What's your million dollar idea for Oregon?
In what is now being called "The Great Recession," we at Meyer Memorial Trust have challenged ourselves to be responsive and flexible in the face of economic challenges nonprofit organizations have faced.
In 2009 we set aside $1 million and invited organizations to apply for general operating support, something we had not done in the past. In two rounds of funding, we awarded $1,057,000 to 21 organizations. Some of our Responsive Grants went for operating support as well. In addition, we instituted a program to help interested nonprofits plan to share resources in order to operate more efficiently and effectively. We also shifted more of our grants to meet basic human needs like food and shelter.
Despite our and other efforts, Oregon is hurting. The state has been identified as one of the 10 states in most fiscal peril by the Pew Center on the States. Economist Joe Cortright describes Oregon as caught in an economic tornado's downdraft, with a 10% loss in job growth rate (from nearly +4% in 2005 to -6% in 2009). Unemployment remains among the highest levels in the nation. The state has lost 145,000 jobs and 211,000 Oregonians are officially unemployed, with many more underemployed and barely scraping by. Record numbers of citizens have turned to state and local agencies for emergency help with food and shelter, health care, job training and higher education.
Following new revenue updates that show tax revenue $577 million below what was forecast just a few months ago, Oregon's governor has asked all state agencies to cut another nine percent from their budgets.
Economists have warned that this “Great Recession” is not like earlier recessions and recovery will take a long time. Many of the jobs and businesses lost during the recession will never come back. But, as Cortright, who leads Oregon's Council of Economic Advisors points out, a recession is the time to lay a new foundation for building during the next expansion.
The Governor’s Reset Cabinet puts it bluntly: Oregon faces a crossroads in 2011. What we do now will determine how we will fare in facing what comes next, whether we will create a better future or fall further still because we failed to act.
That’s what has led to our announcement today of ideas4oregon for Oregon’s future.
ideas4oregon
Meyer Memorial Trust wants to jumpstart Oregon's historically innovative initiative in the face of the state's multitude of challenges by looking for a million dollar idea proposed by the state’s collective brain.
Why We're Doing This
Meyer Memorial Trust just reached a momentous milestone. Since we began operating in 1982, we've awarded $500 million to tax exempt organizations working for the public good in Oregon and Clark County, WA. Half a billion dollars in 28 years from the personal estate of Fred G. Meyer, one Oregon’s leading entrepreneurs, leaves a powerful legacy.
When we add in what we have paid through our operating budget, we have contributed close to another $40 million to our region's economy. We think Fred Meyer would be proud.
Over the years and now through our website, we've told some of the stories of the work of the nonprofit organizations we have had the privilege and honor to support. We think it's important to look back and acknowledge the "real work" these good folks have accomplished, which we have helped foster and nurture. Our funds have helped make Oregonians healthier and better educated, provided greater access to social services and the arts and culture and helped improve the environment for all who live and visit here.
But to mark this occasion, we prefer to look ahead, not back. Especially given the challenges of the times. That's where we think Fred Meyer would be looking, preparing to take bold action to better serve his customers.
While we know foundation resources alone are by no means sufficient to solve our region's significant challenges, we believe that opportunities exist for MMT to jumpstart actions that will lead us to a brighter future. We are looking for ways to provide meaningful leverage that help create conditions that will lead Oregon to its next best place.
What We Need From You
We begin by inviting all Oregonians and others to help us identify funding opportunities to create a better future for Oregon. Tell us what you think is the most pressing issue facing Oregon that an investment of up to $1 million could provide meaningful support and leverage over the next two years. Give us your best ideas about the form that support and leverage might take.
This million dollars is over and above the grants and program related investments we would have made anyway. It supplements, rather than supplants, our other programs and initiatives.
This is not a time for faint hearted suggestions. We're looking for bold and innovative approaches. And while the nonprofit sector is proving itself to be resilient, innovative and inspired in these times, we need to move beyond our customary categorical thinking and invite all sectors to work together to address the issues we face before it's too late.
We’ve created a web forum for ideas to be outlined and described. The forum is open to the public and everyone is invited to submit ideas and comment on others.
