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Lions, leopards, and ... lessons? How safari tourism boosts rural education.

Christopher Bendana

February 28, 2019 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Uganda, Kikarara

The Ugandan government is shifting tourist dollars to focus on rural education, dedicating 20% of money spent in safari tourism on developing schools in rural communities. While the country has been working for years to dedicate some tourism funding to rural communities, local officials have changed the focus to renew schools that are falling apart or don't have enough resources to adequately teach local children.

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Local nonprofit fosters West End growth

Amy Peters

February 28, 2019 |

The Watch |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Nucla, Colorado

With the help of the nonprofit West End Economic Development Corporation (WEEDC), communities in Southwest Colorado use creative financing and collective action to rebuild their economies after the downfall of the coal mining industry. One town, Nucla, invested in a coworking space, business classes. and other tools to help community members start and maintain small businesses.

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Collaborative Starting to Fill in the ‘Friends and Family' Capital Gap in Oakland

Zoe Sullivan

February 27, 2019 |

Next City |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Oakland, California

A collaborative funding organization called the Runway Project gives loans to primarily Black entrepreneurs in the Oakland area. The initiative aims to address racial disparities in startup capital by reducing the financial risk of starting a business. The program also includes personalized support as a "wrap around" approach to the lending process.

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Mourning the Demise of a Zen Place to Die

Courtney E. Martin

February 26, 2019 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

Instead of simply prioritizing growth, nonprofits need to implement carefully sized solutions with consideration to the longevity of their model. The closure of the Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco, California, demonstrates how issues stemming from rapid growth scaling can undermine the longevity of a nonprofit’s mission. As the hospices’ human- and mindfulness-centered approach faded in the face of expansion, the toll and tensions led to a loss of crucial human capital, leading the hospice to close.

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With no upfront costs, this innovative financing tool makes energy efficiency affordable to all

Nate Berg

February 26, 2019 |

Ensia |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Aulander, North Carolina

North Carolina’s Roanoke Electric Cooperative is helping members bring down energy costs. Because the energy costs in this area is due to a lack of energy efficiency, the cooperative offers tariffed on-billing to help homes offset expenses like insulation and new heat pumps. The tariffed on-billing uses federal loans to pay for said expenses, and then the customer pays the tariff charge in their bill – which ends up being lower because of the energy efficient upgrades.

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People with disabilities can save for college, life expenses with new Washington state savings plan

Katherine Long

February 12, 2019 |

The Seattle Times |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle

Washington State is pioneering savings accounts for people with disabilities that won't penalize them for saving for financial stability by barring them from essential federal aid programs. The accounts are tax-free and allow participants to save at least $15,000 a year, which can be withdrawn at any time or saved until retirement, with some limitations to who is eligible for the account. As word of the ABLE Savings Plan spreads, the self-supporting program is helping ensure that people with disabilities are not relegated to living in destitution to qualify for federal benefits.

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Paying for success: The story of how Utah became a leader in social impact investing

Emily Hoeven

February 08, 2019 |

Deseret News |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Salt Lake City, Utah

Utah played a key role in passing federal legislation that set aside $100 million for underserved communities — without the government having to pay a dollar upfront. In this model, the government doesn’t pay for any social program that isn’t successful. If there isn't a measurable impact, private investors take the financial hit — not taxpayers. If carefully measured data proves that the program was successful, only then does the government pay back investors.

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Punjab's marginalised communities struggle for their right to cultivate common lands

Kundan Pandey

February 07, 2019 |

Down To Earth |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: India, Punjab

Balad Kalan’s Scheduled Castes, popularly called Dalits, collectively bid to win the rights to fertile common lands that big landlords had taken control of. Each family contributed what they could and, after protests due to the lack of transparency in the bidding process, won 53 hectares, or one-third of the common land, which was distributed among 145 families. Fifty other villages have since won collective land rights by replicating the joint bidding process. An 11-member cooperative manages the land in each village, which is distributed to families in proportion to their monetary contribution.

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Community Solar Developers Get Creative to Finance Big Projects

Zoe Sullivan

February 06, 2019 |

Next City |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Organizations across the country work to make sustainable solar energy accessible for low-income communities. Through creative financing models that allow community members to maintain ownership over their neighborhood solar panels, these organizations keep financing in the hands of community members rather than corporate entities.

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Australia's Corporate Boards Shrink the Gender Gap

Jamie Smyth

February 04, 2019 |

OZY |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: Australia

In Australia, 29.7 percent of the top 200 companies in the Australian Securities Exchange are women. While other countries are finding it more difficult to increase the number of women represented on company boards, Australia has seen a cultural shift. Rather than imposing quotas, which often have negative effects, Australian investors have recognized the positive effects of diverse boards, and pushed companies to recruit and retain in exchange for their votes and continued investment.

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