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Skilling South Sudanese Refugees In Bidibidi Settlement Restores Lost Hope

Kisseka Umar

August 07, 2019 |

Things That Work Uganda |

Multi-Media |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Uganda, Bidibidi

The Bidibidi refugee settlement in Uganda offers refugees a chance to learn a skilled trade at the Yoyo Youth Vocational Skills Center. At no cost to them, students can learn brick laying, carpentry, tailoring and cutting garments, hair dressing, environmental protection, and more. Since its opening in 2018, most of its students are making a living off of their acquired skills, and many testify to how the center changed their lives.

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Three Big Lessons From One Small Town

James Fallows

July 18, 2019 |

The Atlantic |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Danville, Virginia

The town of Danville, Virginia survived the downfall of the mill industry by using creative financing and investing in solid economic infrastructure that will remain sustainable into the future. The town has invested in broadband and used funds from a tobacco settlement to re-install city money into local institutions.

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Variety of programs help create path to home ownership for Ypsi area residents

Sarah Rigg

July 17, 2019 |

Concentrate |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Ypsilanti, Michigan

In Ypsilanti, Michigan, aspiring homeowners in the quickly gentrifying town are taking advantage of some lesser known programs to help people save up for down-payments and build credit. Those programs and other financial services and classes are helping people own homes in towns across the region.

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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 |

Text |

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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Fully fund the state's PILOT program

Matt Pilon

July 08, 2019 |

Hartford Business Journal |

Text |

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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What about city spending?

Matt Pilon Greg Bordonaro

July 08, 2019 |

Hartford Business Journal |

Text |

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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As Floods Keep Coming, Cities Pay Residents to Move

John Schwartz

July 06, 2019 |

The New York Times |

Text |

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 |

Text |

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 |

Text |

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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