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There Is Power in a Debtors' Union

Hannah Appel

July 12, 2019 |

Dissent Magazine |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Debtors’ unions can use collective nonpayment of debts to fight against unfair lending practices. Amid the United States’ student loan financial crisis, debtor organizations like the Debt Collective leverage organization and collective action to seek financial justice. Prior to forming the Debt Collective, activists in the group Rolling Jubilee purchased and cancelled student debt portfolios from Corinthian Colleges Inc.

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Living with Fire Part 3: Private-sector approaches to a public problem

Amanda Eggert

July 11, 2019 |

Montana Free Press |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Bozeman, Montana

Wildfire Defense Systems is hired by insurance companies to send firefighting crews throughout 20 states to protect insured property at risk from wildfires. The company justifies its services as a needed supplement to overworked, publicly funded wildfire-fighting crews. Critics say it gives rich homeowners an unfair advantage. Since its founding in 2008, it has responded to nearly 600 fires, protecting millions of properties and saving insurance companies more than $750 million in potential claims.

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What about city spending?

Matt Pilon Greg Bordonaro

July 08, 2019 |

Hartford Business Journal |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford, Connecticut has made significant cuts to city spending in an effort to ensure the revenue they get from taxes goes further. The mayor ensured tight spending by working with local union groups, ceasing new borrowing projects, and cutting the number of unnecessary full-time positions in the city. With the frugal spending, the city has lowered its deficit while not burdening residents with high tax rates.

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Fully fund the state's PILOT program

Matt Pilon

July 08, 2019 |

Hartford Business Journal |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Hartford, Connecticut

Connecticut's PILOT program was created to partially reimburse cities and towns for state-owned, tax-exempt properties and take some financial burden off smaller towns. The PILOT program, however, is voluntary, making it easier for state legislators to disregard the reimbursement requests in tough financial times. Now, state officials are urged to make the PILOT program mandatory to keep the response working for the small individual towns and cities around Connecticut.

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As Floods Keep Coming, Cities Pay Residents to Move

John Schwartz

July 06, 2019 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Nashville, Tennessee

The city of Nashville is a model for other U.S. cities focusing on how to deal with homes that are flooding more consistently than before. The National Flood Insurance Program exists to help insure homes that wouldn't be covered by private insurance; for some homeowners, the frustration of constant flooding is alleviated by the city's initiative to buy back those properties from their owners, turning them instead into more environmentally friendly parks, paths, and other flood buffers.

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Kenya: Livestock Insurance Causes Paradigm Shift in Addressing Drought

Duncan Mboyah

July 02, 2019 |

Science Africa |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: Kenya, Nairobi

In the Horn of Africa, the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation has introduced insurance schemes for pastoralists who rely on livestock farming but are at risk for ever-increasing droughts due to climate change. This is already helping some of the 20 million livestock herders across the region.

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A Worker Cooperative and a Community Land Trust Bought a Building Together

Oscar Perry Abello

June 18, 2019 |

Next City |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Oakland, California

Cooperative ownership provides an avenue through which local nonprofit organizations and businesses can retain ownership of real estate. In Oakland, California, the Oakland Community Land Trust uses federal grants and donations to then acquire and retain ownership of commercial and residential properties. In cases where funds offered by the Trust or from crowdfunded donations are not sufficient, as with the Hasta Nuerte worker owned co-op coffee shop, offering up equity in the venture to private investors can help raise capital.

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How Agile working can solve tough challenges

Megan Clement

June 14, 2019 |

Apolitical |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Chile

To solve its country's toughest problems, the government of Chile, and its Government Lab, applies a problem-solving framework called Agile working. The methodology, which the Lab applies to 70% of its projects, involves an iterative approach to problems.

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The green bank for kids - set up by a child

Dan Collyns

May 31, 2019 |

The Guardian |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Peru, Arequipa

José Adolfo Quisocala is no ordinary 14 year old. He started a bank to teach local children to save money, and he is able to help them make money through a recycling program that rewards those who contribute paper and plastic. So far he works with 2,000 children and seven schools, with more demand on the way.

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How West Oakland Financed Its Own Grocery Store

Oscar Perry Abello

May 30, 2019 |

Next City |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Oakland, California

Public investment campaigns can raise capital and attract larger institutional investors. In the neighborhood of West Oakland, the Community Foods Market opened its doors by raising funds through a Direct Public Offering (DPO). In addition to using traditional grant funding and so-called “angel” investors, the Community Foods Market turned community members into investors, giving them partial ownership of their local grocery store.

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