RE-volv and the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation Offering Hurricane Zones $120,000 of Matching Funds to Install Solar Panels on Schools, Community Centers, Homeless Shelters, Churches and Other Types of Non-Profit Organizations

Good Samaritan’s that Donate $25 to $1,000 to Help Non-Profits Install Solar Power Arrays Will Receive a Tax Credit in Return for Their Donation to Help Generate Clean, Green Solar Electricity

By Robert Hoskins

Puerto Rico – The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation will provide a $120,000 award of matching funds to RE-volv, a solar crowdfunding platform, to install affordable roof top or community solar power for any non-profit organization located in Florida, Puerto Rico, Texas, and impacted cities throughout the United States. This makes it easy for any charity fundraising organization, school, community center, homeless shelter, pet welfare shelter, church or any other type of 503(c) non-profit organization that would like to install a solar power system to go to revolv.org and build a free crowdfunding profile that will allow them to raise enough money from friends, family and the general public to build solar power arrays that will generate free solar electricity for the next 25 years.

RE-volv and the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation Offering Hurricane Zones $120,000 of Matching Funds to Install Solar on Schools, Community Centers, Homeless Shelters, and Churches

Good Samaritans that would like join academy-award winner, Leonardo DiCapri, and RE-volv in supporting solar crowdfunding campaigns to provide free solar power can donate money online with a credit card.  Anyone that makes a donation will receive a tax credit that can be filed with their personal or corporate tax return at the end of the year.

The partnership will provide matching funding for RE-volv’s 503 (c) crowdfunding platform, allowing donors the opportunity to double their contributions with support from the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation.

RE-volv supports solar energy projects for nonprofits that lack access to financing options. An estimated 1.5 million nonprofits in the U.S. face financial barriers to obtaining solar power, as they do not qualify for solar tax credits or are too small to attract traditional investors. RE-volv bridges this funding gap for organizations that provide valuable public services to vulnerable communities, including homeless shelters, schools, community centers, and houses of worship. This is the largest grant to date for RE-volv, a two-time awardee of the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative.

“RE-volv is working to make sure that the benefits of solar can reach everyone, including nonprofit organizations and the people they serve,” said Andreas Karelas, Executive Director of RE-volv. “Thanks to this generous grant from the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, RE-volv will be able to scale its impact and bring solar to even more nonprofits around the country.”

RE-volv’s unique solar crowdfunding platform is the first to employ a revolving fund. Donors select a specific nonprofit to support and, as the project pays back dividends through a solar lease agreement, the user can then reinvest their earnings into new solar projects through the RE-volv platform. This pay-it-forward model helps to accelerate solar energy deployment in local communities while keeping donors engaged in solar projects.

“The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation is excited to support RE-volv,” said Gregory Lopez, Climate Program Director of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. “Not only is their work important in deploying solar energy and reducing greenhouse gasses, their unique solar crowdfunding business model provides an introduction of accessible, renewable energy to new communities.”

To date, RE-volv has raised over $300,000 from over 1,000 people in 22 countries. It has crowdfunded ten solar projects (150 kW of capacity) in four states, include Harbor House in Oakland, which serves refugee, immigrant, and low-income families with after-school programs and ESL classes, and Morris Chapel Baptist Church, the oldest African American Church in Philadelphia.

Thanks to the solar crowdfunding campaigns, grantees are expected to save between 15 and 40 percent on their electric bills. In total, these ten nonprofits will save more than $1.5 million over the life of their solar energy systems. RE-volv’s solar revolving fund, the Solar Seed Fund, is now worth $650,000 in future lease payments from these ten projects – payments which will be used to finance at least 20 more solar energy projects.

In addition to financing projects, RE-volv invites college students, community volunteers and solar advocates to become RE-volv Solar Ambassadors, who in turn lead ground efforts to deploy solar. RE-volv has educated 10,000 people about solar energy through training, outreach, and more than 100 events.

RE-volv empowers people to take direct action on climate change by crowdfunding solar energy projects for nonprofit organizations. Donations made to RE-volv’s crowdfunding campaigns grow a revolving fund that provides solar financing for nonprofits across the nation. RE-volv is an inaugural member of the White House National Community Solar Partnership.

