Story Search Results

Advanced Search

There are so many ways to search the solutions journalism stories in this database. Explore our searchable fields:

Search Results

You searched for: -

There are 616 results for your search. View and Refine Your Search Terms

What Kenya can teach its neighbors — and the US — about improving the lives of the "unbanked"

Kelsey Piper

September 11, 2020 |

Vox |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Kenya

Mobile banking in Kenya has increased economic mobility for families living in poverty. The mobile money system is not connected to bank accounts, making it accessible to the overwhelming majority of Kenyans who don't have bank accounts but do have cell phones. Mobile banking allows deposits and withdrawals as well as transfers, and has allowed families to save money to use when their income, often from farming, takes a hit thus creating a security net for themselves and allowing them to receive funds from friends and family. Savings allow families to meet basic needs and access medical care if necessary.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Investors Want to Align Their Dollars with Racial Justice Demands

Oscar Perry Abello

September 08, 2020 |

Next City |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

Investors are using their clout to call for racial justice through the investment consulting firm Activest. The firm is attracting millions of dollars from companies that want to make fiscal justice investments. In a bid to use investments to fuel the grassroots criminal justice movement, Activest is alerting municipal bond investors when the city of Chicago uses those bonds for police brutality settlements. Activest has lined up $100 million from investors who want to make fiscal justice investments through municipal bonds which would then allow them to have a say over how it is, or is not, spent.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Maryland Stands Up Online Grants Application in Just 8 Hours

Andrew Westrope

September 02, 2020 |

Government Technology |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Maryland

The Maryland Department of Information Technology adapted an existing system to quickly distribute small-business grants and loans due to Covid-19. The Maryland OneStop platform, a single site for state licenses, permits, and certifications, was built with an agile approach decoupling front-end user experience from the back-end where the program does the work, which allowed quick front end modifications to launch the loan and grants online when coronavirus hit. The system processed 18,000 applications in the first 3 days and 56,000 within a month. The success was preceded by many years of planning and work.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Bitcoin Miner Is Scoring 700% Profits Selling Energy to Grid

Chris Martin

September 01, 2020 |

Bloomberg |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Texas

A cryptocurrency mining company in Texas called Layer1 can power down its data-processing centers and sell its unused electricity back to the power grid. Instead of passively consuming energy, they are able to utilize batteries, smart meters, and artificial intelligence software to use more renewable energy and, at the same time, make a profit. While scaling this response can be difficult due to restrictions from utility companies on how consumers get their energy, Layer1 estimates it will save up to $6.7 million annually by cutting production for 30 minutes during some of the hottest days in the summer.

Read More
Go to Original Story
How investor pressure prompted oil majors to wake up to climate change

Attracta Mooney

August 31, 2020 |

Financial Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom

Due to pressure from shareholders and asset managers to invest sustainably, there has been a rapid growth in environmental, social, and government investing. Assets in sustainable mutual funds globally reached $1 trillion in the second quarter of 2020 and fund managers rolled out 107 new sustainable funds in Europe. Despite this increase in interest, shareholders continue to grapple with balancing sustainable considerations with investment decisions.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Rebuild Foundation and Sunshine Enterprise team up to train city's creative entrepreneurs

Arionne Nettles

August 31, 2020 |

The Chicago Reader |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

Artists in Chicago can benefit from entrepreneurial training programs which teach technical business skills, provide access to information about art grants and also build a network of like-minded creatives. Rebuild Foundation and Sunshine Enterprise are two initiatives that have provided creative entrepreneurs with the specific skills needed for creative ventures to succeed. The needs of this community of business owners is different from typical entrepreneurs.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Mexico Is Saving Its Coral Reef From Hurricanes With A One-Of-A-Kind Plan

Alexandra Kirkman

August 24, 2020 |

The Huffington Post |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Mexico, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo

To protect the Mesoamerican Reef from the effects of climate change, key stakeholders in Mexico created the world’s first insurance policy to protect a natural asset. The policy provides an immediate infusion of cash in the event of a damaging storm, allowing hotel owners and local governments to quickly repair the reef and prevent further degradation. A volunteer corps of people called the Guardians of the Reef make those repairs. While the insurance policy doesn’t cover pollution or overfishing, this mechanism could work for reefs in other countries to restore and protect threatened ecosystems.

Read More
Go to Original Story
City grant programs help Mission businesses hold on

Annika Hom

August 12, 2020 |

Mission Local |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

San Francisco entrepreneurs are benefiting from several emergency city relief programs which have proven vital to small businesses. The city is funding both The Resiliency Fund and Neighborhood Mini Grants. The former is for businesses across the city with 5 or fewer employees, while the latter is specifically for businesses within seven underserved neighborhoods in the Mission District. To date, both funds have provided over $3 million for store owners who are struggling to pay rent while dealing with plummeting revenues.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Bogotá Is Building its Future Around Bikes

Andrea Jaramillo

August 10, 2020 |

Bloomberg |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Colombia, Bogotá

To help essential workers navigate the notorious traffic of Bogota, the city built over 50 miles of an emergency bike network. The plan was in place before the arrival of coronavirus but the execution was sped up to meet the demands of increased bike usage. Other measures were also put into place to make the roads more bike and pedestrian-friendly: Reduced speed limits for cars, a 20 percent increase in private parking for bikes, and a bike registration system to deincentivize bike theft. Efforts to expand bike lanes not only eased traffic, they also helped relieve pressure on the overcrowded bus system.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Short on Money, Cities Around the World Try Making Their Own

Peter Yeung

August 07, 2020 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Tenino, Washington

Complementary currencies are local alternatives to national currencies that help local economies when budgets are tight. Tenino prints “wooden dollars” and residents in need get up to $300/month to spend at local businesses from grocery stores to day cares. Cities across the US have reached out for advice on starting their own local currencies, which can take many forms including digital-only. There are 3,500-4,500 local currencies in 50 countries, including Brazil’s Maricá where it helped the under-resourced city build schools and hospitals. These currencies have no value outside of the local economy.

Read More
Go to Original Story