FINALLY, I'm following up - (edit: final update)

[OneGrassRoot]

Last edited Sun May 17, 2015, 08:04 AM - Edit history (14)

SUNDAY MORNING update:

Well, this way of funding relaunch/expansion doesn't look promising, so it's onward to explore other avenues. I'd rather go where there is plenty of money and make it trickle down, rather than appeal to the average person, anyway. I'm going to focus on retooling/rebranding for more cohesion among the various projects/divisions. When I get things going again, I will definitely post here at DU and specifically reach out to those who have expressed interest recently, to let you know things are up and running again.

Thank you!





Saturday morning update: I also shared this on FB, but that's the only other place, as I'm trying to gauge interest within my closest networks first. Thus far, either not enough people have seen the post or there is no interest amongst those with resources to help raise significant funds. About $3000 is what the survey results show.

What I am proposing (for those who want this condensed) is restructuring Wishadoo! (a Community Good Social network, which has proof of concept having been in use for 8 years) as a member-owned cooperative, similar to NON-PARTISAN mutual aid societies of old (though more diverse), which not only connects those who need help to those who can help, and so much more, but also creates jobs.

What I'm specifically asking here, and only of those for whom $150 is not a huge sum, is would you be interested in helping to finance the seed funding so I can hire help in order to relaunch and expand?

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CCRCXV9


IMPORTANT: If you don't mind, I'm a little paranoid about CC people chiming in on the survey to mislead me. They always read this stuff. If you can send me a message here if you are interested in contributing, so I know it's a legit survey vote, I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

EDIT TO ADD:

I. If you have any suggestions re: this seed funding (keeping in mind that I've already explored impact investing and foundations, as I discuss below) -- such as companies which may want to be involved or philanthropic peeps you may know -- I'm all ears.

II. If you are not familiar with me, all I can suggest is that you read either my journal here at DU or my most recent post here, or take time to read this in its entirety. My work is not "new"; the platform I created worked so well that I became overwhelmed, and I'm now trying to raise funds to hire help and relaunch and expand. Many DUers are very familiar with me and Wishadoo!; my apologies that I don't have the time or energy at this moment to prove myself to those who don't know me.

I can tell you I was dissed by Glenn Beck on his Fox Show a few years ago, so there's that.

* * *

I just spent 30 minutes composing this, and it went *poof* when I hit "post my thread". Ugh.

I can't recreate all that content and the links due to time constraints, so I'm asking you to please indulge me by reading my initial post to which this is a followup:

You know the pleas for help which create such tension here?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026630196


I finally composed a followup, since so many did express an interest in wanting to help me move forward and help fund the creation of several initial part-time positions, though I see much more job creation in the future; I just need the core team in order to move ahead.

The key people who have helped me all these years and who "get" what Our Community Good is all about happen to be DUers, hence my recent post asking about interest in helping provide jobs to DUers (and others). I'm initially focused on providing supplemental income to those on SS, SSDI, who are homebound caregivers, and to those who are in purgatory, having applied for SSDI but haven't yet been approved. The three DUers I would like to offer these initial core positions to are in those groups.

The blog post at the following link gives background to what I've created over the last 9 years. Many DUers are familiar with Wishadoo!, but that is only one division, and the work done here at DU is a fraction of the work that has been done over this time. I'm sure you can imagine how it became overwhelming for me.

http://communitygood.blogspot.com/2015/05/introducing-our-community-good.html


Below I've pasted the end of the blog, which deals specifically with what I need in moving forward.

I would REALLY appreciate feedback. I know that most DUers are like me -- living paycheck-to-paycheck if we're fortunate enough to GET a paycheck. Yet I also know there are those here (and reading) who DO have resources, and I would love to get a feel for their interest and ability in what I propose, so I created a survey.

To repeat, what I am proposing (for those who want this condensed) is restructuring Wishadoo! (a Community Good Social network, which has proof of concept having been in use for 8 years) as a member-owned cooperative, similar to NON-PARTISAN mutual aid societies of old (though more diverse), which not only connects those who need help to those who can help, and so much more, but also creates jobs. What I'm specifically asking here is, of those for whom $150 is not a huge sum, would you be interested in helping to finance the seed funding so I can hire help in order to relaunch and expand?

