Funding
Money - the topic we've all be waiting for. How do we get the funds necessary to power the different stages in the invention process, starting with research and development to eventually bringing the product to market at scale? Government, foundations, organizations, and individuals have been the traditional sources of revenue for not-for-profit organizations, where as capital investment and earned income from goods or services provided have historically been the life-blood of the business world. Yet, many of us occupy a strange middle ground, operating as hybrid social enterprises. Have you found that you've been able to attract philanthropic dollars? How about venture capital funding? What challenges have you faced with procuring the funding you need to start and scale your innovation? Please, join the conversation and share your both your challenges and what sorts of strategies or resources you have found useful.
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The Lindbergh Foundation (http://www.lindberghfoundation.org/) gives grants for innovative research and educational projects that strive to balance technology and the environment. In previous years, up to ten awards have been given for approximately ten thousand dollars each, often going to international and early stage projects in fields such as agriculture, conservation, education, health, and waste management. Their 2009 application round just closed, but something you might want to mark on your calendar to apply for in 2010.
The SEED Initiative identifies, profiles and supports promising, locally-driven, start-up enterprises working in partnership in developing countries to improve livelihoods, tackle poverty and marginalisation, and manage natural resources sustainably. SEED develops learning resources for the broad community of social and environmental entrepreneurs, informs policy- and decision-makers, and aims to inspire innovative, entrepreneurial approaches to sustainable development.
TechSoup is a trusted technology resource that offers a variety of information and services for the benefit of the nonprofit sector. Instructional articles, IT planning tools, articles, and message boards. Their product donation page, TechSoup Stock, offers tons of free or drastically reduced software, hardware, and trainings (for example, legal versions of Microsoft Office 2007 for $20/each). Requires registering your organization with them, which is easy as long as you've got the appropriate documentation that you're a nonprofit.
For non-U.S. based organizations, try the TechSoup Global Network. It currently serves Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Botswana, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Hungary, India, Hong Kong, France, Chile, Germany, Ireland, Macau, and Taiwan as of May 2009, and is projected to expand to 60 countries by 2012.
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