The Community Asset Funds Program

The Community Asset Funds Program is a fundraising program designed to work best for cash-poor, people-rich communities – such as schools, community based organizations, or neighborhood associations.  Any group with a high-visibility, high-need project may be a strong candidate to fundraise via the CAF Program.  Structurally, the program is similar to high-level models for Urban Renewal, such as Tax Increment Financing.  Rather than a tool which enables resource flows into a community, however, the CAF Program works by catalyzing the most valuable asset any community has – its people, local businesses, and the community support of its participants.

To compliment the CAF Program, motiveSpace is developing a flexible online platform called the CAF Exchange.  The CAF Exchange will simplify CAF Program bookkeeping, and be a fun way for neighbors and merchants to support projects which their neighborhood needs, with little effort or money.  For IRS purposes the CAF Exchange will be subject to Oregon Revised St­­atutes 705 to 716.  The Division of Finance & Corporate Securities examines and regulates Oregon’s state-chartered banks and trust companies, and will likely classify the CAF Exchange as an independent automated clearinghouse, and a grassroots fundraising tool.

In character and feel, however, the online CAF Exchange will be comparable to an interactive game, with many account holders, a dynamic and skin-able user interface, and simple rules governing the participation of neighbors.

The CAF Program focuses on raising the four types of capital every neighborhood project needs:

1. Human Capital. MotiveSpace has built strong connections to neighbors and local professionals willing to help with innovative, community-oriented projects in their neighborhoods.  The CAF Program allows motiveSpace to connect high-need projects with the greatest asset in any community – it’s neighbors.
2. Material Capital.  MotiveSpace is currently negotiating Exchange Agreements with select local Merchants.  By utilizing an innovative “Materials Bank,” motiveSpace connects neighborhood projects with the physical resources they need to move forward.
3. Social Capital. Every project comes down to the people who support it.  This is an important component to measure, because it helps us understand how many people are willing to work hard to make a project happen, and how many neighbor would benefit from it moving forward.
4. Liquid Capital. MotiveSpace can help some project teams by working with them to sell low-cost membership shares directly to their neighbors.  Using the forthcoming CAF Exchange, local Merchants will also be able to participate as well, by issuing scrip on behalf of projects they wish to support.

Please get in touch today, to learn more about how to help jumpstart this unique program in Portland.  By working together, we believe every Neighbor can be a catalyst for change in their communities.