Finance Proposal Testbed

Checklist
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Introduction
-Indicate the purpose
-Develop a persuasive 'hook'. Suggest results, costs, resources, etc.
Background, Problem
-Provide nevessary background. Overveiw goals.
-Introduce the problem. Convince the reader of an existing problem if unsoliceted. If solicited then explain how you full understand said problem.
Proposal, Plan
-Explain the proposal. Present your plan for solving the problem.
-Discuss plan management and evaluation.
Outline a timetable.
Staffing
-Promote your teams qualifications.
-Mention special resources and equipment available.
Budget
-Show projected costs.
-Show deadlines.
Authorization
-Make it EASY to accept the proposal.

Funding Sources

Revenue Streams

Empowerment could perform a number of useful services for the public to raise funds.

• Opt-out banners could allow page views to generate revenue for anyone who elects to view adwords.
• The numerous references to literature, film, games and other materials could be Amazon affiliate links, earning a percentage
• Products could be provisioned for a sliding scale all the way from free to asking price to contribution.

Non-Profit and/or For Profit

The Empowerment's organizational legal structure is not yet determined. It is likely to involve a hybrid between a non-profit for-progress charitable organization and a for-profit corporation that handles related business ventures.

Mozilla is a good example of such a hybridized progress/profit pairing.

Open Source / Commercial Hybrids

Large open-source projects are more successful when they partner with commercially funded enterprises with a vested interest in their success. The open-source development group funded by many Linux-based companies is a driving force employing open-source developers full-time.

External Funding

National Science Foundation

NSF funded WolfQuest with $500,000 to produce a learning game about wolf ecology.

They have a Social, Economic and Behavioral program that could possibly fund Empowerment. Empowerment could also fulfill environmental advocacy learning outcomes.

Grant Proposal Writing Guide

Google.org

Google.org hires people to do socially entrepeneurial and philanthropic projects and collaborates with outside groups to help improve the world and solve global problems.

www.Omidyar.net

Omidyar is probably the best fit as a funder with a track record of supporting empowering projects.

They'll Call Us

"By definition, that's how Omidyar Network works: we do our own research, then we approach potential partners (investees/grantees) and ask them how we can help them. But you may be saying something different... we will probably not do a "Request for Proposals" process."

Write The Proposal And They'll Come

Suppose any group solicited a funding proposal tomorrow. We should be ready to answer that solicitation immediately with a well-prepared proposal that thoroughly explores all angles of our proposition.

Government Grants

There are many government agencies that give grants for specific kinds of social enterprises. We need to identify what opportunities exist.

Sunshine Transparency Grants

The Sunlight Foundation offers "transparency grants" for the development and enhancement of databases and websites that enhance publicly disclosed information on Congress, lobbying and federal contracting. Our goal is support groups and individuals who are going beyond the traditional, single subject public disclosure database and who are interested in using a Web 2.0 model that enables the media, bloggers, and citizens to sift, share and combine this information in ways that are useful for them.

Funder Participation

Empowerment appeals to investors who are interested in participating in the project in some capacity. Contributors may want to pony up some of their dough to support the project. Big donors may want to provide helpful guidance and resources to further our efforts.

Grant Proposal

We are developing a formal grant proposal to give investors a chance to put their money to excellent work changing the world.

Visionaries Who Might Fund Us

Visionaries

Steve Wozniak

Woz is a brilliant guy who worked in education because he's passionate about learning and technology. He might be interested in funding and working on Empowerment.

