Ignite presents Ideas for Edmonton, a crowd funding model with a twist! Community members who are passionate about making Edmonton a better place to live are encouraged to post their project on the Ideas for Edmonton website – backers throw their support for projects with votes rather than donations. Edmonton’s NextGen, and a host of sponsors, kick-in the financial backing with $10,000 in funding available.

“Have you ever wanted to make a difference in your community but didn’t know where to start? You are not alone,” says Sherman Tsang, Ignite Co-Chair. “Ideas for Edmonton is a local social incubator, a tool to help turn thoughts into actions. Any city resident, looking to make Edmonton a better place to live, can submit a single idea that could be turned into reality!”

Ideasforedmonton.com is an easy-to-use on-line portal where the public can register ideas, search out interesting projects, discuss opportunities and cast votes.

Voting is tallied in three ways:

• A single vote is counted when an individual comments on an idea (a single vote per user, not per comment);
• A single vote is counted when an individual clicks on the +1 Give Vote link on an idea page;
• Two votes are counted when an individual clicks on the +2 Give Time link on an idea page.
•  Individuals that click this option will be contacted by NextGen following the competition to connect with fellow voters for potential volunteer opportunities to make a specific project move forward.

Idea submissions and Round 1 votes are accepted until April 21^st.  The top 10 ideas, as calculated by total votes, will go on to Round 2 where a panel of judges will select one or two ideas to receive funding, volunteer support (as sourced through the +2 Give Time voters) and additional mentoring from established makers in the community. Edmonton’s NextGen is proud to foster the success of a variety of community projects and lend its planning expertise to the winning projects. Final winners will be announced in early May, 2013.

Timeline

Round 1: Voting

• March 21st, 2013: Launch, Submissions open for ideasforEdmonton.com
• March 22nd, 2013 (Noon): Winners for the Blue Plate Diner gift certificates + New Balance Acupuncture treatment are drawn
• March 24th, 2013 (11:59PM): Top Voted Idea by this point is automatically selected as 1 of 10 Top Voted Ideas going into Round 2
• April 21st, 2013 (11:59 PM): Voting Stops, end of Round #1

Round 2: Judging

• April 23rd, 2013: Top 10 Voted Ideas Announced, Round 2 Forms provided
• Round 2 Forms to be provided to Top 10 by Ignite. These forms serve as your application for funding and support from Edmonton’s NextGen Ignite. Completed forms must be completed by deadline to qualify for consideration.
• April 28th, 2013 (11:59 PM): Deadline for filling in Round 2 Forms/Documents
• May 2nd, 2013: Winner(s) Announced!

Ideas for Edmonton is proud to be a Make Something Edmonton project! #makesomethingyeg = a show & tell of cool projects #ideas4yeg = funding & resources to help make cool projects reality.  Visit our project page at www.makesomethingedmonton.ca.

It’s MEÆT time!  Edmonton’s NextGen and the Ignite Working Group present MEÆT 3.5: The Amphitheatre at 5:30 pm on December 10, 2012 at the Citadel’s Tucker Amphitheatre, 9828 101A Ave.  In addition to the awesome project/idea/cause pitches, food will be provided by Normand’s Bistro (88% on Urbanspoon!), tunes will be spun by DJ Polyesterday, and we will enjoy performances by our hosts, Rapid Fire Theatre!  Tickets are expected to go fast, so RSVP on Eventbrite!

This is your chance to:

Share a meal.
Connect.
Enjoy performances.
Cast your vote.
Make a difference now.
Become a philanthropist.

There are 2 ways you can enjoy a MEÆTing:

You can (1) apply to have a project funded and come enjoy dinner, and present your project or (2) come enjoy dinner, experience the presentations, vote for your favourite, and donate $10 to fund something awesome.

The best presentation (as determined by the votes) receives the night’s funding.

MEÆT is an event designed to bring us together for a meal and together fund home-grown projects. By getting together and pooling our wealth we can avoid bureaucracy, get right down to the meat of an idea and make it happen.

Visit www.meaet.com for more information and to submit proposals!

Historically, the decision to purchase local was an easy one. You would never have to make a point to do so, and in fact would have to deliberately seek out an alternative. Unfortunately, in current market conditions it is often cheaper to buy goods produced afar despite the added cost of packaging, transportation, etc.. Despite this, support for locally owned businesses is growing as

more and more people are discovering the intrinsic value in spending their money somewhere besides the major chains.

When talking about the environment, it’s easy to get caught up on green initiatives. While these are certainly important, now more than ever, we wanted to focus on the urban environment, the city we live in, and ways in which we can develop and improve it.
 
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After a succesful pilot project in August, Edmonton’s NextGen presents MEÆT1.0 – MICRO-FUNDING TOGETHER, November 26, 2011, 6:30 PM at Latitude 53.

A project of ENGAGE, producers of the popular DIYalouge forums,  MEÆT brings local creatives and new philanthropists together for an evening of short proposals followed by a shared meal. At the end of the meal, all diners vote on which proposal receives the pot of funds to move forward with their project: immediate funding for awesome ideas! MEÆT1.0 is hosted by Nate Box of Elm Café.  For more information onMEÆT and to register, visit www.meaet.com.

“MEÆT 1.0 brings us together for a meal and to fund home-grown projects. By getting together and pooling our wealth we can avoid bureaucracy, get right down to the meat of an idea and make it happen. We look forward to continuing the momentum from the discussions we had with participants of DIYalouge last week,” says Carol Neuman, Engage Working Group Co-Chair.

Edmonton NextGen is looking for MEÆTing participants – limited space is available:

1.       Presenters: Apply to have a project funded, present your project & come enjoy dinner;

2.       Diners: Come enjoy dinner, experience the presentations, vote for your favorite, and donate $10 to fund something awesome.

Twenty-nine (29) spots are remaining; register as a Presenter or Diner at www.meaet.com.

Read on for a reflection from Toscha Turner, NextGen Volunteer, on her
experience planning and hosting MEÆT 0.5…

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