Contributions to ideas4oregon will provide the range of opportunities MMT considers in crafting a new program designed to award up to $1 million during 2011. We are aiming for broad participation in this conversation so the ideas are as innovative, strong and diverse as possible.
Asking for public input in this kind of forum is new for us. Frankly, we don’t quite know what to expect. But we have faith that Oregonians will take this process seriously and contribute their best thinking. We believe Oregonians are ready to reengage and stay engaged and work together to find solutions. But awarding the million dollars depends on the quality of ideas – if we don’t have sufficient participation or we don’t find a good match with MMT’s mission and values, we reserve the right to find another route to helping create a better future for Oregon.
We are confident Oregonians won’t let us down. We expect lively – but civil – discussions. We desire innovative, entrepreneurial ideas…the kind Fred Meyer might have had.
Oregonians have proven again and again that we are capable of breakthrough creative thinking that leads to bold effective action. Meyer Memorial Trust wants to do our part in bringing that spirit back, breaking us out of what feels like contagious pessimism. Please join us in that effort by sharing your best ideas with all of us.
We are confident that by working together we can reset our course and create a better future.
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Jul 5 2011 - 6:06pm
Million dollar idea
Dear Doug,
Here is one idea: plant x-mas trees in freeway right of ways and convert a corresponding amount of the existing x-mas tree farms into sustainable forests or crop farms. There are many advantages to this.
Aug 30 2010 - 10:42am
What's Next for the Ideas?
There have been a wide variety of submissions, some quite broad and visionary, some quite narrow and focused. I'm curious to know if/when the MMT will announce some sort of decision or follow-up action now that a diverse cross section of ideas has been collected.
Aug 30 2010 - 2:42pm
Hey Michael, Thanks for your
Hey Michael,
Thanks for your interest. Our ideas4oregon update has been delayed a bit, but will be coming early next month and we hope you will find it worth the wait.
Best,
Grant
Jul 31 2010 - 12:35pm
com'mon
you can get govermental grant , there are millions of funding locations and angels for what i am reading here ...
what i can also say is... if you have a real idea , that is not PC or a collage students idea of how to spend money , your out of luck .
i can build a ocean driven system of electrical power gen in 1 week end , i can do this with the money in a single 1ooo.oo limit credit card , and pay the money back in 3 months...
because of the eco freak / govermental nerf world we live in... i would also go to jail if i attempted it .
epa / clean water act requires a permit of 20,ooo .oo to run hydrolic lines into the ocean ... and green peace / seirra club would shake down the project long befor it made any money .
oregon parks and rec would have a fleet of cops and a bucket 'o fines for industral zation of the natural beauty of our coast
... you want green power ... but to do this ***i don't need money to build the system... i need it to buy the politic's , and lawyers to protect it as it is being born ***
i want not a dime
i need a monster to stand behind , who will watch over me ... because what we will try to do ... is show private beach front home owners how to build and install 70 kilowatt genarators on pacific ocean beach ...
from canada to mexico .... 10,ooo private home owners ... building on publicaly owned land ...
i don't care how green it is .. or how good it is for the eco ... or how much money it will make for the economy....
the idea that citizens are off the grid , free power , and independant of the goverment...will send the politicaly correct croud into war mode .
this idea can not be done .
the engineering is simple , the concepts are sound , the ocean currents are easily in the billions of horse power...
wind power is 1/ 1000 the mass dencity of ocean water... and the current never speeds up or slows down. ( so get over it ).... its getting across the beach that is the problem .
and frankly speaking... you candie @ss whimps with plastic plans , and color inside the line ideas are afraid to do real world , bold ideas that we honestly needed
i have 300 inventions that will never see the light of day , i could employ millions ...
but i have long ago given up .. not because the idea are not good... but because there is no one with the ablity to lisen
this is one more exsample...
what do you think would happen if you had a hard idea ...
this is so simple , if it were 1810 ... and not 2010 ... i would be building .
the big problems would be engineering , the real problem would be power lines and transmition ....
i have 300 other inventions... and i can't get any one to even lisen to them .
because they are not .... day care , sport shoes , hip hop music , realestate pump and dump , software or car cup holders ...
one day the world will make a mistake , and give me a chance .
