students all over the country about free speech and civics education. But, she needs your help to make it happen.

“I made a difference with just an armband. Can you imagine what a 13 year-old today can do with all of the extraordinary speech tools available? ”

Mary Beth, along with Mike Hiestand, a man who has helped 15,000 students, teachers, and administrators navigate student speech issues over the past two decades, are going on the “Tinker Tour“—a bus trip across the country to promote the youth voice, free speech, and free press. $50,000 will go a long way in helping Mary Beth and Mike secure a bus or RV, pay for gas and parking, and cover other various expenses for 2 months during their tour. An extra $65,000 will allow them to extend the tour 3-4 months.

Mary Beth and Mike

Tinker Tour: The Power of an Armband—read more about this powerful campaign and help Mary Beth and Mike inspire the youth of America to get their voices heard.

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What good do you want to create? Visit our site to learn about how to start your own campaign.

StartSomeGood News

We had a busy week at StartSomeGood, launching 13 new campaigns, 3 of which reached their respective tipping points within their first week. Here’s a quick roundup to get you excited about the week ahead!

Let’s celebrate! Campaigns that recently launched AND tipped within their first week:

Help cover the costs of creating and shipping Run for Boston t-shirts benefiting the victims and families of the Boston Marathon bombings. Michael Gurley, a college athlete, started this project so that he could help create a feeling of solidarity among runners. He will donate 100% of his sale profits to The One Fund in Boston. This campaign tipped within days of launching, but more money means more shirts that Michael can sell to benefit The One Fund!

Students and staff at the Byimana School of Sciences in Rwanda are without beds because of a recent fire. Just $50 purchases a bed for a student at the Babson Entrepreneurial Leadership Academy. The $3,500+ already raised will help provide beds for as many students as possible, but the ultimate $10,000 goal will mean new beds for all 260 students.

Help 350.org make the “Global Warming: Do the Maths” Tour successful as they take on coal export expansion in Australia. This campaign has already soared past its ultimate funding goal within a week of launching, allowing 350.org to produce a video, create graphics, and purchase presentation materials for author Bill McKibben to use during his tour.

So much Good! Even MORE recently launched campaigns:

Twenty-three young entrepreneurs need your help to represent Australia at the G2O Young Entrepreneurs Alliance Summit in Moscow on June 15th-17th. Raising $15,000 gives each entrepreneur $1,500, leaving them $3,000 to fund out of pocket. Their $38,000 ultimate goal will mean no out of pocket expenses for any of the entrepreneurs.

The Student Press Law Center seeks $50,000 to fund Tinker Tour, a two-month tour during the 2013-2014 school-year meant to inform students about free speech and civics education.

Integrando a Mexico teaches powerful courses that empower Mexican youths to create social change. They are seeking at least $4,220 to provide scholarships which will cover the cost of course attendance for 10 high school and university students.

Access Afya is creating a chain of ultra mini-clinics, which provide standardized health services for the extreme poor in Nairobi slums. Once their $10,000 tipping point goal is achieved, they can begin construction on a second mini-clinic.

Place in the Sun Foundation is developing literacy by training female teachers in West Africa. They provide teacher training and classroom curriculums to support aspiring teachers. The organization needs at least $5,100 to launch its pilot program.

With $5,000, the Veterans Opportunity Network can print and distribute Veterans Opportunity Magazine at veteran, business, and industry-related events. This magazine will address major problems facing veterans and seek opportunities through mass media outreach.

Second Chance Toys NSW delivers gently used toys to children in need. They have kept over 10,000 used toys out of Australian landfills in the past two years and aspire to increase that number to 50,000 over the next two years.

Lima Links brings timely and accurate market information via text to rural farmers in Zambia who use it to raise their income through fair market prices.

100% of proceeds from the sales of these #BOSTONSTRONG wristbands will go to The One Fund Boston. Pre-order your wristband today and support the victims and families affected by the Boston Marathon bombings.

The Foundation for Tolerance, Acceptance & Understanding promotes the LGBT community through advertising, marketing, and education. They need $2,500 to pay the filing and legal fees associated with becoming an official 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Shawn D. Ross

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What good do you want to create? Visit our site to learn about how to start your own campaign.

The most innovative learning gadget we’ve seen yet

Did you know that 80% of learning is visual? Did you also know that there are an estimated 1.4 million blind children in the world?

Klongdinsor has developed a simple yet pioneering gadget to make sure blind students can learn too - by drawing with wool! You’ve got to check this out:

We love this campaign and think you will too. Head over to their campaign page now to pledge your support.

This Week in Social Entrepreneurship

Apply now to the World Summit Youth Award 2013. Registration is open now through July 1st. The WSYA selects and promotes best practices in e-content and new media, demonstrates young people’s potential to create outstanding digital content, and serves as a platform for people from all UN member states to work together in the efforts to put the UN Millennium Development Goals into action. Engaged talents or young professionals under 30 can enter their projects (for free) until July 1st within the 6 following Categories: Fight Poverty, Hunger and Disease, Education for All, Power 2 Women, Create your Culture, Go Green, and Pursue the Truth. The best projects will be invited to the WSYA Winners’ Event. Present your project on an international stage and meet other engaged people! Be presented and promoted through the WSYA network and become part of a vibrant and lively community!

Penn students and alumni that have a passion for social impact—April 30th is the deadline to submit your applications to be part of the Social Impact Fellowship through the Schwartz Family Penn Social Impact House. August 12th through the 25th, the fellowship program will bring together a unique community of innovators committed to designing effective solutions for social change. Initiated by leaders in social innovation, design thinking, and business development, fellows will gain tools, skills, and networks to make their world-changing ideas a reality.

Engage..Innovate..Inspire. Join like minded professionals on Wednesday evening, April 24th in Birmingham, UK for the opportunity to engage with some of the most inspiring, innovative, and dynamic social entrepreneurs in the Higher Education sector. Event participation is being offered free of charge by UnLtd – The Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs. Come prepared for an interactive session where you can ask questions and network with UnLtd, Higher Education Funding Council for England, and many other inspiring social entrepreneurs.

Every other month JustChange is granting $1,000 to an individual, group or organization whose ideas will create positive social or environmental change in Ottawa. The ideal candidate will use the grant to accelerate their idea and impact Ottawa in a positive way. Also, partnering with HUBOttawa, the top 3 great ideas from this round will receive a HUBConnect membership for 3 months!

Social Enterprise Ecosystem Economic Development (SEEED) is a collaboration between Brown University and Social Venture Partners Rhode Island. The SEEED Summit 2013 will be held on Friday, April 26th and Saturday, April 27th. This is the first national conference focused on the need to build an effective social enterprise ecosystem to drive economic development. It’s being held on the Brown University campus in Providence, RI and there are many different registration options so you can tailor your summit experience to your exact interests.

Shawn D. Ross

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Do you have a social entrepreneurship news story or an event you’d like to see on the StartSomeGood Blog? Email the details to Nicole (Nicole @ StartSomeGood) or find her on Twitter @nricchio and she’ll be happy to review it.

Posts tagged youth