Founded in 1998, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF) works to protect the Earth’s last wild places by implementing solutions that restore balance to threatened ecosystems, and ensuring the long-term health and wellbeing of all its inhabitants.

# # #

Robert Hoskins
(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR

---

Mr. Robert Hoskins is a seasoned marketing veteran with a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses as well as Fortune 500 corporations launch successful marketing communications campaigns to gain market traction for a wide variety of products and services.

On a regular basis, Mr. Hoskins consults with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.

Google search “Robert Hoskins Crowdfunding” to see why Mr. Hoskins is considered one of the industry’s foremost crowdfunding experts that has amassed a huge social media following, which is dedicated to supporting donation-, rewards- and equity-based crowdfunding campaigns.

 

Advertisement

GoSun Exhibits Fuel-Free Solar Stove at Consumer Electronics (CE) 2017 to Support Equity Crowdfunding Campaign

GoSun is introducing the world’s first fuel-free solar powered grill, utilizing energy from the sun to bake, boil, fry or steam a meal for six in less than one hour, at the Metropolitan Pavilion during CE Week 2017, July 12 and 13 in New York City

By Robert Hoskins, Crowdfunding PR

New York City, New York – In order to expand its clean-tech business, the GoSun outdoor solar grill is undertaking an equity crowdfunding raise with the assistance of SeedInvest that for as little as $500, anyone can own a piece of GoSun and its solar powered future. GoSun will be tapping is growing crowd of customers to support its crowdfunding campaign with more 11,000+ stoves sold in +60 countries, and major distribution agreements signed with major retailers such as ACE Hardware, Brookstone, Cabela’s, REI, Home Depot and in third world countries where there is no electricity, propane or natural gas to cook with.

GoSun is introducing the world’s first fuel-free solar powered grill, utilizing free, green solar energy from the sun to bake, boil, fry or steam a meal for a family of people six in less than one hour

GoSun’s line of innovative solar cookstoves can bake, boil, or fry almost anything, just by using the power of the Sun’s solar energy. It’s clean and safe: there are no fossil fuels or wood, no smoke or emissions, no hot coals, no open flames, no explosive gas, and no grease or soot, which are major detriments in many undeveloped countries.

“According to the UN, over 3 billion people, are still cooking on fuels, such as Kerosene or wood, that are harmful to their health, contributing to deforested landscapes and a cycle of poverty,” explained Patrick Sherwin, GoSun Founder and CEO. “GoSun is committed to making game-changing clean cooking devices to power the good life in both developed and developing markets. The newly released GoSun Grill is designed to provide a convenient and accessible way to cook with free, clean, green solar energy while promoting sustainability and healthy cooking.”

How GoSun Solar Stove Works
The GoSun solar stoves incorporate a proprietary vacuum tube technology that allows for fast cooking, portability, simple operation, and safe and clean cooking, without propane or charcoal. Sunlight is focused by parabolic reflectors onto the vacuum tube that converts up to 80% of solar radiation into heat that builds up to temperatures of 550°F or 288°C. Despite the high cooking temperatures, the exterior of the grill remains cool. In addition, the vacuum tube also doubles as an insulator, keeping the food hot even with clouds, or in the freezing cold conditions.

How Much Does the GoSun Solar Stove Cost?
GoSun’s cookers are available online at REI, Home Depot, Brookstone or via GoSun’s website, at prices ranging from $279 to $799.

Solar Electric Hybrid Grill
“While we are excited about everything the grill can do, we realized it was lacking one capability – cooking at night,” stated Sherwin. “So we are also developing a solar electric hybrid grill that stores the sun’s energy enabling cooking at night.”

The storage solution includes a Photovoltaic (PV) panel to capture the energy during the day and an option electrical heating element to enable cooking at night. By placing the electrical heating element on the grill and leveraging the vacuum tube’s insulation capability, the hybrid grill cooks using only a fraction of the energy of an electric stove. The hybrid version of the grill will be available in 2018.

GoSun is an innovative manufacturer of solar cookers that can heat up to 550°F and cook a meal in as little as 20 minutes with no fuel other than the sun’s  free, green solar energy. What started as a simple inspiration has grown into the leading name in fuel-free cooking, delivering thousands of stoves in more than 60 countries. Visit www.GoSunStove.com for more information.