...but you have no right to say a word about the economy ,
you are the problem with the economy ...
... and frankly... this is the single open sourse of funding i have seen in 60 years .
go get a uni grant , go talk to hud , darpa , nasa , or the lottery .
what are you doing talking to an idea venture capital ....
geeze us
readerone
Jul 10 2010 - 12:59pm
3D interactive environments: connecting consumers and merchants
My company, Vizitnow3D, has developed technology that can replicate college campuses online in a navigable interactive 3D environment and include nearby business clusters and entertainment districts as well.
The technology includes real time communications that empower students and other users to access daily up-to-date information on campus activities / information and off-campus activities within the community.
The 3D environment empowers merchants with full control (24/7) over their own advertising management system (text, links, photo galleries, video, audio) connected to a 3D replica of their business.
The 3D environment offers students and visitors an innovative method of familiarization with the campus and surrounding attractions. Vizitnow3D connects related communities, like merchants and target market consumers, within an interactive 3D environment, accessible via Web browser or mobile device.
Vizitnow3D's build of navigable interactive 3D college campuses will advance the marketing efforts, enrollment and recruiting of Oregon universities while also uplifting Oregon businesses. The environment is scalable and can start with a single structure or campus or region and continuously add more. Universities across the country will want 3D navigable interactive environments.
Building 3D navigable, interactive replicas of the OSU and Oregon football stadiums can attract millions of sports fans across the state and nation to check out the Beavers and Ducks online. The ability for users to engage in e-commerce in real time within the 3D stadiums means sales of tickets and merchandise. It also means real time promotions of events, contests, polls, surveys, etc. It also means advertising revenue. The marketing of the university sports teams can help recruiting, boost enrollment and invite more national attention to Oregon schools.
The best part is that more universities will want their sports facilities and campuses built inside a navigable, interactive 3D environment. That means more job creation here in southern Oregon (home base for Vizitnow3D), more revenue coming into Oregon and more development of Internet technology companies that can take advantage of multiple unique verticals that our technology is generating. We have identified more than a half-dozen innovative separate vertical opportunities we can immediately bring to market with the proper capital investment.
We've already established strong partnerships and have entered a major race to develop an exploding new online frontier. We are prepared to introduce a paradigm shift in the Internet experience for both users and advertisers. The Meyer Memorial Trust's challenge for out-of-the-box ideas is met by Vizitnow3D.
The next step is for us to work together with MMT to move our technology forward. We've already invested and proved the concept in our demo. Now, we need to fund a working prototype and introduce what we do to the public. The Meyer Memorial Trust can build the launch platform upon which Vizitnow3D can blast into the future, forging a path into new frontiers that benefit all of Oregon.
But this is a race. Waiting for rounds of funding opportunity is a challenge we face, while large-scale companies have the means to quietly experiment and make gains.
We're ready now. We're leading the race. We just need a funding partner to be first to market.
thanks so much.
mike green, ceo
vizitnow3d
541-730-2164
Jul 10 2010 - 9:05am
Million $ idea
My suggestion for the million $ is to buy vacant lots or lots with buildings that need to be demolished in low-income areas and turn them into community gardens. This would address a number of issues:
1. Low income folks would have access to fresh produce
2. It would get people outside more
3. It would promote increased community
4. For some, it would introduce new skills.
5. It would provide a source of income for those skilled enough to produce surplus food.
If there were sufficient resources, some of these lots could also have small flocks of hens which would produce fresh eggs for the community and fertilizer for the gardens. An organization that helps communities do this is Urban Farm. urbanfarmonline.com.
Jul 31 2010 - 1:06pm
the idea that the city
the idea that the city of portland could manage "commons" style gardens is a laught . they can't manage parking lots ... or public bathroom laws . it is beyond the scope of corp politics to attempt such a complex set of conceptual models ... it is however totaly reasonable to build enclosures " green house's " with in the parks .
i would not have any level of goverment involved . the crystal palace in england is a good model of what happens to private ventures that have difficult engineering , left in the hands of committee govermental politics .
i think it can be done.. but only on a private owner operator ,
Jul 10 2010 - 12:56pm
Ideas should be posted to http://www.ideas4oregon.org/
Hi Karen. Remember that your comment here is just a comment on a blog post. To submit your idea for consideration you need to post it at http://www.ideas4oregon.org/
If you sign if first, then the idea will be associated with you, or you can post it anonymously.
