Marginal. - An Idea to Fuel Ideas at the Margins
So much good energy that could help create a more soulful and sustainable world is misdirected into sustaining a world that is failing us… As we fail ourselves, future generations and our home planet.
Energy in the form of financial wealth, time and focus goes into propping up or justifying an old world stance, keeping old structures, systems and thinking on life support.
If just a fraction of this energy was re-directed into positive, life affirming, sustainable and soulful innovation at the margins - I wonder what might happen?
New thinking and ancient wisdom (often the same thing) is found at the fringes - on the margins. What of this thinking makes it to the centre often does so through through a process of commodification, which strips away, dilutes, dulls and sometimes destroys the soul, essence, energy of the idea.
Entrepreneurs, creatives and change agents with a philosophy jarring to late capitalism and human greed have their energy sucked trying to participate in systems that claim to support them - for too great a price.
As Lewis Hyde shares in his book - The Gift:
“In a free market the people are free, the ideas are locked up.”
While impact investing, crowd-funding and philanthropy all have their place and do “good”, they often are informed by, or answer to old world establishment, quid pro quo philosophy, or simply don’t work well or sustainably.
In a world where charity affords tax incentives and often props up organisational administration as much as designated recipients, crowd-funding works for a few for a short time and impact investing is sexy but has questionable results both financially and impact-wise, there is an opportunity to experiment. Marginal. is for people willing to participate in an experiment in multiplying positive energy and impact.
Marginal. at its core is an aspiration towards unconditional, circular giving. The recognition that by investing time, finance, energy and power into positive life-affirming ideas - we all benefit.
Marginal. operates from a belief in non-linear reciprocity. From an understanding that as we live with generosity, from our true nature in a way that reflects the natural world - we all thrive.
There is no “quid pro quo” in non-linear giving but there is discernment. We only place energy behind people and ideas that have a commitment to paying forward to the broader world in some way - and hold impeccable standards of transparency and integrity.
Marginal. is an experiment operating from unconditional giving with discernment. This means all our partners (contributors and recipients) are thoroughly vetted prior to partnership.
So how does funding investment work?
Funding investment is provided by people and organisations who are inspired by marginal ideas, see their potential and would like to “water the plant to see what grows”. Yes even large “old-world” corporations are welcome to contribute as long as they manage their own requirements internally without imposing them on recipients. Contributors invest in the vision, purpose and positive energy of an idea - without any expectation of return other than to transparently see the impact. Funding moves through a range of stages and can be paused or stopped at any stage.
Funding decisions are transparent to all stakeholders and agreed by a selection advisor community.
Initial funding is Prototype funding. After an initial prototype has been created or run, the prototype is evaluated through a range of filters, including but not limited to:
Has the good energy grown?
Are the stakeholders energised and curious about the next stage?
Is it financially sustainable? Can we see the potential for this to become self-funding and autonomous?
Further funding stages are agreed, with discernment in partnership with all stakeholders.
How about energy and time investment?
While Marginal. has a commitment to being as free as possible of suppressive constraints we are also realistic. Financial, legal, regulatory, political and ecological frameworks are part of our eco-system. Experts in these fields, as well as creativity, business scaling, administration, innovation, social and environmental justice all have a contribution in helping centre marginal ideas.
At each stage of energy and time investment, contributors meet with Marginal. to discuss:
Has the good energy grown?
Has the investment of energy and time been utilised well and paid forward?
What tweaks can be made to ensure greater positive momentum at the next stage?
Who and what does Marginal. invest in?
The possibilities are endless - the criteria clear: Truly positive, emancipatory and health-full for all stakeholders (regenerative). Ideally Marginal. will invest at least 70-80% of its resources into First Nations founders, creatives and ideas. It is our experience that First Nations people already (more often) operate from non-linear reciprocity with a focus on systemic impact and therefore are more trustworthy in operating in this way.
How do you know it will work?
We don’t. Marginal. is an opportunity to engage in an experiment. The experiment is to invest unconditionally (with discernment) in ideas that can make the world better for all. We cannot predict the outcome, however based on small experiments hypothesise good connections, good relationships, liberation of energy and ideas at the very least. The first stage of Marginal. is a prototype. We envision learning a lot on the way and are likely to have opportunities to teach as we learn - hence making the journey public and transparent.
What got you interested in this?
My own interest in marginality stems from my experience of seeing and being in the world differently to many people around me. Whilst marginal thinking as a child and early adult felt lonely and awkward, as I have grown I have learnt that it opens me and those around me up to great power, insight and possibility.
As a marginal thinking person, I found my own way to be “in the world but not of it”. However this was supported by many levels of privilege that others do not have. I am passionate about the impact that appreciated, liberated, supported and empowered marginal thinkers can have on our world.
In my work in social and organisational transformation I have seen the limitations of innovation from above and from the centre, and the power and possibility opened up through innovation at the margins.
How is Marginal. beginning?
While this concept has been brewing for awhile - I only decided to “own” doing something with it this week. So for now it is just me and I am curious about the response I get from sharing the initial concept. My initial commitment is to gift a percentage of my energy, time and love to Marginal. to see what happens. I am not pursuing Marginal. as a business idea or money-making venture however if at some time gifts or some other model allows for support of my living I can focus more of my energy and time on Marginal. in an ongoing way.
What are the next steps?
Connecting with others who would like to contribute to and help shape the concept
Creating a community of selection advisors
Confirming initial funding, time and energy contributors
Filtering applicants and agreeing 3-5 initial ideas to invest in
How can I help?
I would love to hear from anyone who is inspired by this concept and would like to contribute. Send your ideas to alison@alisoncameron.com