# # #

Robert Hoskins
(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR

---

Mr. Robert Hoskins is a seasoned marketing veteran with a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses as well as Fortune 500 corporations launch successful marketing communications campaigns to gain market traction for a wide variety of products and services.

On a regular basis, Mr. Hoskins consults with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.

Google search “Robert Hoskins Crowdfunding” to see why Mr. Hoskins runs one of the industry’s foremost crowdfunding PR, social media and marketing agencies that has amassed a huge social media following and is dedicated to supporting a wide variety of donation, rewards and equity crowdfunding campaigns.

Front Page PR Rolls Out Turnkey PR/Media Relations Service Portfolio for Franchises, Construction, Home Services (Solar & Energy Efficiency), Industrial, Manufacturing, and High-Tech Companies

For less than $5k per month, this leading public relations, social media and marketing firm will help startups, existing companies and corporations generate more website traffic and increase monthly sales

By Robert Hoskins

Maryville, Tennessee – Seeking a leading edge PR firm? Whether your company needs help generating publicity for a franchise’s Ripley’s Believe It or Not event or would benefit from generating positive PR publicity for a business-to-business (B2B) home service company that installs solar, saves money with home energy audits or offers HVAC tuneup services to help homeowners save money on monthly energy bills, Front Page PR can provide a cost-effective, turnkey growth-hacking marketing program for around $5,000+tax per month.

Front Page PR Rolls Out Turnkey PR/Media Relations Service Portfolio for Franchises, Construction, Home Services (Solar & Energy Efficiency), Industrial, Manufacturing, and High-Tech Companies

Front Page PR’s team of marketing experts can help growing companies write press releases, develop online press rooms, build social media networks, plan a digital advertising program, write search engine optimized blog pages for content marketing, generate precise databases of vertical B2B media contacts, write effective media pitches, build media relationships with the management team, find trade show panels discussion for subject matter experts to speak at and harvest email addresses for carefully-tailored email marketing programs. An excellent price for a full portfolio marketing services that is hard to beat and represents one of the most cost-effective deals in the B2B marketing industry.

“One of the most challenging decisions that most small companies face is hiring their first marketing consulting firm,” said Robert Hoskins, Front Page PR’s Director of PR and Media Relations. “Regardless of whether it’s a small startup seeking to gain market traction, a small business that wants to expand their existing business operations or a large corporation that is seeking merger and acquisition partners, our team of seasoned media relations experts can help any business move mountains with words and sway public persuasion with positive trade publication and business media interviews.”

“The average rate that most PR firms charge clients is $10,000 to $20,000 per month or $60,000 to $240,000 per year. The metric or question that all firms need to measure when evaluating their PR/media relations budget is, ‘Is my PR firm capable of generating at least $1 of media publicity for every $1 I spend on their PR consulting fees?’ ” Hoskins continued. “With that said, if a company can find a PR firm that can generate a 300% return-on-investment (ROI) for a budget of $60,000 per year, that’s equivalent to hiring three professional, seasoned marketing professionals, and/or receiving a minimum of $300,000 in positive, credible media exposure. Not many firms can deliver on this expectation, but our team can.”

Have an interest in learning more? Please give Front Page PR a call at (512) 627-6622 to learn more and to receive a free 30-minute review of your website, your social media credentials and an off-the-cuff review of what first steps might be taken to generate more website traffic, produce more business leads and how to help your sales team close deals on more new business. Front Page PR wants your business and is willing to work hard to earn your business, complete with a great ROI.

# # #

Contact:
Robert Hoskins
Front Page PR
(512) 627-6622

GridShare Launches New Equity Crowdfunding Site to Provide Investment Opportunities for Solar, Wind and other Types Renewable Energy in the United States’ Booming Clean-Technology Industry

The GridShare Equity Crowdfunding Platform allows accredited and non-accredited investors to make very affordable investments in solar, wind and other types of renewable energy projects and clean-tech companies to raise debt or equity, opening up the renewable energy industry to a larger pool of investors

By Robert Hoskins

Portland, Oregon – GridShare.com announced that it has launched its new independent platform offering debt and equity crowdfunding investments that anyone in the United States as well as accredited investors can provide seed stage funding and venture capital to help renewable energy projects and clean-tech companies fund startups, expand businesses and launch new green energy power projects. The clean tech online investment platform allows investors to independently engage with green project owners to learn about and finance deals that will  help reduce America’s carbon footprint and slow down rapidly advancing global warning.

