DreamNow's Blog

Award: Brower Youth Award

Earth Island Institute
Deadline: May 15^th 2010

The Deal: The Brower Youth Awards are given to six young environmental leaders each year from the ages of  13 to 22.  In addition to the award, you receive $3000 dollars in cash, a week-long trip to San Francisco,  training, access to media, contacts and a chance to present your work at the Bioneers Conference. This is a great opportunity for all individuals between the ages of 13 - 22 living in North America.

+ DreamNow: We first connected with the Brower Youth Award team at the Bioneers Conference three years ago. They are a great group and do a really good job providing support and recognition to youth leaders in the environmental movement. Several of our friends have won over the years and they all have great things to say-- from the speaking engagements to the award ceremony itself. 

Fellowships: Deshpande Innovators Challenge

Deshpande Foundation

Deadline: January 15, 2010

The Deal: An interesting twist on the volunteer abroad model the Deshpande Foundation has various fellowships for individuals that want to work in the 'sandbox region' of India. They are partnered with Ashoka and have identified nine key issues in the region and if you propose a solution they will fund you to travel to India and implement the project with your team. They also have shorter term and area specific opportunities. It is an interesting blend of funding for start-up social enterprises and travel abroad experiences. 

More Information   Application Form

Funding: Alberta Environment Project Grants

Alberta Eco Trust

Deadline: Rolling

The Deal:  If you are a young person  (16-29) and have an idea for an environmental project in Alberta then the Alberta Eco Trust's grant program called Young Environmental Stewards will give you $5000 dollars to make it happen. They have been given $100,000 over two years by Trans Alta and they need to give it away. The application is pretty simple, so get an idea, get some friends together and apply. 

More Information Application Form

Funding: Movers and Changers- $25,000

MTV U

Deadline: October 16th, 2009

The Deal: MTV U is holding a competition called Movers + Changers which is looking for a business idea that both makes money + changes the world. They use TOM's Shoes as an example but look like they are open to any business plan that does good and makes money. The top three finalists get to ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange and the winner gets the money. Unfortunately, the competition is only for US residents.

+ DreamNow: This is dramatically related to all the work that we have been doing to help people make money and change the world. If you want to follow the latest work that we are doing join the facebook group here.  

More Information    Apply Here

Funding: New Mythos Research Grant

Opus Archives

Deadline: September 15th 2009

The Deal:  The Opus Archives houses a collection of archives from Joseph Cambell and a number of other scholars focussed on psychology, mythology and the humanities. They are offering 5-7 grants of between 3 to 5 thousand dollars for people to do research in their archives in Santa Barbara, California. It sounds like a real opportunity to delve into storytelling, the orgins and creations of myth and who we are as humanity. The great thing is researchers are encouraged to manifest their work in any creative form they wish. 

Apply and More Info

Funding: S.E.VEN Mini Grant

Social Equity Venture Fund (S.E.VEN)

Deadline: Rolling

The Deal: S.E.VEN focuses on finding enterprise-based solutions to global poverty. If you have an idea for an enterprise-based solution and can get it going for $10,000 dollars or under it is worth a shot. They also are focused on funding research as it connects to the problem. Beyond their under $10,000 dollar mini-grant program they have an annual RFP process for larger asks. 

More Information     Apply Here

Funding: HughJackman + Twitter

@Hughjackman

Deadline: April 24th 2009

The Deal: The man behind Wolverine, Hugh Jackman, is planning on giving $100,000 dollars away to the person that can convince him they deserve it in a 140 charachter 'tweet'. It may be a pretty large shot in the dark but then again it may be worth trying- it's only a sentence or two. 

+DreamNow: DreamNow just got on Twitter about two days ago and we are just figuring it out. We are using it as a way to share some of the questions that the staff in our office are asking throughout our days-- the ideas being that it will give people an inside look into what we are thinking about as an organization and as individuals. If you have advice for us we would love to hear from you and if you want to follow us you can do so @dreamnoworg.

More Info   Apply Here

Funding: UN Habitat Urban Youth Funding

UN Habitat
Deadline: June 1st 2009

The Deal: UN Habitat has created a 2 million dollar fund that is for youth-led projects that are based in developing countries. They are giving small grants of $5000 and larger ones of $25 000 to young people between the ages of 15 to 32. It is called the Opportunities Fund so check it out and apply at the links below. 

More Information     Apply Here

Award: Brower Youth Awards

Earth Island Institute
Deadline: May 15^th 2009

The Deal:  The Brower Youth Awards are given to six young environmental leaders each year from the ages of  13 to 22.  In addition to the award, you receive $3000 dollars in cash, a week-long trip to San Francisco,  training, access to media, contacts and a chance to present your work at the Bioneers Conference in 2009.

+ DreamNow:   Friends of ours from the Sierra Youth Coalition have won this award in the past and we have had the chance to attend and work with the Bioneers folks a few years ago. The award is an amazing opportunity and has had several Canadian winners in the past.

More Information   Apply Here 

Investment: Start@Spark

Start@Spark

The Deal: This is a little different than other opportunities that come across our desk but is still worth sharing. A  new program has been launched called Start@Spark which is aiming to provide up to $250,000 dollars in investment to new business ideas in the ‘seed stage’ meaning all you need is an idea and a team.  If you have an idea that falls between the parallels of media, technology and entertainment than check it out. If you are selected you may have to move to New York or Boston but hey you may also be starting a company... 

More Information        Apply Here