Investing early in local civil society organizations or unproven entrepreneurs is a risk many funders are unwilling or unable to take. As a result, those who are reconfiguring current systems and revitalizing their communities through innovation lack the funding to do so.
Our philosophies of Radical Idealism, Practically Realized and the Currency of Mind intersect to provide assistance at the center of our humanity.
The Rockflower Ecosystem diagram begins in the center and radiates out in exponential layers of principles, keys and systems to achieve outcomes.
Everything starts with an idea in someone’s mind. We believe that there is inherent value in an idea even before any hope of funding is possible. By allowing this to take shape and create from a place of abundance and potential we are actualizing the Currency of Mind™.
Radical Idealism serves as the big picture catalyst to drive all other concepts, ideas, and principles that define Rockflower. It binds together a network of inspired, connected individuals who are working to ensure a world where women and girls feel empowered, consequential and equal. The Practical Realization of this is to ensure that the funding that reaches where it is most needed.
Our Investment Approach
We work with fledgling entrepreneurs, social enterprises, and community-based organizations (CBOs). For decades, women’s grassroots groups have been the driving force of change and yet the average budget for these groups is approximately $12,000 annually. We believe they should be funded above all else.
We look for partners that are community-based, locally-led, and working within one or more of the Five Keys. Some have the potential to scale and others simply want to remain small, nimble and efficient. Ideally, they will have the ability to work collaboratively with others to increase efficiency and avoid duplication and competition.
How Do We Choose Our Partners?
We identify the exact amount of funding the enterprise or organization needs to ensure a pivotal moment of transformative change. This could be for a short-term income-generating project or a longer-term vision of systems change. By recognizing how Rockflower can contribute to the partner’s forward movement, we can leverage the possibility for further partnerships with local and national governments, INGO’s and the private sector. Being either the first or a leading funder willing to take a risk on a group or individual provides a stamp of approval that encourages future investment from other sources.
In selecting partners and projects we look for the following:
A realistic and pragmatic assessment of the current situation and the problem at hand.
A willingness to communicate authentically through transparent dialogue and a horizontal power dynamic
An innovative or unusual approach to a seemingly intractable problem
A straightforward and uncomplicated methodology
A realistic preliminary budget with room for growth
A desire to build a long-term relationship
We make decisions on who to fund taking into account geography, a grasp of multi-solving themes, a capacity for cross-pollination of ideas, and perhaps most importantly previous difficulty in accessing funding.
To date, we have received over 500 viable applications and look forward to having funding in place to be able to address many of these in the coming months and years.