I believe that the solution to combating long-term poverty is in empowering communities--building their capacity to solve the problems they see around them.  Using our Bright Ideas Grant, we fund projects with the potential to do just that, those which strive to improve the health, educational, and economic opportunities of rural African communities. We ask communities with on-the-ground insights into daily challenges and hidden opportunities to submit their own ideas for real potential solutions, and we deliver these projects the vital funding they need.  By accepting only ideas led by and born from within the community, our model ensures relevance and long-term community backing. By allowing philanthropists to choose which projects they invest in with their donations and providing them monthly progress updates, we can help social investors build relationships with these communities and share a feeling of responsibility for the amazing work being done.