Social Marketing Funding Idea

Nalos Surith: check this out if you wanna make some extra pocket change https://www.agloco.com
Alex Peake: you make any from them
Alex Peake: I need more than pocket change at the moment
Alex Peake: I need $100,000
Nalos Surith: hahaa
Nalos Surith: well a friend has, he's made about 20 in one night
Alex Peake: neat
Nalos Surith: here is where the original post came from
Nalos Surith: http://www.gamerumors.net/2006/11/22/tech-bit-new-web-20-technology-pays...
Nalos Surith: if you wanna sign up help me out to test this and see what happens when i get a referal my code is BBBB2154
Nalos Surith: =D
Alex Peake: sure
Nalos Surith: i hate pyramid schemes
Nalos Surith: its so coning in a sense even though with this there is really nothing to lose
Alex Peake: Culture is a pyramid scheme
Alex Peake: its all about having something that is spreadable
Alex Peake: The further you can get people to spread it, the more power you get from it
Alex Peake: Until the late adopters aren't special at all, and are alladmiring the founders of the culture
Alex Peake: Who get the celebrity status
Alex Peake: And then they start a new culture, and spread that
Nalos Surith: basically
Alex Peake: what does the viewbar do for you
Alex Peake: google search?
Nalos Surith: i have no idea its in beta or something
Nalos Surith: probably has ads or something who knows
Alex Peake: so right now this is referrals for something that isn't out yet
Alex Peake: Did I do it right?
Alex Peake: I didn't see anywhere where it said to input your ID
Nalos Surith: did you click my link or the one on that site
Alex Peake: I think yours
Nalos Surith: odd
Alex Peake: Did it register me just now?
Nalos Surith: you got the main page right or did it send you straight to the sign up
Nalos Surith: i dunno did you fill in your info?
Alex Peake: yeah
Alex Peake: I'm in
Nalos Surith: oh ok
Alex Peake: but I don't know if I did it thru you correctly
Nalos Surith: eh no worries
Alex Peake: How can you use it yet though
Alex Peake: How can they pay anyone if you dont have viewbar yet
Nalos Surith: i ahve no idea, but apparently its coming out soon im just as confused as you
Alex Peake: heh
Nalos Surith: i guess they'll send us an email in 10 years or something saying we have 40 million dollars to be cashed
Nalos Surith: =)
Nalos Surith: i dunno its probably a waste of time, but im willing to give it a try
Alex Peake: yeah we'll see where it goes
Alex Peake: I'm studying viral media
Alex Peake: So anything like this in theory could make empowerment a lot of money
Alex Peake: Since we're teaching people how to spread shit
Alex Peake: We could recommend this as a way to fund empowerment to everyone to apply their skills with
Nalos Surith: i think so too
Nalos Surith: it looks fairly simple just talk to people you know ask them to sign up and tell them the success you've made
Nalos Surith: and think about this, these people will have money now from doing this....and can focus more energy on the empowerment project
Nalos Surith: lol or we can atleast hope
Nalos Surith: so if i refer 5 people and those 5 people refeer people who spend on average 5 hours on the internet a month i can make $4881 per month
Nalos Surith: from what this system is saying anyway
Alex Peake: Yeah if this is for real it would support me
Alex Peake: Cause I can sure as hell get a hell of a lot of people directly, let alone referrals
Nalos Surith: and mind you im sure people spend well over 60 hours on the internet per month
Nalos Surith: especially among gaming circles
Alex Peake: I'm an otaku
Nalos Surith: haha
Alex Peake: I wonder if their model is based on Google Search affiliation
Alex Peake: If so, I could do the same thing with an Empowerment-branded bar
Alex Peake: And use it to spread other good things
Nalos Surith: i dunno yet im still reading their member services thing with the FAQ and all
Alex Peake: Could be a simple Firefox-like revenue stream
Alex Peake: Firefox makes money from google search mostly
Alex Peake: Google pays a comission to them for all the ad revenue they gen
Nalos Surith: i did not know that
Alex Peake: And Microsoft is against google and uses their stupid live serch
Alex Peake: yeah
Alex Peake: This could be a simple rev model
Alex Peake: An Empowerment-branded Firefox plugin or browser
Nalos Surith: microsoft is simply too proud to admit their failure
Alex Peake: Support empowerment by doing what you already do
Nalos Surith: surf the internet
Nalos Surith: =)
Alex Peake: Plus the plugin would tie into the Durpal
Alex Peake: And let you receive messages or see important things
Alex Peake: Its a good idea
Alex Peake: Thanks for bringing this to my attention
Alex Peake: Because the more viral the revenue is, the more suitable it is for us
Alex Peake: So long as it is unintrusive
Alex Peake: google commissions are perhaps the least intrusive possible measure
Alex Peake: since i fully support them and Firefox already
Nalos Surith: wow
Nalos Surith: how did all of this come about from just one simple link...lol