By Danny Fenster
The beloved Detroit Soup, an organization that raises money for startups, may soon be reaching the bottom of its bowl.
The micro-granting dinner group might have to end operations soon due to a lack of funding, Michael Martinez of the Detroit News reports.
Detroit Soup hosts $5 monthly dinners—soup, salad and bread—and guests listen to pitches for local startups. After dinner, participants vote on the presentations, and the winner takes home the pot of $5 admissions. Detroit Soup has raised $67,000 for local projects since it's beginnings, in 2010, the Detroit News reports.
This year, Detroit Soup has had a tough time finding funding. Each dinner costs about $1,000 to put on, the News says.
Last year Soup received about $125,000 in grant money from groups, including the Knight Foundation and the United Way. The Knight Foundation doesn’t award grant money in back-to-back years, and the United Way’s new funding year doesn’t begin until June, Kaherl said.
Soup is one of 97 finalists for a $200,000 grant from ArtPlace America. “If we don’t get the ArtPlace grant, Soup would have to stop,” says Amy Kaherl.
Kaherl says Detroit Soup's troubles are part of a larger trend.
“I’ve had a lot of conversations with nonprofit leaders who are having funding troubles,” she told the News. “We say we want it, but do we just want new business or do we want creative ventures that take a lot of risks? I think Detroit needs people who are willing to fund the most insane ideas and see what happens.”
To donate, visit www.detroitsoup.com/donate.
