Would you donate $100 a month for awesome ideas? Here’s a group that does – the Awesome Foundation.

I first heard about the Foundation on Canada’s CBC Radio 1 and I was intrigued.

The Foundation is a worldwide and rapidly growing network of autonomous groups devoted to “awesomeness”. Groups of 10 trustees – who converge around particular topics or location – collectively donate $1,000 a month. They in turn grant this $1,000, with no strings attached, to those who present the most awesome ideas.

And get this, the $1,000 is delivered to the chosen recipients in a brown paper bag!

First created in Boston in the summer of 2009, the Foundation has funded a wide range of projects in the areas of technology, arts, social good and beyond, and is now spreading across the world. Recent projects include:

• A Farmer’s Market in Washington DC which helps provide healthy food choices for locals
• The Hip-Hop Word Count in NYC, a searchable database built from the lyrics of 40,000 hip-hop songs
• Art Flashmob created by a group of youth known as Project Y in Ottawa

In the words of one of their trustees the Awesome Foundation supplies “a micro-genius grant for flashes of micro-brilliance”. It’s a great concept.

I did see the word “sustain” on their website, and to my mind that’s an important element. Will the money donated help sustain the awesomeness created? Here’s hoping!

Paula

Find out more:

Ping the Awesome Foundation on Twitter: @awesomefound

For my Toronto peeps, check out our local group here.