In order to move forward with these projects, all of which are still desperately needed in our society, I must have help. While volunteers and interns can supplement this help, I need a reliable team before I can consider relaunching. As mentioned earlier, Wishadoo! is a proven model; it worked so well that it became overwhelming for me, even with volunteers.

I have always envisioned creating job opportunities, especially for those who are homebound for any number of reasons, including those on disability who need supplemental income as well as homebound caregivers who also need extra income.

Over the last year I have explored a variety of funding mechanisms and legal structures for Our Good (in order to make use of various funding mechanism)s, but I come back to where I was at the very start: Raising funds via cooperative membership. From there, with a team in place, the revenue-generating models for each endeavor can work to be implemented, making Our Good a self-sustaining social enterprise, with both member-owned and worker-owned cooperatives in place.

* Because Our Community Good is not a start-up, impact investors are nowhere to be found.

* Because I am a woman, who is over 30, impact investors are nowhere to be found.

* Philanthropic foundation funding is either unavailable because Our Good has a broad agenda, not niche, or it will take at least one year to be approved for said funding.

I envision raising the initial funding via cooperative membership for individuals. (I am also exploring business membership.)

First, please know that most of the tools at Wishadoo! will remain available to anyone who joins -- for free. Being a co-op investor would offer additional benefits (to be explained in my next communication) and a voice/vote.

While I anticipate membership being only $25/year (with funding for those who cannot afford that but wish to participate in the co-op), this initial seed funding will be for $150. The ONLY reason I am doing it this way -- $150 instead of $25 -- is to weed out anyone who may want to disrupt this caring community. (Sadly, this type of disruption exists, which is why transforming online culture, given the influence of online activity, is a key area of focus for me.)

The minimum contribution of $150 provides 6 co-op memberships; the investor can select the other 5 people to participate in growing the community, or donate the membership to the general fund offering free membership. Renewal will only be $25/year henceforth.

IDEALLY, I would like to raise at least $100k, and here is the breakdown:

$60k - (3) part-time administrative support positions, one for each project, @ $15/hr for one year

$10k - IT upgrades and support; mobile app development for the projects

$5k - Expenses for one year (web hosting, domain renewals, marketing, legal)

$25k - I have bootstrapped everything for 8 years, but have been helped by several people who have granted me personal loans, and I desperately want to pay them back. Additionally, the IT team who has helped me all these years has done so out of the kindness of their hearts. I would like to be able to offer them $5k as a token of gratitude, even though they have no doubt provided at least $20k worth of services thus far.

Even though people can invest more than $150 (to provide for even more member|owners), less than 700 people would be needed to invest $150 in order to achieve the $100k goal…or 333 people at $300…or 200 people at $500…or 100 people at $1000. Or any combination thereof. I will structure the fundraiser accordingly.

However it manifests, the end result is relaunch of a much-needed service, job creation, and exponential expansion of a new type of community, one which values a Culture of Care and puts it into action.

Before I create a fundraiser, I have created a survey to try to determine how many people may be interested in being part of this seed funding investment of the Our Community Good Co-operative. If you are someone for whom $150 (or more) is a reasonable expenditure for "funding good" -- and creating free membership/ownership for those who cannot afford this initial minimum funding amount -- please click this link to take the survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CCRCXV9

Please share this with anyone you feel may be interested.

~ Dena

Between the awful story last month of the couple in Ohio who killed themselves because they felt they could not afford to exist and because no one acknowledged their pleas, and the recent viral story of the 81-year-old cancer patient who called 911 because he was hungry, I know WITHOUT ANY DOUBT that what I have been doing and building for the last 9 years is still desperately needed.

(I realize most are sharing the cancer patient/911 story as an example of an act of kindness, but I'm horrified that it happened at all. It is within our collective power to ensure that these situations no longer occur.)

Now that I can breathe again with my daughter home, I would REALLY appreciate feedback about what I share at the blog link, which includes a link to a survey.

My brain still feels enveloped in cotton, so I won't be surprised if there are questions or suggestions, assuming I haven't covered all the necessary bases in this post.

But, I'm letting it fly nevertheless and hope to hear back from some of you. Thank you!