Jul 9 2010 - 10:26am
Fundraising Prom
As a member of the non-profit community who is faces the uphill task of finding sponsors and development sources for programs, I would laud the idea of MMT producing a Fundraising "Prom" if you will, where everyone has a date! I'm thinking of a day where non-profits and funders/sponsors come together, in order to find each other. Often when looking for $$, it feels a bit like a needle in a haystack - this way funders/sponsors can see all the choices of programs in need of support, and non-profits can speak to individuals directly and find the funders/sponsors that are most attracted to what they do, whether it's the arts, education, environmental, you name it.
Sep 10 2010 - 10:49pm
Reply to Fund raising Prom
Center for Management of Nonprofit Organizations (now PSU's Institute for Nonprofit Management), Willamette Valley Development Officers and (WVDO) and the National Society for Fund Raising Executives (NSFRE) collaborated for about 10 years in presenting the the Grantmakers/Grantseekers Symposium, later called the NW Spring Symposium. This was an opportunity for nonprofit leaders to meet with representatives from corporate, public and private foundations and to help put faces with proposals. I beleive the event was discontinued sometime around 2003 but never heard the reason for that. Each yearly symposium lasted about a day and a half and was a great resource to everyone. There were usually 15-25 foundations represented at the sysmposium. Perhaps Linda Golaszewski, the current Director of the PSU program, would dicuss the possibility of reviving this event.
Jul 9 2010 - 11:16am
Ideas should be posted to http://www.ideas4oregon.org/
Hi Kristin. Remember that your comment here is just a comment on a blog post. To submit your idea for consideration you need to post it at http://www.ideas4oregon.org/
Jul 12 2010 - 8:40am
Up to 10 ideas are allowed
Vic, you should be able to submit up to 10 ideas. I tested the service to see if it let me add several, and it did. If you do have issues, you can also manually sign an anonymous entry and add your contact details to the text of the idea.
Also, if it is okay with you, I'll leave the comment up for others to benefit from the answer as well.
Jul 9 2010 - 12:02pm
thanks, Grant (and thanks for
thanks, Grant (and thanks for deleting all of my dups!)
Jul 9 2010 - 12:58pm
Thanks for your idea
Thanks for submitting your idea, Kristin. We love seeing them all. I could have posted it for you, but I wanted to let you decide whether you wanted to post it anonymously or not.
Thanks again.
Grant
Jun 22 2010 - 2:58pm
I have been out of work for
I have been out of work for 18 months so this hits home.
1) The Homeless. Use your groceries and clothing to feed and clothe them. And pharmacy to provide medicine they need, but can't afford. So many of the homeless suffer from mental health issues. Being on regular meds may make the difference they need to regain control of their lives. And feed their pet as well.
2) The Uninsured. Set up a fund to cover Oregon's uninsured that have critical medical needs (surgery/treatment) that fall between the cracks and don't qualify for existing state and insurance coverage.
3) Transport the medically fragile that don't have rides from their homes to their place of treatment.
4) Transport Oregon Vets serving abroad home that can't afford the travel expense.
5) Go Green. Set a target date to make all stores green and sustainable like the Oregon Zoo. Improve on their model and be the industry leader.
6) Invest In Local Businesses. Help jumpstart Oregon's economy by considering assisting small to moderate sized busniess in addition to the strictly non profit you do now.
7) Reduce The Cost of Green Products/Organic Food. Oregonians and the earth will thank you.
8) Donate Plants to make community gardens in surrounding neighborhoods.
9) Donate food and merchandise you don't sell to local charities.
10) Invest In Local Building. Like Habitat For Humanity. Where urgent housing needs intersect at construction jobs.