GridShare enables everyday people to invest in renewable energy projects and clean tech companies

“Raising money has been a huge impediment to the growth of the capital-intensive renewable energy industry,” said Jack Jacobs, CEO and Co-Founder of GridShare. “Now, with GridShare’s help, a project developer or clean-tech venture can tap into a new funding channel and ultimately spend less time fundraising and more time focusing on its core business.”

GridShare is funding portal authorized by the SEC and FINRA to conduct securities offerings under SEC Regulation Crowdfunding. Initial offerings on GridShare.com include a $250,000 secured debt offering for a community solar project, a $350,000 equity offering for a floating solar project and a $100,000 secured debt offering for a community wind project.

Floating on water, this 1.2 MegaWatt solar project in wine country (Sonoma County, California) is part of nearly 20 MegaWatts of floating solar projects awarded to Pristine Sun

Offerings on GridShare.com include a $100,000 secured debt offering for a community wind project

Posting a project on GridShare is free and easy. Once the GridShare team approves the project, it will be published online. Investors will then have the opportunity to review the project details, and invest online. With respect to US offerings, GridShare earns a commission from the offeror only if its funding goal is fully achieved. GridShare also offers optional services, such as assistance in preparing listing materials, filing forms, facilitating investor webinars, and managing the security offerings.

Potential investors can peruse investment opportunities in a variety of renewable energy sectors. GridShare also intends to host funding opportunities for energy efficiency initiatives and early-stage clean technology ventures.

“For too long, large financial institutions and accredited investors have controlled the financing for renewable energy. Finally, project developers like Pristine Sun can rely on GridShare to facilitate innovative solar investments available to all investors,” said Troy Helming, President of Pristine Sun, a major developer of solar projects in the US, and the sponsor of two listings currently hosted on GridShare.com. “Pristine Sun can now get support from the crowd to complete its solar projects, and the crowd can now own part of our projects and participate in the growing market for clean energy in the United States.”

GridShare is an online crowdfunding platform for renewable energy and clean-tech projects registered with the SEC and FINRA, which enables everyday people to invest in renewable energy projects and clean-tech companies based in the US.  By significantly expanding the funding options available to business owners and project developers, GridShare opens up the renewable energy industry to a much wider audience of non-accredited investors.

The platform is a clean technology agnostic, posting investment opportunities from all types of renewable energy projects and clean-tech companies. GridShare allows renewable energy projects and clean-tech companies to raise debt or equity from investors. By diversifying the available investment opportunities, GridShare offers a more inclusive environment for non-accredited and accredited investors alike.

GridShare International, LLC, which is not registered with the SEC,  but does assist issuers in countries other than the United States in listing securities offerings in their own countries.

# # #

Robert Hoskins
(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR

---

Mr. Robert Hoskins is a seasoned marketing veteran with a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses as well as Fortune 500 corporations launch successful marketing communications campaigns to gain market traction for a wide variety of products and services.

On a regular basis, Mr. Hoskins consults with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.

Google search “Robert Hoskins Crowdfunding” to see why Mr. Hoskins runs one of the industry’s foremost crowdfunding PR, social media and marketing agencies that has amassed a huge social media following and is dedicated to supporting a wide variety of donation, rewards and equity crowdfunding campaigns.

Lucca Bozzi Launches Solar Wallet – Sails 850% Past Its @Kickstarter Crowdfunding Campaign Goal of $5,000

Solar Wallet incorporates advanced charging technologies and an integrated charging cable for the internal power bank and solar cell, to extend mobile devices’ battery life up to 10 hours

By Robert Hoskins

San Francisco, California – Lucca Bozzi introduced its Solar Wallet on Kickstarter, a luxury wallet that gives users the power to freely charge their devices on the go using solar power.

Solar Wallet is a intelligent technology gadget that serves as portable charging system and wallet

“The most frequently carried daily devices are the phone and wallet. Your phone has consistently evolved over the past years, but why hasn’t your wallet?” said Seva Mouler, Lucca Bozzi’s Co-Founder and CEO. “Our focus has been creating a beautiful, timeless design while also working with the top engineers to perfect a piece the majority of the world carries daily.”

