Update. Well, a lot has happened since last we spoke. Trying to do The Lawnmower Project part-time proved disastrous and unproductive. Simply put, it all fell by the wayside. Then a friend encouraged me to keep it going, pointing out all the good it could do for the kids involved. So I started thinking. If this is to be remotely successful, I will need to devote all of my time and energy into it. This needs to be my full-time job. I thought. I can raise money, I can meet with companies and form partnerships, I have connections. But If I did all of this, The Lawnmower Project would have to be bigger than just giving 20 kids a mower. That is when all the light bulbs started going off. So, here is what I’ve done since then:

I started meeting with people to gauge the feasibility of my grand idea. People like non-profit professionals, board members, fundraisers, grant writers and givers, lawn care professionals, community center workers, and more.

I wrote the full business plan that is now ready to present to businesses for support.

I formed a board of directors, had a meeting, elected officers, and approved the bylaws.

After incorporating with the state, I gained an EID number, opened a checking account, and officially filed for 501c3 (non-profit) status.

Applied for an $80,000 fellowship through Echoing Green (www.echoinggreen.org). A fine organization that funds multiple start-up non-profits like mine.

Built the website (thelawnmowerproject.org), and shored up our Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages.

Received in-kind office and warehouse space from Matt Green with Green’s Lawncare. I am nearly done with a structure here that will house an additional 36 lawn mowers (I currently have 22 in my garage and can still park my car in there). This is where we will hold orientation classes for new kids in the program.

We will not just give lawn mowers away. We will help mentor these kids through owning their own business. We will teach them financial literacy as well as life skills too many to name. The plan is to grow this from just one under-serviced neighborhood in Indianapolis to all of them. Then on to other cities in the state, then other states, and finally other countries. We will have our first class starting in April.

So, here is what I am asking for now:

Spread the word. Tell your family, friends and co-workers. Share my pages on your social media.

Connections. Does your company give to non-profits? Do you know who I would call or email to start a line of communication? We would be ever grateful.

Volunteers. Do you have some area of expertise that could help the cause? Even if you can only give an hour per week or even a month, we can use all the help we can get.

Lawnmowers. Hurray, I am accepting mower donations again since I have built the aforementioned structure that will hold 36 more. Let me know if you have one to give and I will come pick it up (Indianapolis metro area only).

Donations. Actually, not yet. Although I am 100% confident that they will grant me non-profit status, I had to file the “long form” which could take up to six months. I am allowed to operate with a retroactive date being my filing date. Since it is the end of the year, I am just going to wait until the beginning of next year to open this up.

I think that’s it for now. So sorry for the long post.