All Forum Posts by: Kama Ward

I doth not protest too much. Really I don't! I SWEAR I DON'T!! haha just kidding.

Here's an example from my experience: A local foundation was giving out $5000 dollar grants (lots of money to our 501c3). Would take about 30hrs for an experienced person to fill out the app./write the docs to apply. But the fine print is that they are really giving 416.66 a month and you need to show quantifiable documentation that you are helping youth each month. Yet "quantifiable documentation" is not clearly defined. And you must devote at least 10 hours a week of paid time to it. We don't have any paid employees! So even though the foundation said we would likely get the grant, we did not apply.

We could easily raise more than 416.66 a month from our normal donation stream/ fundraising efforts. So that's what we did. Just like you could raise $$ more quickly and easily if you have a quality profitable business going.

You know how everyone complains about govt regulations and red tape? This is worse. Every entity has it's own quirky, conflicting and onerous requirements.

Someone I'm sure could really specialize and build a business model in there somewhere. To me, and most other investors, it will not be worth it.

My friend worked for goodwill somewhere in the upper reaches of the organization. He said it was 'basically evil'. Sorry for wandering off topic. Maybe someone could start a real estate non-profit call Basically Evil.

When it's done, sell the movie rights to this soap opera. Gotta make a profit somehow!

I've read this thread 3-4 times hoping to see a resolution- and it always amazes me. Good Luck with the final solution, Will. Hope your other investments are making up for this pain.

I co-founded a non-profit and my friends have a successful business that have been operating along the lines of a B-corp (North Carolina does not recognize B-corps although there was legislation in the senate last I heard).

At the nonprofit, I worked on the proposal and through all the paperwork to get the OK from the feds to start taking tax deductible contributions. This is the main benefit for small nonprofits- getting money from middle class/rich friends and people who believe in the cause. Competing for grants and other monies from foundations and the govt is a whole 'nuther level that requires ongoing efforts by professionals in the grant writing field.

The B Corp appears to me as a feel good pseudo entity at this point. Like the image that Whole Foods tries to portray. One million whole foods waiting to be born through the do good B Corp label!

I'd stick to just the straight up profit model and donate to Habitat for Humanity once in a while.

If you really want to go after the investment dough from foundations etc., form a non-profit and get a grant writer on percentage to start generating cash. You will hate the conditions the money comes with and rue the day you went down the rabbit hole though!!!! Look closely at a few grant apps and reporting metrics requirements and tell me what you think....

Darn it! I tried to make it link with the link button.

What's your opinion of this article?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/11/20/why-atlanta-new-york-and-chicago-are-poised-to-drive-a-housing-recovery/[url]

I've known two families who lived backing up to graveyards. One was a successful business person who could live anyplace they chose. We always enjoyed it when visiting.
I have another friend who lives one short block from an old graveyard. People in their neighborhood look on it as a positive, as a park to walk in. This a safe historic-type neighborhood.
There are several graveyards in the neighborhoods I buy in (also old, safe). None of the houses next to the graveyards sell at a discount. 95% of my buyers are white.
I'd say it depends on context.

As a buyer, I'd want at least six months (ideally 9-12) transition time in which you get me trained and known to all the players.

Then I'd pay book value up front, with any on top of that (up to 1.5 like Jon said) out of future profits. As in, you get all my profits for the first 18 months or 1/2 for 3yrs etc.

This is with me knowing rehabs in a different state. If I was already in N.O., I doubt I'd pay anything more than inventory- if at all.

If you get something like this going in Hawaii, let me know...

This is kind of gruesome, but speaking of glass and arteries- my friend's mother stepped through a piece of glass (under leaves) in a yard, cut an artery in her leg and bled to death. It was so bloody the police thought it was a murder for a day or two. She was alone- she would have most likely survived if she had been with someone. She had a phone but didn't use it. The doctors said that when you lose so much blood fast, you get delirious quickly. My friend's mother was even a doctor.

I try to visit houses with someone, I'm very cautious when alone, and don't go stomping around in leafy yards!

I'm with Ackerman! Hopefully not in the closet eating soup though.

I balance taking care of my family in current circumstances (stay the course) and advocating for the best future (informing myself, working to better the system and/or elected officials) with a healthy dose of not worrying about the uncontrollable.