Solar Wallet is a modern interpretation of the classic bi-fold wallet that incorporates advanced charging technologies and an integrated charging cable for the internal power bank and solar cell, to extend mobile devices’ battery life up to 10 hours.

With a patent-pending construction, the wallet maintains thinness, durability and a lightweight design. Originating from the internal power bank is the custom integrated charging cable that is compatible with USB-C, Apple Lightning and Micro-USB devices. The charging cable tucks inside the stow-away compartment eliminating cable-hassle and the need to bring an external cord.

The wallet’s solar component offers yet another source for battery life. “One of our many aims for Solar Wallet was to encourage the use of sustainable energy in our everyday life,” Mouler adds. Users are able to cultivate renewable energy through any light source; e.g. sun coming through the windows of your home and even through lightbulbs in the workplace.

“In a time where we rely on our tech more every day, we sought to create a versatile wallet that addressed the unique and evolving charging needs of the millennial, while maintaining the luxury of a designer wallet,” said Mouler.

The Solar Wallet campaign was launched on Kickstarter on April 5 and is over 850% funded after 1 week. Estimated shipping is December 2017.

Solar Wallet Features Include:

• Internal power bank for +10 hours of extra charge
• RFID protection against electronic data theft
• Android to Apple connectivity – use a micro-USB cable to charge an iPhone or iPad
• Intelligent Charge – passthrough charge auto-optimizes between mobile device & wallet
• Quickdraw access for most used cards
• Integrated charging cable
• Compatible with USB-C, Apple Lightning and Micro-USB
• Solar rechargeable – harness the power of the sun and any light source
• Spring loaded money clip for cash storage
• Storage for up to eight cards
• Super slim and lightweight
• 100% genuine Nappa leather

Solar Wallet can be purchased on Kickstarter for an early bird discounted rate of only $99 for a limited time. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $199.

Lucca Bozzi is a company focused on creating fine Italian leather products that incorporate progressive technology, yet maintain the essence of their classic design. Their guiding philosophy is to develop products that evolve and optimize users’ everyday carry.

# # #

Robert Hoskins
(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR

---

Mr. Robert Hoskins is a seasoned marketing veteran with a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses as well as Fortune 500 corporations launch successful marketing communications campaigns to gain market traction for a wide variety of products and services.

On a regular basis, Mr. Hoskins consults with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.

Google search “Robert Hoskins Crowdfunding” to see why Mr. Hoskins is considered one of the industry’s foremost crowdfunding experts that has amassed a huge social media following, which is dedicated to supporting donation, rewards and equity crowdfunding campaigns.

SolBid.com Launches Crowdfunding Campaign to Raise Funds for Initiative ‘Brighter Classrooms’

Solar energy start up, SolBid has made it their mission to help schools from the looming educational budget deficit in the U.S. through the use of solar energy

By Robert Hoskins

Boston, MA – SolBid.com is a nationwide solar energy services provider, whose services have a profound economic and environmental impact. The brilliant idea Brighter Classrooms was conceptualized when SolBid’s co-founders Nate Raymond and Ian Ricci were mapping out the final iteration of their business model when over lunch talks of education in the U.S. manifested. Educational funding from both federal and state is diminishing, while costs to educate children are rising. This is causing teacher layoffs, termination of critical programs, increased pupil to teacher ratios, and school closures across the country.

SolBid Launches Crowdfunding Campaign to Raise Funds for Initiative Brighter Classrooms

“Because of detrimental budget cuts to education, we are taking away critical resources from our children and their teachers are being laid off. These children are our future leaders and something needs to be done. Schools spend an estimated $8billion a year in energy costs, the second largest budget item behind personnel. Instead of cutting personnel costs, why aren’t we tackling energy costs? Now there’s an idea!” said Nate Raymond, CEO.

The two co-founders found themselves in a situation where they could make an impact. SolBid’s solar solutions harvest energy from the sun to produce electricity, are virtually maintenance free, have an average life span of about 30 years, and can offer a return on their investment in little as 4-5 years. Beyond the economic benefits, solar is also a clean energy source that can help offset the use of damaging fossil fuels that release toxic carbon dioxide and mercury emissions that lead to harmful pollution and climate change.

