Edmonton philanthropists support 'awesome' projects

Local chapter of worldwide network hands out monthly $1,000 grants

The Edmonton chapter of the Awesome Foundation

EDMONTON — Physiotherapist Craig Wilson was driving to work when he heard about the Awesome Foundation on the radio. He called the Boston-based organization to confirm that Edmonton didn’t have a chapter, then set about to form one.

The foundation is a worldwide network devoted to “forwarding the interest of awesomeness in the universe,” its website says. Every month, it distributes $1,000 grants to projects and their creators.

The morning Wilson heard about the foundation, he asked co-worker Jen Allen to join. Carolyn Knight joined within days and recruited her boyfriend Curtis Leibel, a real-estate agent. He recruited Mark Kuzio, a homebuilder.

Within months, they had 10 “trustees” and their first pitch party, where people pitched their ideas for funding. A student walked away with $1,000 to do theatre with street youth.

That’s the way things work for the new generation of philanthropists, says Carol Neuman, co-chair of the engagement committee for the municipal Next Gen initiative. “The approach is, ‘I can do it on my own. I can figure out information, I have the tools at my disposal. So just watch me. That’s (generation) X and definitely Y, that’s a big Y characteristic.”

The new philanthropy and civic engagement is direct, personal and has a shamelessly idealistic belief in the potential of an idea.

The new Edmonton Awesome Foundation trustees are all friends of friends or business associates with an average age of 32.

The idea is simple. Each of the trustees donates $100 a month. They invite anyone in Edmonton to submit ideas through their website, edmontonawesome.com.

For the first round, they got ideas from 24 people. They invited five of those to give a 90-second presentation to a crowd of roughly 75 at the art gallery Latitude 53 on Sept. 30.

Kwok Seto, owner of the new Tutti-frutti frozen yogurt store on Whyte Avenue, said he would use the $1,000 to buy coolers so he could transport free frozen yogurt to kids at the Stollery Children’s Hospital.

Education student Ryan Beck promised to use the money to support a new drama program for youth living on the street. He has already cleaned up and painted the basement of the old peep show at Jasper Avenue and 96th Street, the new location of iHuman, a support group for youth. It’s giving him the space, but has no money for supplies.

Marilyn Gaa, a Raging Granny who brought the only grey-haired cheering section to the crowd, said she would plant raspberries, and apple, pear and plum trees in city parks, starting a pilot project that would bring free fresh food to the city.

Justin Draper, a Victoria high school student, wanted the money to start a music website to connect local musicians and help them promote their bands.

And finally, Danielle Boudreau, founder of the annual walk for missing and murdered women, wanted the money to incorporate the seven-year-old effort as a not-for-profit so fundraising would be easier and the march could go international.

The 10 trustees stepped outside to debate and find a consensus.

Edmonton Awesome is the new kid on a scene that’s growing lively in Edmonton, said Neuman. “It’s almost like (you need a) finer sieve to sort of catch all of the local, micro movements that are happening.”

In her role with Next Gen, which targets the 18-to-40 demographic, she helped promote this event and others like it. Most have the same focus on individual ideas and person-to-person connections.

Next Gen’s Pecha Kucha nights give 10 people each six minutes and 40 seconds to present an idea. That event has been so successful that Next Gen is now planning the 12th event since 2008. They draw crowds of more than 500.

The group also hosts political events to connect young people with politicians in a speed-dating format, and hosted a micro-lending event like Edmonton Awesome, where 50 people donated $10 at a backyard barbecue and the winner walked away with $500.

When baby boomers were young, the focus was on large institutions and big government. Mass movements rose up in response. Now the emphasis is shifting. The attitude is different, Neuman said.

“One person is enough in a generation like this, and there’s a real hunger from people that are 20 to 40 to become more responsible, to become agents of change in their own communities and in their own lives,” she said, including herself in that generation. “It’s sort of that first taste of empowerment.”

“We’re just regular guys,” said Brad Sharpe, one of the trustees. “That’s what’s going to make this thing grow really big.”

“We want to spread the idea that you can do anything if you just have a chance to get going,” added Kuzio, another trustee.

After considering the applications, the group declared Beck the winner, gave him a handmade sack with the cash and made him swear an oath.

“I will endeavour to pursue my idea with full verve and vigour,” he said. “I will carry the mantle of awesome as an awesome ambassador until the day I die so that awesome may live forever.”

He paused, embarrassed: “I am awesome.”

But Beck wasn’t the only winner.

Trustees couldn’t resist getting involved further.

One of them, a civil lawyer, offered to convince his boss to help Boudreau incorporate the march for free.

Gaa left happy, too. Trustee John Albert signed up to help on his own, and Sharpe volunteered his skills in web design to help Draper get started.

As Edmonton Awesome grows, audience members might step up and do more for an idea than the 10 trustees can, Albert said.

Seto, who wanted coolers for his frozen yogurt plan, was the only pitcher who left without a solution.

“This party took on a life of its own,” said MC Raj Dhillon, thanking each person who pitched. “And if anyone knows anyone with coolers, hook this man up.”

Coming up: Edmonton Awesome’s next pitch party is Oct. 27. For more information on this and other initiatives, go to edmontonnextgen.ca