Kickstarter Pick: 3rd Ward's Michael Zick Doherty Takes "Green Thumb" To The Next Level With Bitponics

As we've mentioned before, 3rd Ward's Michael Zick Doherty always seems to be working on innovative and inspiring projects. And today is no different. Teaming up with software engineer Amit Kumar, Doherty is currently raising funds on Kickstarter to support Bitponics, which they describe as "Your Personal Gardening Assistant." With just over a week left to go, they're raised over half of their $20,000 goal. Help them get there and you can score everything from a shout-out on the Bitponics website and a laser-etched Bitponics clay pot to a hydroponics workshop and your own Bitponics device.

We first caught wind of Bitponics when it won an Open Scholarship Scholarship last fall at the Open Hardware Summit, and that winning 26-second YouTube pitch has blossomed into an even more exciting and amazing project. In addition to automating and tracking any hydroponics system, Bitponics can help you cultivate anything that you'd like to see sprouting in your urban garden. "Once you tell it what you're trying to grow, it will use a database of knowledge built up by the community to create a 'growing plan' for you," the Bitponic Kickstarter page explains. "Bitponics will automate anything that can be controlled by a power outlet, like water pumps and lights." And for tasks that can't be automated? "We'll remind you by whatever means you choose: email, text, or in-app notifications."

The full Bitponics setup includes the sensor device, which collects readings like temperature, brightness and pH and lets you set up timers for lights and pumps, and an account on the Bitponics website, which helps you generate a growing plan, gives you recommendations if something in your system has gone awry, and lets you track all of your data and upload photos of your garden as it grows. The device will retail for $395, but you can get it for just a $250 Kickstarter pledge. You'll be able to store a year of growing data—or an unlimited amount for a higher-tiered membership. Anyone who just wants to give the website a whirl can store six months of growing data for free, and both the device and its Arduino-based firmware will be open source, making the possibilities endless.

Check out the Bitponics Kickstarter video and some photos below, then head to Kickstarter to learn more and pledge your support.

-- John Ruscher

Good Cause: Donate To Streetsblog This Week For A Chance To Win A Shiny New Schwinn

 

Bike Month is winding down, so hopefully you hit up some of the awesome events listed on BikeNYC.org and witnessed a few wild rides at the City Reliquary's Bike Fetish Day (check out these great photos). To wrap things up, we'll leave you with one more way to participate without even stepping away from your screen.

All month long nonprofit cycling and sustainable transportation website Streetsblog has been raising money to support the invaluable daily content that they've been delivering since 2006. In addition to a steady stream of news and information on their NYC, LA, SF, DC and national blogs, Streetsblog also runs Streetfilms, a site "dedicated to documenting livable streets worldwide." As of Wednesday they were just $3,500 shy of their $30,000 goal, and you have until Friday at midnight to help bridge the gap. 

In addition to supporting a great cause, your donation will get you a chance to win a set of Yehuda Moon comics, and if you chip in $50 or more to Streetsblog NYC or Streetfilms, you'll be entered to win a Schwinn city bike from Ride Brooklyn.

While you're preparing to pledge your support, check out one of Streetfilms' many biketastic videos:

-- John Ruscher

Kickstarter Pick: Lisa Cifuentes Teams Up With Her Sisters For Feature Film, "After The Wedding"

You've seen her working the front desk and soon you could be seeing her producing her first feature film. 3rd Ward Member Associate Lisa Cifuentes mentioned this "little project" when we spoke with her back in March, but she was obviously being modest, as it sounds like an amazing endeavor. 

Teaming up with her sisters Claudia and Karina, Lisa is raising money via Kickstarter to begin production on After The Wedding this summer. The film, which is written and directed by Claudia and co-produced by Lisa and Karina, "follows newlywed Diego Diaz (Nick Puga) as he heads down to Miami Beach for a few weeks to finish his latest novel, but when he becomes emotionally intimate with a sexy bartender, he and his wife are left to examine the true state of their young marriage."

By pledging to the After The Wedding Kickstarter you will not only be supporting an ambitious project from a 3rd Ward staffer, but also a couple of underrepresented segments in entertainment world. As the Cifuentes sisters point out in their Kickstarter pitch, the United States' Latino population has grown significantly, but the same can't be said of the film industry. They also highlight the fact that only 5% of directors are female and only 18% of behind-the-scene film roles are held by women. With After The Wedding's Latina writer and director, producers, and a largely Latino cast, those statistics are another great reason to get behind the film.

