ioby (In Our Back Yard) provides one-on-one coaching to plan, fund, and implement positive ideas in our communities. With an 87% success rate, ioby projects nationwide have raised over $4 million. In Pittsburgh, ioby has helped 80 projects raise more than $100,000. In this workshop, attendees will learn about storytelling and strategies to activate community investment using crowdfunding. Attendees will practice in teams using their own ideas.

Speaker: Miriam Parson, ioby's Pittsburgh Action Strategist, brings more than eight years’ experience in creating and managing nonprofit programs that implement community-driven sustainability solutions such as clean air, clean water, and food garden installation. In her current role, Miriam listens to Pittsburghers’ ideas about positive work in their neighborhoods and then pools resources and experts to support the project leader’s success. Miriam holds a Masters of Sustainability and Management degree from Chatham University and undergraduate degrees from Gettysburg College in Political Science and Environmental Studies.