NORWAY — A local nonprofit dedicated to sustainability awareness is employing a popular crowd-sourcing funding campaign to raise money to boost education in the area.

The Center for an Ecology-Based Economy is looking to raise $20,000 by May 25 through Indiegogo for four projects that organizer Scott Vlaun says will promote the use of local, sustainable food systems and lifestyles in the region.

“We’d like to think it will make a better, stronger community and a better place to be,” Vlaun said.

Projects include renovating the commercial kitchen at the Fare Share Co-op and connecting it to the adjacent CEBE space for food-related events and cooking demonstrations; creating a community bike lending program by placing bike racks throughout Norway and South Paris; collaborating with the Western Foothills Land Trust to build a traditional sugar house for the SAD 17 education program at Robert’s Farm Preserve; and the creation of a solar power station at the Alan Day Community Garden to power an irrigation system and barn lighting.

The funding will primarily help CEBE offset the cost workshops associated with running the programs, Vlaun said.

The impetus for the project stems from a concerted effort to collaborate with the community on CEBE’s focus areas – food, transportation, shelter, and energy.

“We realized they all overlap. These are the things everybody has to deal with on a day-to-day basis, and right now all of those needs are based on a distant supply chain we have no [local] control over,” Vlaun said.

“This is to get us out into the community and raise more awareness. If you come out into Norway from outside and see bike racks people are using, you’re going to say, ‘Wow, bike transportation; I didn’t expect that.’” According to Vlaun, the everyday practical implication of the projects will educate a new generation of citizens – students regularly visit Robert’s Farm and the community garden during the spring and summer – driving toward CEBE’s ultimate goal: a paradigm change in which the economy is refocused onto a smaller, localized level.

“They’ll get to see a solar system in action. People are going to see the sun working, so maybe we can get people interested in a project like covering roofs of buildings with solar panels, and start to build a local, community energy system.”

The popularity of crowdsourcing as a funding solution has grown in recent times. The platform is responsible for monetary backing required to launch new businesses or – in CEBE’s case – ideas.

The premise is simple: parties interested in contributing can log on to their recipients Indiegogo page and choose a contribution level. Different investment levels come with different perks: in CEBE’s case, the lowest contribution that garners a perk is $20, which results in the group’s thanks and a subscription to their newsletter, while $1,000 includes a how-to primer for communities transitioning away from fossil fuels, and free permaculture consultations and workshops.

Unlike similar crowdsourcing site KickStarter, if CEBE fails to raise their target they will still keep the portion of money they raised, minus a 9 percent fee. They raised $2,235 as of April 22, with 34 days remaining.

Since it began a year ago on Earth Day, CEBE has held holding workshops, events, and history exhibits on sustainable living.

This is the first fundraiser of its kind, Vlaun said, and grant writers are also looking at the possibility of applying for a 3-D printer to encourage a new generation of crafters.

To learn more about CEBE and the Indiegogo campaign, you can visit www.ecologybasedeconomy. org or look for them on Indiegogo.com.