The Awesome Foundation is, well, awesome.
The Alaska Chapter launched on June 1, and upon discovery I fell in love for three reasons:
- Alaska IS awesome
- I overuse the word “Awesome” so am thrilled when other people/organizations use it because I can excuse for my own continued overuse
- The foundation describes itself as “Advancing the interest of awesome in the universe, $1,000 at a time”
Inspiring and intriguing, right?
I did a little digging, and it turns out the Awesome Foundation was launched in Boston during 2009. Since then, it’s grown to 77 chapters in 19 countries with 1557 projects funded, which means the foundation has issued $1,557,000 in grants.
Each chapter gets to define awesome for themselves, although the following is offered as a guide:
“…awesome projects include initiatives in a wide range of areas including arts, technology, community development, and more. Many awesome projects are novel or experimental, and evoke surprise and delight. Awesome sometimes challenges and often inspires.”
The Alaska Chapter is looking for projects that have impact, surprise, and ingenuity; projects for which $1000 will really make a difference and not just be a drop in the funding bucket.
Interested in being awesome? These are the questions asked on the grant application:
- Tell us about your awesome project
- How will you use the money?
- Tell us a little about yourself
- Do you qualify and receive a PFD (Alaskans only!)
- How is $1000 going to make a difference to your project, you as an individual, and Alaska as a community?
- What makes your project unique?
So, do you have an idea? The first funding cycle is open – go get your $1,000 and do something AWESOME for Alaska!
Gretchen: Yes, that is awesome! And I share your love and overuse of that word.
Hooray! Or shall I say… AWESOME.