Sonora Area Foundation Innovation Competition
In conjunction with our 30th anniversary, Sonora Area Foundation recently announced an Innovation Competition designed to encourage Tuolumne County, especially our nonprofits, schools, and governmental organizations, to make plans to spend some time engaging in creative thinking, problem-solving and strategic planning. Our Board of Directors approved $50,000 in prize money to be awarded to the top ideas submitted. We also are offering microgrants to be used for support of the innovation-stimulation process.
Nonprofits may apply for a microgrant by submitting a simple description of what it will be used for, such as: refreshments for an innovation retreat, cost of a meeting facilitator, motivational speaker, or..? (perhaps an idea we haven’t thought of). Please email your request for a microgrant to darrell@sonora-area.org by February 7, 2020.
Submit your big idea for SAF’s Innovation Competition by close of business August 31, 2020 to be considered for the contest prize money. More information also is available in this mymotherlode.com article: Innovation Competition
As always, we appreciate your support and look forward to working with you to make Tuolumne County an even better place to live and work.
Here’s some more information about innovation…
Most all of us appreciate innovation. In a survey of 1,500 CEOs conducted by IBM’s Institute for Business Value, creativity was viewed as the single most important attribute needed to lead a large organization. Most would say innovation and creative thinking are strategic necessities. We read books and watch movies highlighting creative thinkers. But what is the draw? Rarity. True innovation is hard to come by. As a result, when it occurs, it grabs our attention. So how does it happen and is there anything that can aid the process? Not sure on either point but we are certainly going to try.
The Sonora Area Foundation Nonprofit Innovation Challenge is designed to encourage Tuolumne County organizations to carve out some time, remove hurdles and barriers known to hinder the creative process, and brainstorm, discuss and dream in response to the question: “What would you do if you could do anything?”
Indeed it’s a big question which warrants sky-is-the-limit thinking. We live in a wonderful place …let’s uncover some big ideas to make it even better.
