A micro grant is similar to a micro loan*. With a microloan, many people give small amounts of money that result in a large amount to the individual receiving it. With a microloan, the recipient is expected to repay the loan. Similarly, many small contributions towards a micro grant result in a large amount of money to the person receiving it; yet, since it is a grant, the money is not paid back. Both microloans and microgrants are typically provided to a person in dire poverty. The concept at MicroGrant.net is that money is provided to an individual, small business, organization, or community that is likely not in dire poverty. By contributing to a microgrant, you contribute to Community Projects, Research or Development. Some projects are not intended to make a profit, while others hope that a profit will ensue. For example, a Community Project by its nature will not generate any income yet a Research Project may eventually lead to a profit. I’ve launched MicroGrant.net with the hopes that many people with ideas and ambitions list their ideas, and that many more people will help fund these ideas. Once established, you will be able to view applications and ongoing projects and choose a project, or category, to support. There will be multiple categories and locations around the world to choose from. You could for example look at “Alternative Energy Projects” or narrow your interest to “Water Projects in Ethiopia”. For now, I ask that you support Low Rider Boats, the first grant from MircoGrant.net. If we can raise the funds needed within the boating community, then our first experiment will be successful.
The world is full of people that have ideas to build upon. Obviously MicroGrant.net needs to expand and improve. In the future MicroGrant.net contributions will be tax deductible (but not at this time). MicroGrant.net relies upon you; first, by contributing to the ideas that interest you. An idea won’t be funded until it reaches the minimum level established for that project. Even after funding begins, there will be goals to demonstrate before additional funding is provided. You can also volunteer and check out a project in your vicinity and report on what you find. You may for instance spend a couple of hours one afternoon looking at the activity and progress of a local project and then report online about it. Please click here to contribute to MicroGrant.net. Your money will be applied to Low Rider Boats but will be recorded as support for MicroGrant.net. The reality is that it will take 100s of thousands of dollars to build the website and infrastructure and hire staff to properly administer MicroGrant.net. We obviously won't move forward with MicroGrant.net unless we receive the financial support needed. The first step is the Low Rider Boat funding experiment. Will this concept work? It is up to you. * The concept of micro finance was introduced by Muhammad Yunus and the bank he founded, Grameen Bank. He created a new category of banking by granting millions of small loans to poor people with no collateral. By helping to establish the microcredit movement across the world he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. We wish to not cause any conflict with any organization that provides microgrants to the poor. For more information go to Wikipedia – microgrants. You can also support the very poor by contributing to micro finance programs like: Also, there is another program by a similar name, MicroGrants.net (plural). It is an organization that helps people move out of poverty. For more information, click here. |