Hey friends,
As we begin to close out the year, I have noticed a growing clarity in the kinds of solutions that are starting to take hold across the impact landscape. Innovation is shifting from buzzwords to real application.
We are seeing practical climate tech reach farms and factories, new models for education take shape, and communities step forward with solutions that do not wait for perfect conditions.
Many of the stories this week reflect that steady, determined progress.
What stands out most is how often meaningful change comes from work that starts small.
A bottle that funds ocean cleanup.
A homestead model that helps families live with greater independence.
A course that gives future city builders the skills they need.
A seed-stage apparel startup that wants to rebuild how clothing is made.
A geothermal company raising the kind of capital usually reserved for oil and gas.
These are very different efforts, but each of them pushes us a little closer toward systems that value people, land, and long term thinking.
Thank you for reading each week and for being part of a community that values progress built with patience, curiosity, and a sense of responsibility.
— Grant
Featured Interview
5th World’s Mission to Build Modern, Self-Sustaining Homesteads
I interview the team behind 5th World, a concept redefining the classic homestead for the modern era.
They are building planned communities focused on self-reliance, sustainability, and resilient living, integrating innovative technologies like permaculture and clean energy microgrids.
This interview explores their model for collective land stewardship and their vision for helping individuals and families establish a sustainable foundation in an uncertain world.
Read the Full Interview on Causeartist
Definition: CCUS is a set of technologies that captures carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) emissions from industrial sources (like power plants or cement factories), prevents the $CO_2$ from entering the atmosphere, and either stores it deep underground or utilizes it to create valuable products.
Featured Resource
Startups Turning Agricultural Waste into Clean Energy
The transition to a sustainable food system is about more than just what we grow—it's about how we manage the resulting waste.
This resource highlights pioneering startups that are converting billions of tons of agricultural byproducts (like manure, crop residue, and food processing waste) into high-value resources.
This includes producing biofuel, renewable natural gas, and clean hydrogen, all while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating a circular economy for farms.
Read the Full Resource on Causeartist
📝 Case Study
Business Case Study: Dr. Bronner’s
How does a fifth-generation family soap company maintain radical activism and triple-bottom-line commitments while achieving hundreds of millions in revenue?
This case study dissects the enduring success of Dr. Bronner’s, from its famous "All-One!" philosophy and ethical supply chain development to its cutting-edge employee benefits, including full health coverage and compensation caps—that exemplify a commitment to people over profit.
Read the Full Case Study on Causeartist
🗞️ News and Headlines
- U.K.'s Ocean Bottle, Award-Winning Sustainable Water Bottle, Launches in the U.S.: Ocean Bottle, known for its commitment to funding the collection of ocean-bound plastic with every sale, has officially expanded its award-winning product line into the U.S. market, signifying growing consumer demand for verified circular products. Learn more about Ocean Bottle
- PolyU Launches Free Advanced Education Course on Sustainable City Developments: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has released a free online course on sustainable city developments, aimed at creating and supporting future-ready cities by providing accessible, advanced education in urban sustainability. Read More on PolyU
- Digital Promise Announces Multi-Year Effort to Build Public AI Resources for K-12 Schools: Digital Promise is leading a major effort to create publicly available AI resources, frameworks, and curriculum supports to ensure K-12 schools can responsibly and equitably integrate artificial intelligence into teaching and learning. Learn more about Digital Promise
- Federal AI-in-Education Grants—$50M in 2025: The U.S. Department of Education is set to award $50 million in grants by December 31, 2025, for projects that integrate AI into K-12 and higher education, focusing on AI literacy, responsible use, and workforce development. Read More on MeriTalk
- Safer Beauty Policy Push in the U.S.: A new "Safer Beauty" legislative package has been introduced at the federal level to modernize cosmetic safety rules, ban hazardous chemicals, and require stronger protections for salon workers and communities of color, moving U.S. standards closer to stricter international regulations. Learn more about the bill
🙌 Events and Opportunities
- IBM Impact Accelerator (Virtual): A multi-year program offering pro-bono consulting, technical support, and the power of IBM's hybrid cloud and AI technologies to social enterprises focused on addressing environmental and societal challenges. Learn More about IBM Impact Accelerator
- Impact Accelerator for Diverse Entrepreneurs (SEED SPOT): The SEED SPOT Impact Accelerator Program (Virtual) is nearing its close on December 12, 2025, for the cohort that began in October. This 8-week program offers training, tools, and coaching to help diverse-led ventures achieve growth in revenue and investment readiness. Learn More about SEED SPOT
- $25K Unrestricted Grant for Tech Nonprofits (Fast Forward): The Fast Forward Accelerator is offering a program for tech nonprofit founders, providing $25K+ in unrestricted funding, expert mentorship, and access to a powerful network. The program culminates in a Demo Day pitch to social impact investors. Apply to Fast Forward
- $10K-$100K Startup Grants for Social Entrepreneurs (The Impact Incubator QIF): The Impact Incubator is seeking early-stage purpose-driven organizations and social entrepreneurs from underserved communities, offering startup grants ranging from $10K-$100K, expert mentorship, and entry into the Impact Collaborative network. Learn More about The Impact Incubator
💰 Funding and Capital Watch
- Fervo Energy secures $462 million in growth equity to scale its next-generation geothermal technology, which uses advanced drilling techniques to provide 24/7 clean power. Investors include CPP Investments and Galvanize Climate Solutions. Learn more
- Rotostitch Raises $1M in Pre-Seed Funding to Revolutionize Apparel Manufacturing. Details on Rotostitch
- Sortera Technologies Scales Solution to the Mixed Aluminum Problem with $45 Million in Funding and a New Tennessee Facility. Details on Sortera Technologies
- Fremantle Seaweed Raises $2.3 Million for its Seed Round through crowd-source fundraising to scale its regenerative aquaculture operations. Details on Fremantle Seaweed
Grant Trahant
Founder | Causeartist
Host | Disruptors for Good + Investing in Impact
Venture Partner | Pay it Forward Ventures
Connect: LinkedIn | X
