Want Money for a Great Toledo Project? Get in the Soup!

Yes, I know there is no free money, unless there is.  I just heard about a new start-up effort to get (small amounts) of money to projects--either for OR non-profit--in the Toledo, Ohio area.  It's called Toledo Soup, and is the joint effort of some local area business folks.  It works like this: you submit a short proposal about why your project would be great for the Toledo area.  They are looking for a diversity of sources--arts, culture, small business, nonprofit, etc.  The submission must be by February 17th. 

Then, judges narrow down the entries, and if your entry is chosen, you come to a dinner hosted by  Toledo Soup on March 4th.  Attendees are charged $5 for admission, and they listen while submitters describe their project, and why it's worthy of funding.  Then the dinner attendees vote on the projects, and the one with the most votes gets the admission money so the amount depends on attendance.  It's not going to rival Donald Trump-type money, but might give you the cash to start--or finish--something that could be great for the Toledo area.  See their website if you want to apply, or if you want to attend an event and contribute to popular-democracy fund raising.