What better than the use of solar energy on schools to reduce operational costs, alleviate budgets and help foster a better education for our children all while saving the environment.

So the men have vowed to take their patronage further by creating a business model which includes donating a portion of SolBid’s sales revenue for the life of the company to an initiative they are calling, Brighter Classrooms. Through this program SolBid will provide solar energy systems to disadvantaged schools across the U.S. and have them installed by local solar installers, generating yet another positive effect on the economy in the school’s surrounding area.

The school in turn will receive up to 30 years’ worth of free, zero-emission electricity generated by solar, saving school districts a tremendous amount of money. This will allow schools to funnel more dollars directly towards the education of our children, and potentially save a number of teachers from unwanted layoffs.

The vision of Brighter Classrooms is to free up school budgets and in return helping schools provide a better education for our children while at the same time reducing our carbon footprint and saving the environment.

There are over 120,000 schools in the United States that could greatly benefit from a solar power system. To support the cause SolBid is launching a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo beginning this Earth Day, April 22, 2015. The campaign will assist in launching the program and in donating the 1st solar energy system. For converting this idea into reality, the founders of SolBid seek the support of the people and are looking for contributions in favor of this campaign.

# # #

Crowdlending Site, Kiva, Launches “Dreams” to Support Equality for All Women

On March 8th, Help Kiva Make a Difference by Backing the Dreams of Women around the World to Honor and Support International Women’s Day

 By Robert Hoskins

San Francisco, CA – Kiva.org wants millions of people worldwide to celebrate the 104th International Women’s Day on March 8, 2015. While many gains have been made, the dream of women’s equality is still far from reality. The truth. In the year 2015 inequality is still all around us. Opportunity is not equal. Education is not equal. Wealth is not equal.

But dreams… the dreams of all women are created equal. And that’s where you can start.  In honor of International Women’s Day – and the days that follow – Kiva has launched Kiva.org/Dreams to spotlight the power of women to create sustainable change when everyday people lend their support.

Please visit Kiva.org/Dreams to vote on which woman Kiva’s team should pick to lend $25 to enable her dream to come true. There is no cost to you. By choosing her, you help her to follow her dream of starting or growing her business, sending her children to school, and gaining financial independence.

 

Or search through Kiva’s portfolio of women entrepreneurs and select a woman and donate $25 in countries where any amount of money will make a huge difference in her daily life. Supporters will receive great satisfaction in knowing that they made a difference in someone’s life that really needed the money.

Without access to resources to attend school or grow a business, their dreams are far too often out of reach. This affects us all.  Women’s empowerment means economic growth for their families, communities and the world. A case in point: if women farmers had equal access to farming assets and finance, they could increase their crop yields up to 30% and 150 million people who go hungry every day would be able to eat.

By contributing to the success of an entrepreneurial woman who has overcome obstacles most of us cannot even truly imagine, we discover so much more about our own resiliency, possibility, and potential. Each of us has a part to play and together we can make dreams a reality for thousands of women around the world.

So, in honor of International Women’s Day and the power of women to create lasting change, please back a dream at Kiva.org/Dreams.

Kiva.org is the world’s first and largest crowdfunding platform for social good with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Since 2005, more than 1.6 million people turned their dreams into reality because 1.3 million people backed their dream on Kiva. Together, more than $675 million in loans have been crowdfunded, with a 98% repayment rate.

# # #

RE-volv’s IndieGoGo Crowdfunding Campaign Successfully Raises $50,002 to Fund 36-kW Community Solar Project to Power Organic Food Cooperative in San Francisco

“Solar Seed Fund” finances solar clean energy projects for non-profits and cooperatives by crowdfunding tax deductible donations to fund 20-year solar leases that give back to the community

By Robert Hoskins

San Francisco, California –  RE-volv, a San Francisco-based nonprofit, successfully completed its third crowdfunding campaign on Thursday, raising over $50,000 to finance a 36-kW solar array for the Other Avenues Food Cooperative in San Francisco. RE-volv’s innovative solar financing model, the Solar Seed Fund — the first of its kind — uses crowdfunding to grow a revolving fund that’s continually reinvested in community-based solar projects.

