GreenUp - Engaging communities to build green & resilient cities in India by senaditi

If there had been more detail added this idea could have improved substantially. Your proposal is very different and worthy because of that, and sets out some modest -realistic- goals, which is good. However it could reuse other exixting tools. The feasibility is questionable though. A greater focus in the financial side to it would help. Another big topic here would be advertisement.

Further information on business model provided below: GreenUp’s mission: To encourage communities to adopt green infrastructure by providing access to funds and educational resources through a crowd-sourcing platform. How will GreenUP work? The crowd-sourcing platform will customize existing tools (eg, OpenPlans or Crowdswell) – the use of existing tools will significantly drive down development costs. The platform will allow for both crowd sourcing funds (like Kick starter) and crowd sourcing design ideas and know-how. It will have four key features: 1) Fund – This will allow users to raise funds from the crowd for implementing their green infrastructure projects. 2) Learn – This will allow users to learn about initiating and implementing various green infrastructure projects like green roofs or rain garden through access to education resources 3) Connect – This will allow users to connect to various private vendors, local government agencies and non-profits who could help implement green infrastructure projects. This feature will also feature paid advertisements from vendors who provide various green building services (eg, solar panels, energy efficiency appliances, landscape architects, real estate companies that specialize in green buildings). Note – In order to ensure that the listing of service providers is impartial, advertised listings will be clearly demarcated. 4) Share - Fund + Learn + Connect = GreenUp (Users with completed projects will share their stories and inspire others) Here is how it would work: A community wants to revegetate degraded wetlands or a local school wants to create a rain garden in their premises, they mobilize support within the community to raise funds, refine their ideas and implement the project. The platform is therefore as much about raising funds as it is about mobilizing community participation in green projects. Value proposition: For local governments and cities – - Increasing the adoption of green infrastructure practices (and therefore reducing climate vulnerability, reducing GHG emissions, improving local air quality and livability) - Increasing citizen/community participation in building green and climate friendly cities For citizens/community groups - Providing access to funds and therefore overcoming the barrier that lack of upfront capital presents for the implementation of green infrastructure practices - Providing access to educational resources that give users the know –how for implementing green infrastructure projects. - Provide access to private vendors, local government agencies and non-profits who could help implement green infrastructure projects. Key stakeholders: Channels (facilitators) Local governments and NGOs - Ideally, local governments should facilitate the use the platform to encourage communities to adopt green infrastructure practices. End users (target market segment): While a range of community groups can use the platform, key target market segments would be: Community environmental action groups such as Vanshakti in Mumbai advocating for protecting the city’s wetlands could use the platform. Schools –Schools represent a very significant market segment. For example, a city Like Mumbai has over 1000 municipal schools and over 500 private schools. Green schools can also be an important for catalyst for ecological learning. Market analysis: Several cities in the US like Seattle , San Diego, New York and DC have initiated green infrastructure plans such as living shorelines or rebates for effective storm water management. Though few such initiatives in Asian cities. Several green building and green schools initiatives exist in the US. Again , few such initiatives in Asian cities. BUT key barriers impede the implementation of green initiatives Financial limitations to pay for upfront costs Lack of awareness of the simple steps communities can take to implement green projects. Financials: Platform development and maintenance Managing channel partnerships Key revenue sources: % of funds raised as administrative fee Advertising revenue from vendors providing green services, real estate firms specializing in green buildings etc Grants, donations and patient capital Potential sources of funding /partnerships - Given the growing awareness of climate change impacts, business houses in Mumbai have come together to support a greener Mumbai and companies like Mahindra and Godrej who are environmental champions might fund the initiative. Opportunities to source philanthropic funds from other sources such like Rockefeller which has a focus on urban resilience will also be explore. While in a budget constrained environment, getting funds from city governments will be extremely challenging, there might be a possibility of raising funds through organizations like ICLEI. Finally, funding sources for social enterprises like Ashoka that can provide seed stage funding will be explored.

Hi Senaditi and friends, kindly consider to vote for my proposal shown in the link below https://www.climatecolab.org/web/guest/plans/-/plans/contestId/1300206/planId/1002 Thanks in advance.

I voted! Thanks Aditi

Congratulations!!! Please check the "Discusion Section" in the "Community" label... Proposal of activity during the Conference Session of 2014 Winners... https://www.climatecolab.org/web/guest/discussion#discussion%3DpageType%3ATHREAD%2CthreadId%3A1337218