Then &Amp; Now: Minkel on a Mission to Fund Creative Thinkers

credit:

Karen Minkel's job is "to connect our highly rated proposals to donors who are as excited about them as we are," she tells the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal.

Minkel is the philanthropy director for Lever for Change, a Chicago-based nonprofit that holds open competitions to address some of the world's biggest problemsincluding racial inequity, gender inequality, lack of access to economic opportunity, and climate changeand offers prizes ranging between $10 million and $100 million.

Since its inception in 2019, Lever for Change has facilitated more than $1.3 billion in grants.

Its goal is to reach $2.5 billion by 2025.

The appeal, Minkel says, is that it's an opportunity to "openly source projects or organizations that align with your area of interest."

Since its inception, Lever for Change has developed and managed customized challenges on behalf of a variety of funders, including Pivotal Ventures (Melinda French Gates), institutional funders like the WK Kellogg Foundation, corporate funders like the LEGO Foundation, as well as philanthropic advisers and new and anonymous donors.

As of June 1, Lever for Change has facilitated over $1.3 billion in grants.

Minkel began working for the organization in April 2022.

She worked for the city of Fayetteville for seven years (2005-2012), three of those as director of

Read the Entire Article

How's Your Community Doing?
Check Out it's
Community Vital Signs

Brazil and the United States: Partners for a Sustainable Future

The US and Brazil have a lot in common: They both produce about 25% of the world's food, they both have vast territories, and they both want to be more sustainable and less reliant on fossil...more

Exploring Three Frontiers in Marine Biomass and Blue Carbon Capture

More than half of the world's biological carbon is captured and stored by marine living organisms, which are threatened by acidification, temperature change, severe storms, and...more

Healing, Bridging, Thriving: A Reflection on the Climate Arts Caucus

The National Endowment for the Arts and the White House Domestic Policy Council are hosting a summit on arts and culture in our communities on Jan. 30, 2024, and they want to know what can be...more

New Innovative Crops Could Significantly Reduce Agriculture'S Climate Change Impact and ...

Scientists are working on a breakthrough that could have "sweep implications for global food security and environmental sustainability," according to a release from the Novo Nordisk...more

Innovative Spoon 'Electrocutes' Your Tongue for a Saltier Taste

A beverage company in Japan has come up with a spoon that claims to enhance the taste of salt without increasing one's sodium intake. The high-tech spoon works by emitting a weak electric field...more

Nine Key Takeaways about the 'State of Co2 Removal' in 2024

A new report on the state of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is out, and it's full of good news and bad news. The good news is that the world is on track to hit its goal of keeping the global...more

World Environment Day

Every year on June 5, the UN celebrates World Environment Day, and this year's theme is "Our Land." In a press release, the World Health Organization notes that South-East Asia has the highest...more

Asia Green Fund U.S.-China Green Fund I Partner Conference 2023 Is Successfully Held in Beijing

One of the world's largest green investment funds is set to announce its first transaction in the US. Per the Wall Street Journal, the Asia Green Fund (AGF) plans to invest up to $1 billion in a...more

Believe It or Not, It'S Possible for Investors to Both Make Money and Do Good

Texas is following in the footsteps of Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Utah by pulling billions from BlackRock, the world's biggest asset manager. The Texas State Board of Education...more

Amazon Sustainability Accelerator: the 15 European Start-Ups

Amazon is taking a stand against climate change, and it's putting its money where its mouth is. The company on Tuesday announced the 15 startups that have been selected to participate in the...more