SolarSeedFund Raises Money with Crowdfunding to Build Community Solar Projects

“People are sick of waiting for leaders to take action on climate change. They want to lead the way in their own communities and RE-volv is giving them a tool to do that.” said Andreas Karelas, Executive Director of RE-volv. “Having completed three successful campaigns, we see that this model is replicable and poised to grow rapidly.”

During its first three Indiegogo crowdfunding campaigns, RE-volv has raised over $121,000 from close to 900 donations from people in 38 states and 22 countries. This money is being utilized to finance three community-based solar projects amounting to 68kW of solar capacity.

RE-volv finances solar energy projects for non-profits and cooperatives that serve their community. RE-volv covers the initial costs of a 20-year solar lease by crowdfunding tax deductible donations.

As communities pay RE-volv back through a solar lease over time, RE-volv reinvests those funds plus interest into new projects for nonprofits and cooperatives creating a revolving fund for solar energy that serves the community.

“I’ve been working on this project for eight years, and it’s been difficult to find the right fit for financing this solar project,” said Other Avenues president Darryl Dea. “So when RE-volv came around it was a perfect fit for us because not only do they work with nonprofits and co-ops, but we’re able to contribute to this fund which will further create more solar projects.”

Leading up to Global Divestment Day last week, Bill McKibben, author and founder of 350.org, added, “As everyone’s divesting, might be worth donating a little money to this Solar Seed Fund” which resulted in increased donations for the campaign.

Another factor that helped RE-volv reach its crowdfunding goal was being selected as a winner of the OpenIDEO Renewable Energy Challenge two weeks ago.

As a result, RE-volv will receive resources and support from innovative design firm IDEO and leading environmental foundation, the 11th Hour Project. Open IDEO described RE-volv’s model in this way: “The Solar Seed Fund isn’t your grandma’s crowdfunding platform… It’s a positive feedback cycle that encourages communities to rapidly transition to solar.”

Winning the OpenIDEO challenge adds to a growing line of support for RE-volv. RE-volv has received support for its work from Audubon’s Toyota TogetherGreen program, the San Francisco Foundation, the Rose Foundation, the Yahoo Employee Foundation, Patagonia, KIND Healthy Snacks, Aveda, and Whole Foods.

# # #

GridShare.com Opens New Clean-Tech Equity Crowdfunding Site in San Francisco to Fund Renewable Energy Startups and Community Solar Projects

Potential investors can peruse investment opportunities in a variety of renewable energy sectors, including: solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, and small hydropower

By Robert Hoskins

San Francisco, CA – GridShare.com announced the launch of its clean technology crowdfunding platform to help renewable energy and solar projects and clean-tech companies raise capital. By creating an online platform where investors can independently engage with project owners seeking funding, GridShare is positioned to be the leading force in crowdfunding for the alternative energy industry.

GridShare Enables Everyday People to Invest in Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind, GeoThermal, and HydroPower Projects in the Clean-Tech Industry around the World

GridShare is a unique online platform where renewable energy project developers and clean-tech companies from around the world post their funding needs. Potential investors can peruse investment opportunities in a variety of renewable energy sectors, including: solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, and small hydropower. GridShare also intends to host funding opportunities for energy efficiency initiatives and early-stage clean technology ventures.

“Raising money has been a huge impediment to the growth of the capital-intensive renewable energy industry,” said Jack Jacobs, CEO and Co-Founder, GridShare. “Now, with GridShare’s help, a project developer or cleantech venture can tap into a new funding channel and, ultimately, spend less time fundraising and more time focusing on their core business.”

There are three different types of investment opportunities that a company may offer through GridShare: debt, equity, and donations. High net-worth individuals, or “accredited investors,” can browse projects online, read pertinent information about the venture, and then pledge funding in exchange for equity or interest. Non-accredited investors can donate funds to a project or company that offers this option. As soon as the JOBS Act crowdfunding rules are finalized, all users will be able to invest freely for equity online.

Posting a project on GridShare is free and easy. Once the GridShare team approves the project, it will be published online. Investors will then have the opportunity to review the project details, and pledge their financial support online. The offeror then contacts the investor to arrange payment and finalize investment terms.

