Shovel Ready Capital

Innovation in capital-efficient private funding of civic climate resilience projects. 501c3 registered nonprofit.

Over the last 10 years, extreme weather events have cost the USA approximately $2 trillion. This includes damage from storms, floods, wildfires, and droughts. The pace is expected to accelerate. Meanwhile, federal funding for infrastructure repair and resilience is dwindling, insurance is struggling to deliver coverage at a profit, and supply/demand economics are driving up the cost of money in the bond market.

Shovel Ready Capital’s (SRC) mission is to streamline the flow of private funding to offset the rising cost of severe weather on communities. We leverage technology and a scalable business model to reduce operating expenses, while deploying innovative approaches to raising funds from the private sector, and we grant those funds debt-free for capital-efficient community infrastructure projects that meet our shovel-ready requirements (immediate impact, measurable results, lasting benefits).

A registered 501c3 FID #99-1473329 (the ‘Climate Resilience Fund’) the company launched its first successful market engagement campaign in February 2025 with the City of Boston. Multiple other communities have been in contact with SRC about expanding our impact to their regions.

SRC is seeking $2,500,000 - $5,000,000 to expand 2025 operations into the following regions, and beyond: Alexandria VA, Salem MA, Chicago IL, Jacksonville FL, and Southern California.

Please make a donation today

Support our mission by contributing today. 80% of donations go to shovel-ready climate resilience projects.

3% Cover the Fee

The General Fund will be used for ongoing SRC Operations and grants to communities that demonstrate need and meet our investment requirements.

How much of your donations actually go to projects?

How does SRC compare to other nonprofits? According to EasyDonation, most non-profits allocate only 40-60% of donations to their cause, preserving a large portion of funds to pay staff salaries and further fundraising. Shovel Ready Capital’s technology-enabled, streamlined operations enable it to donate 80% of funds raised go to shovel-ready climate resilience projects in partner cities.

The funds raised here will also be focused on regional expansion.

The following projects are under consideration for funding by Shovel Ready Capital. Once they reach ‘shovel-ready’ status, we will engage with local authorities and project leaders regarding funding needs:

Foundational Research

Foundational research for SRC was done in part through our Founder’s work on the United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction Steering Committee on Innovations in Climate Resilience Financing.

Research by the US Chamber of Commerce, verified by other agencies, reveals that for every $1 invested in climate resilience yields $4 in benefits over time.

The Problem

Traditional financing methods are insufficient to meet the rising needs communities face today, and tomorrow. The cost of severe weather are already far beyond the most sagacious 10-20 year municipal strategic plan. And the pace and scale of storms ahead will mean further cost escalation.

Federal funding is declining, and given the current debt-levels most industrialized nations carry, a decline in all areas of funding is inevitable

Insurance is exiting risk markets, as it struggles with the math of severe weather frequency and impact, with most carriers and REInsurers existing even moderate risk markets.

Municipal Bond market is saturated, leaving the ‘go to’ solution for funding immediate needs by communities more costly and competitive. The number and size of bonds for climate repair and resilience is growing rapidly. While bond sellers remain bullish on the market, for communities a bond = debt, leaving local politicians to convince property owners, hotels and restaurants, and other taxable entities why taxes are being raised, again.

The Solution

So where CAN money be found for climate resilience? Consumer spending, the largest contributor to GDP is 4X larger than Private Investment and Government Expenditures combined! ‘Round Ups’, Gift Cards, and similar programs can deliver immediate benefits to consumers in exchange for a donation. And a tax deduction can encourage individuals and corporations to direct their money to capital-efficient community climate resilience investments.

The Go-To-Market Campaign

Voluntary Carbon Offsets attached to an airline ticket (for example) was a great consumer market engagement technique, but Carbon Offsets as a ‘product was fundamentally flawed because they did not deliver tangible results.

SRCs go-to-market strategy is to engage consumers in a similar way but with a product that delivers results. Deploying a gift-card-type application and connecting with consumers at times and locations where they are already spending, donors receive a ‘Climate Credit’ valid at local hotels, restaurants, stores, etc. in exchange for their donation. (Additional channels for Credit redemption such as e-commerce and phone service bonuses are also being explored.)

$25 will get you $50 - what’s not to like?

Why will users engage?

  1. Market research shows consumers purchase gift cards/coupons primarily for the cash benefit.

  2. Non-profit fundraising requires a ‘thing’ to invest in, a building, brick or other thing of immediate and clear value.

  3. Delivering value to consumers through a local partner network also requires an immediate benefit to the partner

Boston Climate Credits Campaign Results

Working in partnership with MeetBoston, the local tourism bureau, and the City of Boston Office of Climate Resilience, SRC has secured value-added partnerships with restaurants, attractions, museums and more. Launch Feb 5, 2025 the campaign is already collecting donations and expanding its roster of partners.

Campaign:

Results since launch (2/5/25):

  • 325 Climate Credits purchased, average $5 donation

  • 6 local venue partners, plus a pipeline of 20+ in discussions including national brands with global expansion potential (including Omni, Marriott, JetBlue)

  • Matching customer donation partnership with Clearview Energy

  • Selected to present at Clean Tech on the Plaza

  • Two Donations from DAFgiving 360

Local promotions targeting tourists and regional visitors

Seaport & Hynes Convention Center Info Booths

15-50K visitors/mo.

Meet Boston, Boston Common Info Booth

1.2M visitors/yr

Meet Boston Mobile Outdoor Event Info Booth

3-5M visitors/yr

DONATE

Your donation will help SRC scale into new US regions and beyond. 80% of funds raised go to shovel-ready climate resilience projects in partner cities.

3% Cover the Fee

The General Fund will be used for ongoing SRC Operations and grants to communities that demonstrate need and meet our investment requirements.