Jun 21 2010 - 8:41pm
Business Mentor Network
I have been unable to gain access to offer my idea for Oregon. A Business Mentor Network is a group of communities (or neighborhoods in a large city) that work together to fund a program which is linked in both directions with centralized sources of information.The only way to combat both the issue of high unemployment and business closure or departure is to create a healthier entrepreneurial climate. The best way to start is by nurturing small businesses through education and support. These could be start ups or existing businesses. The Business Mentor Network (BMN) model will create a network via the development of community resource boards, educate/work incubators, one-on-one meetings with entrepreneurs and a comprehensive website providing information and webinars for clients seeking help day or night. I have written a detailed paper about it which I would be happy to share. BTW, I won five awards fro economic development working for the City of Oakridge until I was laid off last year. The BMN is based upon my experience in that position.
Mar 30 2011 - 10:31am
Your paper
Hi Jenifer, this is the best idea I have seen on this site- could you please send me the paper you describe? Thanks, Jay
Jun 18 2010 - 10:18am
New Nurses + Increased Job Opportunities= Improved Wellness
To quote a famous, forward thinking man, "I have a dream". I am EXCITED (heart racing and fingers cannot type fast enough here) to have the opportunity to, if nothing else, share my idea and get feedback on it's possibility of fruition. THANK YOU MMT!!!
Jun 17 2010 - 6:46pm
Congratulations on engaging Oregonians
“Our duty, as men and women, is to proceed as if limits to our ability did not exist. We are collaborators in creation,” stated Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.
In true pioneering spirit, as exemplified by its founder, the Meyer Memorial Trust is the catalyst to proactively and collaboratively invite all Oregonians to dream BIG dreams. Through this statewide civic engagement process, the Trust offers a forum for people of all ages to generate and share ideas to improve our state. The Trust will then evaluate and select ideas, which it can help plan and implement to make a significant difference for Oregon to become a better place to live, learn, work, and play.
I applaud the Trust for helping instill hopes, dreams, and visions of a brighter tomorrow for all Oregonians. Together, we can create a brighter future for everybody.
Best wishes,
Greg Hansen
Jun 17 2010 - 3:55pm
Please submit your ideas at ideas4oregon.org
I'll move these comments over to the ideas4oregon.org forum, but please post them there – then I won't have to move them :)
Thanks, keep those great ideas coming in! You are making us so glad we asked!
Jun 17 2010 - 12:14pm
A sincere thank you
Thank you Meyer Trustees and staff. This initiative reinvigorates the kind of values Oregonians like to think of ourselves as being motivated by. What a great opportunity for all of us to think and think hard about what would make a difference, a big difference.
Jun 16 2010 - 8:10pm
Million dollar idea for Oregon
First I would like to say thank you MMT and Doug for opening this forum up to oregonians to submit ideas on how to rebuild oregons economy. I think it is about time that we look at different options in how and what we do with our economy before our streets are plagued with homeless and below poverty families even more so than we already are. There is just one suggestion that i would like to propose, for all of the submissions that people supply to you for ideas off a year of groceries at Fred Meyer or 5 top voted ideas receive $1000 in groceries, $500 and so forth because we are all unemployed, poor and living on food stamps. 700,000 Oregonians are living on food stamps it would be nice to see a program put in place but adding a small benefit of groceries for top submissions will get a far greater response from those that will more than likely have the greatest view point on what needs to change. This is just a suggestion. Thank you once again and God Bless you for you commitment to bettering our Oregon.
Jul 31 2010 - 1:49pm
may i add to this ,
may i add to this , there are quite a number of thinking thinkers in the world who would work for free , just room and board .. ( myself for one ) ... if i was given a place to stand , 3 hots and a cot , and a straight percentage of what the idea makes in income to the business .
frankly , i would delight in a work arrangement where i got [ 1 % gross / 3% net / room and board ]
and was given a accountant , a buyer , submission process for proto type evaluation and concept analyst and most important ... wide ranging businesss contacts ... ( nike , intel , ford , microsoft , gunderson , fred myer , oregon steel .... other ) ... for the proto type to go after it is completed .
if my project , area project budget , and design was based on my past market success , and nothing else ... i think i would be in heaven .
if i was left alone to go in what directions i wanted , all based on my past success... and not on a corp director , a board of directors or some corp statement goal or business profile ... i would cry daily and tremble for fear that this could not last .