“For too long, large banks have controlled which solar projects can be financed. Finally, project developers like Samba Energy can rely on GridShare to offer high quality solar investments to investors nationwide,” said Michael Hidary, Managing Partner, Samba Energy, a national provider of software and services for clean energy and commercial building energy efficiency. “Samba Energy can now complete more installations and private investors can gain strong, predictable returns from solar power projects.”

GridShare earns a commission from the offeror only if its funding goal is fully achieved. GridShare also offers optional services for users that prefer to sell securities through a registered broker/dealer, conduct legal transactions under the guidance of an experienced law firm, and/or develop their materials with the help of a marketing professional.

GridShare enables everyday people to invest in renewable energy projects and cleantech companies around the world. GridShare is an independent online crowdfunding platform for renewable energy projects and clean-tech companies seeking funding.  

Investors can engage directly and independently with owners and developers through the platform. By significantly expanding the funding options available to business owners and project developers, GridShare opens up the renewable energy industry to a much wider audience of investors.

The platform is clean technology agnostic, posting investment opportunities from all types of renewable energy projects and clean-tech companies.

GridShare allows renewable energy projects and clean technology companies to raise debt, equity and/or donations from investors. By diversifying the available investment opportunities, GridShare offers a more inclusive environment for non-accredited and accredited investors alike. 

# # #

Front Page PR Seeks Entrepreneurs, Small Businesses and Franchises that Want to Take Advantage of the New Texas Crowdfunding Rules to Market Equity Investment Opportunities

Top 50 cities in Texas are home to 13.3 million residents that will soon be able to invest up to $5,000 per year in private equity investment opportunities

By Robert Hoskins

Austin, Texas – Front Page PR (www.crowdfundingPRcampaigns.com), one of America’s leading crowdfunding PR and marketing firms, announced that the firm is now seeking new startups and entrepreneurs that want to take advantage of the new Intrastate Texas Crowdfunding Exemption rules that allows companies to raise up to $1 million from non-accredited investors.

Front Page PR is one of the leading Crowdfunding PR firms in America

On December 1, 2014, for the first time in 80 years, Texas-based startups and entrepreneurs will be able to sell private equity shares to all residents living Texas. In addition, all parties will be able to use mass marketing to advertise and publicize their equity investment opportunities using media outlets that focus on Texas Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), which are home to more than 26 million potential customers.

Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA)	Population
Houston – The Woodlands – Sugar Land	6,484,279
Dallas – Plano – Richardson – Irving	4,627,393
Fort Worth – Arlington – HEB	2,358,186
San Antonio – New Braunfels	2,334,363
Austin-Round Rock	1,938,858
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission	862,768
El Paso	862,638
Killeen-Temple	445,356
Corpus Christi	443,351
Brownsville-Harlingen	439,437
Beaumont-Port Arthur	413,982
Lubbock	304,682
Laredo	275,686
Amarillo	265,821
Waco	260,728
College Station-Bryan	246,910
Longview	226,407
Tyler	222,781
Abilene	170,164
Wichita Falls	152,426
Midland	150,721
Odessa	145,960
Sherman-Denison	125,901
San Angelo	113,969
Victoria	96,883
Texarkana	93,457
Total:	24,063,107

Approximately 20 million of these customers are over the age of 18 and will be able to invest up to $5,000 per year in private equity placements. Once the state educates its residents and new investors become Internet savvy investors, Texas will represent a $100 billion per year pool of venture capital that small businesses and entrepreneurs can use to raise start up funding.

This will prove to be a boon for the large majority of ideas and business plans that are currently being rejected or ignored by the states 70+ business accelerators and incubators.

Any business that has received the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) rubber stamp to be pre-approved for SBA loans should strongly consider opening a business in Texas. Franchisors and franchises are the perfect business model to help franchisees raise money using the new Texas crowdfunding rules. Unlike many startups that will have an unproven track record, franchises with 5 or more profitable locations should be able to provide investors with a better than average chance of success.

Rural areas are a prime target for economic development in Texas where the demand is present for new restaurants, movie theaters, shopping malls, trampoline parks, entertainment venues, but until now have not had access to traditional venture capital due to their location.

# # #

Contact:
Robert Hoskins
Front Page PR
(512) 627-6622
rhoskins@frontpagepr.com