The Serendipity Project

1) Our planet is changing fast, and requires solutions to be sourced and implemented equally as quickly. Top down agenda setting and problem solving overlooks crucial ground level realities, and often ignores pre-existing solutions. 

2) Our pilot project, Open Arctic Initiative, is a platform to foster crowd-sourced innovation through community-driven collaboration in arctic nations. It is a space where interested individuals and grassroots organizations can access the tools and best practices of professional innovators, learn the methodology to identify problems and their root causes, share existing solutions where available, and co-create new interventions where needed.

3. Through piloting the Open Arctic Initiative, we are developing a toolkit and model that can be replicated and implemented by other motivated individuals in their own community. The Open Arctic Initiative’s framework can be endlessly replicated along geographic and/or topical groups as interests and needs arise, empowering millions.

While there is no shortage of individuals who are looking to make a meaningful difference in their community, these solution seekers are disconnected from the solutions and the tools necessary to implement them. It takes too much time for solution seekers to collect the tools and information necessary to make a meaningful impact in their community.

The tools and information necessary to implement -- or when necessary, create -- solutions to the challenges impacting our communities currently exist, or are within reach. We believe that when those tools are connected with the right people at grassroots levels, transformational change can happen.

The people we are creating this platform for can be found throughout the world. The people we’ve chosen to first focus on are the residents of Arctic nations, specifically those living in Alaska. They see the problems facing their communities and planet, and they have the passion and energy to tackle them. Too often they lack the analytical background or sector expertise to identify root causes, evaluate deployed solutions, or identify promising interventions, or the social capital to spread their ideas. They are regular online users, often more at home with social media than gray literature or incubators, but eager to share their experiences and learn from one another. They may or may not be privy to governmental or international efforts, but they know the problems in front of them are not being sufficiently addressed. They are frustrated by their inability to access the tools and organizations that would empower them to have a meaningful impact. Yet they refuse to give up hope.

We are building an open platform that allows for smart crowd-sourced community participation and engagement around particular localities or issues. Our platform gives them access to the same problem identification, solution design, and knowledge transfer tools that professionals use, and allows geographically dispersed interest groups to coalesce as needed. This is different from normal crowd-sourced social innovation initiatives because:

1. Sponsoring organizations are encouraged to support community solution seekers in setting the agenda. 

1. Prior knowledge regarding problem-identification, solution design, and solution implementation are not assumed. We encourage active participation by all community members so that they can learn and co-create knowledge, practice their skills, and build their ability to implement solutions that will have a meaningful impact on their own lives and in their own communities.

2. Participants are encouraged to investigate root causes before jumping to solutions

3. Instead of innovating for innovation’s sake, participants are encouraged to first search for existing solutions that have been implemented elsewhere or have been described in the academic or gray literature and determine whether they can be translated, amplified, or modified/hacked, and/or what “lessons” learned can be gleaned from these previous attempts

4. Where new solutions are called for, participants are encouraged to co-create innovations or interventions, and share them with other communities who may benefit from their actions.  

In order to keep overhead costs at a minimum and to practice what we preach regarding leveraging existing solutions, we will be combining pre-existing technologies and processes where possible. For instance, position papers that identify problems and existing resources can be generated using a wiki platform and crowd-sourced content. 

Thinking methodologies and software currently exists that would empower individuals and groups  to implement meaningful solutions in their own community; however the knowledge of these tools and processes remains largely siloed in the tech and startup communities. Our innovative approach comes from leveraging these existing resources in new ways. We will work with communities to help them clearly identify and communicate the challenges they’re experiencing, and then help to “Establish the right roles and processes, set clear goals and relevant measures, and review progress at every step.”

Technology is the engine that allows the collaboration of minds and diffusion of ideas to occur at the speed necessary to meet and solve today's challenges. These technologies already exist. We will apply them outside of their typical domains, in the social sector, testing combinations of the technologies with user groups who are not typically exposed to them. 

  We will rely heavily on existing online collaboration tools such as but not limited to: Slack, Facebook Messenger, Google Suite, and Wikipedia. As part of our pilot study we will be trialing: web content management system to collect and share gathered information, marketing management system to facilitate communication with community members and to share the information that solution seekers gain, a data storage platform to collect solution seekers resources. 

We will also be searching for and sharing process methodologies in person and online such as: Design Thinking, Systems thinking, Lean Methodology, facilitated dialogue, the Theory of Change model, and the Deming Shewhart cycle.

Through our experiences working with a GreenStand and Alaska Seeds of Change, we have witnessed the ability of ad-hoc and marginalized groups to make meaningful contributions to their community. We’ve also experienced first hand the challenges these groups face, and the ability of existing technology and methodologies to increase the groups impact and rate they can ideate and implement solutions. It is this experience that has driven our desire to share these tools with a wider group of like minded solution seekers.

We are early in our piloting process. Through our pilot OAI, we are currently serving one individual, Patrick McDonald, the owner of Hood Circle LLC. Patrick is exploring how eScooters could be used in Anchorage to facilitate last mile transportation to increase urban residents and visitors engagement with their community.

We expect that we’ll work with directly with three community groups and X unaffiliated individuals under the OAI umbrella in the first year, and expect that each group has the potential to impact an additional X people through their work. For each group we plan to produce a case study of the actions they’ve taken, the tools and methodologies they’ve used, and the impacts of their actions. These case studies will be hosted online, along with information about the resources utilized during the case study, so that similarly motivated groups could implement action in their own community. 

