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Frequently Asked Questions

Feel free to use our online contact form to ask any questions not already answered below.

What does "Aequalitas" mean?

Answer provided by our founder, Gregory Varnum, who selected the name:

The simple answer is that aequalitas (we're pronouncing it "eye-kwa-li-tis") is Latin for equality.

I could come up with some philosophical explanation about how Latin is the source and start of many wonderful things or how we must look to our past before we can venture towards our future.  However, the truth is there was no logical reason - especially since I'm not a lawyer and do not actually speak any Latin.  I'm just fond of Latin phrases and enjoy including Latin in projects I work on.  I don't get many chances to name organizations - so I went for it.  Put another way, quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur.

What type of organization is The Aequalitas Project?

The Aequalitas Project is a nonprofit corporation registered in the State of Michigan.  Since the organization is still in our initial development, our application for tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status is pending.  As a result, any donations received at this time are not tax-deductible.  In accordance with state laws, the organization has a Board of Directors which works in consultation with our Advisory Board to govern the organization.

What do you mean by "incubator" approach?

The Aequalitas Project's "incubator" approach is based on business incubators and utilizes resources provided by the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA).

Incubators are designed to accelerate the successful development of ideas through an array of support resources and services, developed and orchestrated by incubator management and offered both in the incubator and through its network of contacts.  In the business sector, successful completion of an incubation program increases the likelihood that a start-up company will stay in business for the long term: Historically, 87% of incubator graduates stay in business.

Common incubator services include:

  • Help with business and nonprofit basics
  • Networking assistance
  • Assistance identifying supporters
  • Marketing assistance
  • Information on strategic partners
  • Advisory boards and mentors
  • Technology assistance
  • Help with regulatory compliance

Unlike many nonprofit assistance programs, incubators do not serve any and all programs. Social entrepreneurs and advocates who wish to enter an incubation program must apply for admission.

The amount of time a program spends in an incubation program can vary widely depending on a number of factors, including the type and scope of the program.
How long do you commit to each program?

The Aequalitas Project invests as much time as necessary to either develop an idea until it can be sustained independently, successfully integrated into an existing organization or come to its natural conclusion.

Sometimes that natural conclusion is the determination that the program is either unnecessary or unsustainable.  To respect everyone's time and resources, the screening and early development process is designed to make that determination early.

How can I pitch my idea for a program?

Sorry, but The Aequalitas Project is not soliciting ideas at this time.

How did The Aequalitas Project get started?

As told by Gregory Varnum, founder of The Aequalitas Project:

After I completed my role as Executive Director of the National Youth Advocacy Coalition, I spent time contemplating my experiences working within nonprofits over the preceding ten years.  During that time, I also spoke with a number of trusted friends and colleagues seeking their advice on what I should consider for my next venture.
 
Out of that reflection and those conversations came a number of ideas I was interested in seeing developed into programs.  Specifically I was interested in ones that I felt weren't a good fit, at least initially, with the organizations I was aware of.  My experiences had exposed me to a number of wonderful ideas which either suffered a premature demise or an unnecessarily painful startup process.  There were a variety of different reasons involved - from lack of capacity building to organization politics and conflicts.
 
No one likes to waste their time - so I wanted to do my best to learn from those experiences and apply those lessons to my plans to develop these ideas.  I knew that certain ideas had a hard time succeeding in an already fully functional organization until it was itself more fully developed.  I also knew that certain ideas simply worked better free of existing turf wars or organization politics.
 

My list of ideas I was being presented with or otherwise developing an interest in was growing.  I was starting to realize that a nonprofit organization focusing on the development of great ideas rather than picking a select few to permanently focus on might be the best solution to the problem I was now facing and the frustrations I was hoping to address.
 
The "ah ha" moment arrived when some friends nudged me to consider social entrepreneurship as a means of pursuing my interests.  Rather than think of each idea or program individually, I began to think of the process and larger picture of how these ideas could realistically be developed using the resources available.
 
When I attended business college I became interested in a trend occurring in the technology sector - business incubators.  The idea was originally developed a few decades ago and was successfully applied to hundreds of business ideas each year.  I was aware that the concept had also been applied to developing nonprofit programming, usually by community foundations.  The notion of applying it to the types of ideas I was interested in seemed increasingly worth pursuing.
 
Out of all of this, The Aequalitas Project emerged.  From there, I worked with trusted friends to develop the idea further, reach out to potential advisors and identify which ideas would initially be developed as "pilot programs".  The Queer Camp Alliance, WikiQueer and Project Castra were ideas already underway and already showing great potential.
 
I wish I could share more, but for now that's all there is as this creation story is still being written!  I invite you to join me in becoming a part of it - learn more about how you can get involved today.
How is The Aequalitas Project managed?

The Aequalitas Project founder and lead, Gregory Varnum, oversees the organization's operations and programs in cooperation with the organization's Board of Directors.  Decisions on financial and programmatic aspects of each program and the organization are determined based on input from the Advisory Board.