And if you still need a little extra nudge, the Cifuentes sisters are also offering tons of enticing rewards for pledges. Lisa herself will be baking some "delicious Latin sweets" as part of a $100 "Cafe con Leche" pledge package and leading a 4-hour driving tour of Miami's best spots for a $300 "Ocean Drive" package. On top of such great Kickstarter rewards, the sisters have also started "Our Secrets to a Happy Marriage," a blog series in which they ask couples to share their marriage secrets.

For more check out the After The Wedding website and Facebook page and keep up with the Cifuentes sisters via their Dreaming of Palm Trees blog and Pink Forest Films Twitter. And, of course, hit up their Kickstarter page to help make After The Wedding a reality.

-- John Ruscher

Go Here Now: Brooklyn's CharitySub Reimagines Philanthropy

We're always on the lookout for new initiatives and ideas that fit into the Future of Money infographic that we shared back in December. In February, for instance, we told you about Carrotmob's "buycotts." Now we're thrilled to highlight a new website that's based right here in Brooklyn.

Straight out of Carroll Gardens, CharitySub makes supporting good causes simple and easy. Each month the website picks three worthy nonprofits that are working toward similar goals. Then its subscribers, who chip in a modest $5 per month, get to choose which of those organizations receive their money. This month's "Working Dogs" theme, for instance, offers the option of supporting Angel On A Leash's therapy dogs, Canine Partners for Life's service dogs or Connecticut Canine Search and Rescue.

To make sure that its subscribers' money will be put to good use, CharitySub carefully selects its charities based on their impact, fiscal responsibility and transparency. It also provides subscribers with statistics on their giving and shareable illustrated reports on how charities have used their donations.

By automating the giving process, taking care of the research and footwork and pooling funds to make a bigger impact, CharitySub is an exciting and inspiring example of how the power of emerging economic systems can be harnessed for good. The only hard part will be deciding which of those cute and heroic pups to support.

-- John Ruscher

Kickstarter Pick: BushwickBK.com Relaunches As The Community-Funded 'Bushwick News'

 

When neighborhood blog BushwickBK decided to call it a day back in October, it took us a while to break our habit of constantly clicking over to the website for the latest local news. That's because the stories they published usually weren't something that you'd find anywhere else. They opted for locally-focused, locally-sourced reporting, from detailed community board rundowns and fascinating pieces like this global story about 99 cent stores to profiles of area musicians, restaurant reviews (and of course, some features on yours truly.) These types of articles aren't just copied-and-pasted press releases or SEO-maximized blog posts, but real journalism that requires time and legwork.

That sort of intensive, in-depth reporting isn't always the most profitable work, and that's what led BushwickBK founder Jeremy Sapienza decided to take a break, possibly for good. The resulting void was quite a big one, and after a few months of planning, Sapienza and the BushwickBK crew decided to try out a more community-supported approach. Earlier this month they launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring the website back to life as The Bushwick News, and they're offering a heap of rewards for supporters, from beverages at a variety of local establishments for a modest $5 to original works by some local artists and other goodies for more sizable donations.

While the $40,000 that they are aiming to raise is indeed an big sum, it's a testament to their ambitious goal of being more than just a blog:

We know 40K is a spicy meatball. But it's also a test of what can be done. We need to know that the community is willing to support our work. This is a huge undertaking!

For more info and a great visual explanation of what they want to do, watch their fundraising campaign video after the jump. We're huge fans of Kickstarter as a means for funding all sorts of awesome projects, but we think this campaign is particularly exciting, as it's a unique local resource funded by local businesses and local citizens through a new economic model. If that excites you too, help out and get some sweet rewards in return.

Now for the video—we really want to know what's down in that manhole!

-- John Ruscher

GREAT CAUSE // Help Uproar Art Help Brooklyn Kids

Max Goodman helps young artists make moulds of their fingers at Uproar's table at the Maker Faire

We understand: It's a tough time to be donating We know your hearts are in the right place, but we also know holiday travel and gift-giving can be huge strains on your wallets. Still, we have a worthy cause that could absolutely use your help. Uproar Art teaches classes and gives private lessons in the arts, visual and performing; teaching low-cost classes in crafts, comic book-making, organic sculpture, and recycled art. Directed by our own jewelry instructor Max Goodman, the organization focuses on individual attention and teaching technical skills, as well as using sustainable materials.

This year, Uproar got its 501-c-3 non-profit incorporation, so they're hoping to expand their programs to do school residencies in Brooklyn. We don't have to tell you folks that this could be huge for the community--it would offer kids a creative outlet that the schools may not be able to provide otherwise (and many of us know how ruthlessly some schools are slashing their art programs altogether.)