OAI expect that we’ll work with an additional three organizations per year, each with an additional X indirectly impacted individuals.We expect X website visitors the first year. After 5 years we expect X unique visitors per year.

Within the year:

- To launch the OAI platform

- To form an open community of solution seekers, who can self-congregate and identify key issues from which to create additional platforms

- To launch a platform to elevate grassroot solutions to food insecurity

Within five years:

- To launch 3 additional platforms through collaboration with working groups in other regions.

- To amplify the voices our community members and strengthen the initiatives they embark on.

Our largest challenges are technical and cultural. The economically disadvantaged remain focused on meeting their basic needs, slowing the rate that they are able to engage and take action. Elders are politically savvy, yet uncomfortable with digital tools. Youth are digitally savvy, yet politically disengaged. Indigenous groups are politically active, but wary of the tools and methodologies used by those seen as colonizers.

We believe that our solution is necessary because connectivity is so limited in rural communities.

Where IT infrastructure can be limited in rural communities, traditional
gatherings and celebrations remain an important part of rural life.
These gatherings are a time when urban community members who are
visiting can facilitate ideation workshops, join talking circles, and
host solution sessions.

Annual shareholder meetings for Alaska Native corporation shareholders,
school sports trips, medical trips, educational trips, and general
travel provide an opportunity for rural community members with limited
local internet or cellular data connection to come to urban hubs and
connect with resources.

A goal of our solution is to speed the rate of information and skill
transfer, connecting and empowering those who would normally be
marginalized. Our platform would empower solution seekers with limited
connectivity to engage with those who have more connectivity and are apt
to help.

From a financial standpoint, we will need to secure funding partners to seed and sustain our initiative while we develop revenue streams through advertising, facilitation, workshops, consulting, and speaking engagements.

We plan to overcome the cultural and technical challenges stated above through community activation and organizing in the environments where solution seekers are most comfortable. We plan to utilize our existing relationships and network within the Arctic to increase engagement and connect with influential community members and solution seekers.

 For the elderly, we plan to attend community councils, political forums, and visit residences where these individuals reside. For the youth, we plan to focus on digital platforms and media to increase their engagement. For indeginous groups, we plan to convene meetings at community centers where dances and potlatches are held. We also plan to bring food, specifically smoked salmon and akutaq.We have personal relationships with the following individuals and organizations:

Dick LaFever of Crossroads Leadership Institute, which has been working

in Alaska since 1986 https://www.consultcli.com/

Defend the Sacred Alaska - https://www.consultcli.com/

We have professional relationships with staff at the following organizations:

Cook Inlet Tribal Council - https://www.consultcli.com/

South Central Foundation - https://www.consultcli.com/

RurAL CAP - https://www.consultcli.com/

University of Alaska Fairbanks Experiment Farm - https://www.consultcli.com/

8 Boxes - https://www.consultcli.com/

Alaska Humanities Forum - https://www.consultcli.com/

To meet our financial challenges, we will minimize our overhead expenses and maintain day jobs until we are able to sustain the organization’s financial needs through grants, donations, and revenue.

Not Applicable.

We currently have two members participating part time on the solution team - Ella Kennen and Ryan Witten.

Ella has been working on community driven solutions to social problems for years. As an educator, she regularly helps young minds problem solve and grapple with problems, typically trying to tie learning opportunities to real world problems. Ella is currently a core volunteer for GreenStand, a volunteer driven initiative to cool the planet and alleviate poverty through the empowerment of smallholder farmers.

Ryan has been a resident of Anchorage, Alaska for seven years. During this time he has helped launch Alaska Seeds of Change, a vertical hydroponics farm and workforce development program. During the greenhouses 2.5 years of operation he's frequently relied on market driven tools to increase the impact of the non-profit organization. Ryan is also a volunteer for GreenStand, where he met Ella, and helps with their strategic development.

We're currently partnered with Hood Circle, LLC. to assist with their community activation through increased last mile transportation.

Technological overhead will be kept minimal by relying on open-source software and in-kind access to software. Materials created by NTA Group will be stored on a website where “memberships” will be sold to cover the costs of maintaining the site and for minimal administrative content updates. The bulk of staffing costs will be covered by applying for grants and donations. Costs for specific initiatives will be covered by the sub-community through any of several possible models including sponsorship, grants, and fee-for-service.

Technological overhead will be kept minimal by relying on open-source software and in-kind access to software. Materials created by NTA Group will be stored on a website where “memberships” and ad space will be sold to cover the costs of maintaining the site and for minimal administrative content updates.

The bulk of staffing costs will be covered by applying for grants and donations. Costs for specific initiatives will be covered by the sub-community through any of several possible models including sponsorship, grants, and fee-for-service.

Solve is an excellent platform for us to hone and practice the idea of community driven, tech enhanced, problem solving. We’re driven by this idea, and would like the help of the Solve community to refine and amplify it.

We would like to partner with organizations who are looking to make a meaningful contribution and impact in their communities to help solve some our planets toughest challenges. We welcome like minded organizations who are able to provide or recommend relevant tools and services so that we and other solution seekers could have a greater impact.

We are not currently seeking to apply for this prize.

We are not currently seeking to apply for the GM Prize.

We are not currently seeking to apply for this prize.

We are not currently seeking to apply for this prize.

We are not currently seeking to apply for this prize.

We are not currently seeking to apply for this prize.

We are not currently seeking to apply for this prize.