ioby stands for “in our backyards” and the belief that environmental knowledge, innovation, action, and service begin and thrive in our backyards.

ioby.org is an online platform combines the tools of micro-philanthropy, social media, and community organizing to meet our three goals:

(1) support the infrastructure of the grassroots environmental movement in urban areas

(2) promote direct engagement with local projects as a way to gain environmental knowledge

(3) tell the collective story of grassroots environmental work in urban areas.

On ioby.org, local community groups submit project applications and ioby staff screen, vet and approve projects based on rigorous environmental and social criteria. Approved projects are then given an online profile that describes their environmental problem, proposed solution, steps to action, and the budget needed to carry out the idea. Our micro-philanthropic model works by pooling small donations from many online donors to fund projects directly and our website will soon allow groups to simultaneously organize volunteers.