Of course, since it's an official non-profit, any donation you make before the end of the 2011 (one-week alert!) will help you out with your taxes. But more than that, you'll be giving kids a chance to learn how to make things and maybe even have a hand in grooming the next generation of 3rd Warders.

All donations can be done straight through here.

--Layla Schlack

HOW-TO // What to Do If Your Kickstarter Campaign Fails

So you didn't reach your Kickstarter goal. You're not alone! The scary truth is that less than half of all Kickstarter campaigns reach their goal--and as you probably know, if you don't reach your goal, you don't collect anything. You're a grown up, you know it's nothing personal. Raising money is tough any way you cut it and you always knew this was a possibility. So what now? It's time to dust yourself off and figure out how to make your dream come true.

We see a lot of campaigns get started, some have amazing, life-changing outcomes, some go a bit rockier. Either way, we want to help you see your ideas/businesses/causes through and in the event your Kickstarter doesn't go as planned, we've amassed some helpful tips for startin' fresh.

First bit of positive reinforcement: The good news is you've put together a lot of quality material detailing why you and your project are great. Now here's what to do with it:

• If you haven't already, see what's available in the way of grants and fellowships. Of course, this money is hard-earned--depending on which program(s) you apply for, you could be competing against thousands of applicants for just one or two positions. But often the applications are free, and the prestige from actually getting one of these things will look great to potential investors.
• Look into small business loans. This can be a bit intimidating; it means taking on debt and being beholden to lenders. But interest rates are generally low, and there actually is a lot of money available. Lenders may even want you to take more than you think you'll need, just to ensure you can do things right and become profitable.
• Ask your family. We're joking a little, and maybe you've already tried this and it didn't go so well. Or maybe it just feels like a hard pill to swallow. But family is the ultimate low-interest lender, and they have a vested interest in your success. Seriously, if you haven't done it and you have decent relationships with family members (and they have a little disposable income) just ask.
• Look for teammates. Find people who are successfully doing things that are complementary to your project and email them directly. Link them to your materials and explain why you think you should work together. The worst-case scenario is that they'll ignore you completely, and they're already doing that, so why not try?
• Do a bit of tweaking and restart your Kickstarter. Do everything you can to get your page featured on a curated site. Study Google Adwords to make it search-engine optimized. Link it Times Style trend pieces. Throw everything you've got at making it stand out.
• Contact the media. Email every blog, magazine, newspaper, web show, whatever you can think of and tell them what you're trying to do and where it went wrong. Again, the worst thing that will happen is you'll be get no response. But most of us media types are so inundated with soulless, grammatically hideous press releases that your heartfelt prose will move us...maybe even enough to take up your cause. 

The bottom line to resetting is knowing you're not in this alone. If you don't get your cash in the first round, it's more likely that your pitch neeeds work than that your idea does, so use the resources available to you (and if you're a 3rd Ward member, take full of advantage of this wonderful community you've helped build.)

No matter what: Keep at it. You will make it happen.

--Layla Schlack

WORTHY CAUSE // Donate to Transportation Alternatives By December 31 and Your Gift Will Count Double

With the holidays quickly approaching, it's time to start thinking about what gifts you're giving this year. 3rd Ward's got our Handmade Holiday Craft Fair coming up on December 10 (more on that shortly) but we'd also like to point you toward another great gift that'll benefit both someone close to you and NYC as a whole.

NYC non-profit organization Transportation Alternatives is currently in the middle of its end of year fundraising campaign, and a generous local foundation will be matching any donations received by December 31. In addition to supporting a worthy cause, your donation will also get you one of Transportation Alternative's "One Less Car" t-shirts, a perfect gift for anyone who prefers to pedal, stroll or hop on public transit rather than stepping on the gas.

Since 1973 Transportation Alternatives has been advocating for non-automobile transportation in New York City, including bicycling, walking and public transit. One of their latest initiatives has been addressing recent cyclist and pedestrian deaths in which the NYPD has declined to charge or account for the actions of the drivers involved. 3rd Ward's own Mathieu Lefevre was struck and killed by a flatbed truck in October at the corner of Morgan and Meserole. His family and Transportation Alternatives have still received barely any information from the NYPD, despite numerous requests. On Wednesday the organization delivered 2,650 letters to NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly demanding that dangerous drivers be held accountable. They also announced that they are launching an investigation of how the NYPD has been investigating and reporting recent traffic crashes.

Show your support for NYC's cycling community and alternative transportation by giving what you can to help Transportation Alternatives this holiday season.

-- John Ruscher