honestly... the greatest problem is not building beautiful technology .... out of the box solutions to every imaginable problem .... the real problem is getting them infront of a person who is not a troglidite !
most corprate types are anti technology , they are butt kissing trolls , they succeed by blaiming others for their failures ... and have not the smallest clue .
in venture capital there is a joke... give a vulture capitalist a red rubber ball and a stack of paper discribing single point free energy that will save the planet .... and the guy will go for the red rubber ball everytime .
there is a joke about corprate ... you have 15 seconds to sell an idea , 10 seconds if its fundimental to the servival to this guys job... 20 seconds if it was done befor and worked ... 30 seconds if it has a dirty joke or nakid women in it some where .
... and you have 5 seconds if he is late for the game ...
advice to the little ones ... low cost / fast delivery / high quality ... pick any two that you will do ...you can't do all three
advice to the troops ... dream big , take care of your exit plan , never lose hope .
advice to the big guy ... have fun on the way up , the way down is not worth it .
to the innovator ... frustration is your stock and trade , greatness is your armor , never let go !
Jun 16 2010 - 7:10pm
Seniors Coming out of retirement
Bringing jobs back to American will help Oregon and 49 other states. We seniors need to come out of retirement and go to work for companies that will bring their jobs back to America. We can work for a lower wage without medical benefits allowing employers to hire employees with a strong work ethic and a vested interest in a positive outcome (our children and grand-children). This isn't done at the expense of family wage jobs, it's a supplement to those jobs, allowing for growth of the company and more employment.
Jul 31 2010 - 2:04pm
frankly speaking... most
frankly speaking... most retired folks do not want to come out of retirement .
honestly , most people who retire are useless for their last year or two befor they retire .
... and practicaly speaking ....
those who do want to come out of retirement should .
retirement is a death sentance for the vast magority of people , a man with out work is a pitiful creature .
that said ... any one after the age of retirement needs to either stay out of the way , or stay out of the work place . if your not paying for the place you stand , stand where your not slowing things down .
Jun 15 2010 - 8:51pm
education and jobs
I am a retired educator who has had the opportunity in retirement to mentor a number of young people while they work at completing their higher education. I just returned from Salt Lake City where a young woman completed a 2 year nursing degree on her way to a four year diploma. Another young lady is a bilingual teacher with my help through her classes at college. Yet another young lady has graduated with an engineering degree and is having a hard time finding work.
Senior Citizens have completed their work experiences and are in a position to help young people get ahead and find their life's work. I think support of the volunteer literacy program at the community college level could potentially help educate people in jobs that are waiting for them. I feel that education for current and future jobs is the answer to unemplyment at the local level. Many of these young people would succeed with a helping had to guide and encourage them. Seniors would need training and resources to help the young people meet their goals.
Beverlee Koutny, Director of North Marion Senior Center
2781 J Street
Hubbard, OR, 97032
Jun 15 2010 - 4:29pm
2011: Training people for the future jobs!
Orgeon is hurting, because we are not keeping up with the trend of the kinds of jobs, that are being lost in oregon. Logon this website:www.leg.state.or.us/press_releases/hro_101309.html. Most of the job that are being lost are not coming back.
We need to focus on the trend of the future jobs in oregon and that will bring oregon economy up again. Logon this website: www.careerplanner.com/career_articles/top_jobs.cfm.
The problem is, that most people that are unemployed, stop looking for job because they don't qualify the jobs of the furture.
MARTINIAMINC feel that, getting these people educated and train for the future job trend, will change oregon economy.
Jun 15 2010 - 1:52pm
I am so thrilled to see MMT
I am so thrilled to see MMT doing something so innovative and engaging! Kudos
Jul 31 2010 - 12:45pm
may i suggest... you need
may i suggest... you need to make your boss 3 times what he pays you because ... for every dollor he pays you... he pays the goveerment ( state/ fed / city ) a dollor ... and then there is the product which needs to be paid for .
on the job training is how nearly every person on the planet learns their skill.. but to have the money to train a person... you need a product that serves a function ...
in short.. training people is not very well thought out... unless you have an employment model that is working... which we don't have .
if the concept is sound... the details will work them selves out