On Applications and Awesome Projects

February 10, 2013

We’re always getting tons of questions about whether a specific project or idea is eligible for a monthly microgrant – and let’s be fair, awesomeness is pretty hard to define specifically!  We all have different ideas on what that means, so we’ve tried to narrow it down a little bit based on what we prefer (read: always exceptions to be made!) to see from applications to Awesome Foundation – Kingston.  We want you and your project to succeed, and we also want to be realistic about expectations.  When in doubt, get in touch with us!

 

Is Your Idea Awesome?

We’re looking for awesome ideas – whether they come from companies, organizations, teams, or individuals. The project should be something new, exciting, and unique; not an existing, ongoing, or recurring project. It should have impact on the local Kingston community, and the more people it involves or affects, the better!

 
We’re not looking to fund fundraisers, long-term established projects, overhead, marketing, or administration. We’re looking for small, agile undertakings where $1,000 is all that’s needed, or at least the majority of it – not a drop in the bucket of a massive budget. $1,000 is not a huge sum of money, but it’s a decent amount, and we want it to have direct impact and application on the project!

Be audacious, agile, and ambitious – we’re looking for inventive, innovative, inspiring ideas!

Awesome Indicators

For more, consider the “9 Awesome Indicators” by Rich Cooper from AF-Toronto as your vetting process for an awesome application:

 
1. Newness – Is this idea totally new?

2. Niceness – Is this idea one that makes people happy or helps people?

3. Bigness/Inclusion – Potential to reach many people – Can anybody join?

4. Hilarity – Does it make us laugh?

5. Wow-ness – Does it make us say “Holy crap, that’s awesome”?

6. Utility – Does the $1000 make the difference between the project
happening or not?

7. Value – Is the Awesome Foundation getting real “Bang for its buck”?

8. Staying Power – Can the project endure? Will it start a movement or annual event?

9. Environmental Impact – Needless waste is not awesome.