We're Back.
Howdy friends,
It’s Jason—GNF co-founder.
If you’ve been around since the beginning, you might remember this newsletter as The Neighborhood News. And if you’ve been waiting for a new one to hit your inbox... well, it’s been a minute.
But we’re back with a new name (The Bulletin Board) and a new look. I promise: no spam, no fluff. Just sharing real updates. Stuff that actually adds value, like new grant awardees, tools we’re building, chapters we’re launching, and experiments we’re testing for first-time founders.
Same mission. New look.
The early 2000s were a ✨special✨ kind of chaos—in the best kind of way. The internet was the wild west. So was product design. People were trying things. Weird things. No rules, just vibes.
Websites looked like art projects. GeoCities. Myspace. Phones came in every shape and color (seriously, look up Nokia phones from that era). Car companies were throwing spaghetti at the wall—for every Pontiac Aztek or Prowler, there was a Ford GT or Audi R8. It was pure possibility. No one was afraid to go for it.
That’s the energy we’re channeling with the soft rebrand. It’s not just a lo-fi refresh. It’s a nod to a time when experimentation was the norm—when you didn’t need a 14-slide deck and a $5M pre-seed to be considered an “entrepreneur.”
That’s what GNF is about. Betting on bold ideas before they’re “ready.” Have an idea? Build it. Apply for a GNF grant. Don’t get one? Build it anyway. We’re just here to back people willing to try.
Our new platform, NeighborhoodOS, is a reflection of that period of time. It’s a founder-focused site that features:
A reworked pitch form (more streamlined experience)
An interactive (and not soul sucking) resource navigator (currently reflective of just WNY)
Interactive resource navigator A private portal for LPs to review and comment on applications
Chapter management infra to help new cities get rolling
An AIM-inspired Messenger where you can leave us a note, a tip, or a tool rec
In-progress features being tested: a co-founder matching app and interactive founder playbooks
Meet our newest micro-grant recipients 🎉
We just awarded another round of $1,000 micro-grants to five early-stage founders building cool, meaningful things. Here’s a quick look:
🌼 Marigold Flower Farm
Founder: Alyssa Wendt — Sanborn, NY
Alyssa and her mom are growing something rare: a regenerative micro-flower farm that treats the earth like a collaborator, not a commodity. Over 80% of cut flowers in the U.S. are chemically treated imports. Marigold is flipping that narrative. With compost teas, native predator insects, and zero synthetic chemicals, they’re creating a local, seasonal flower economy that heals the soil while it beautifies your space. Sales come from bouquet subscriptions, florist partnerships, and a DIY flower stand—local, direct, and dirt-forward (in the best way). Check out their IG here.
🏌️ Rareshot
Founder: Brandon Fischer — Geneva, NY
What if your golf balls were collectible? Rareshot merges tour-level performance with trading card logic—premium balls, rarity tiers, exclusive drops. It’s gear you actually want to show off, not lose in the rough (maybe I’m not the target demo 😵💫). Brandon’s aiming for both golfers and collectors, using DTC e-commerce, influencer marketing, and (eventually) retail channels. This one’s got PGA energy with a Pokémon heart. Check out their IG here.
🍪 Molly Brown Cookie Co.
Founder: Molly Brown — Buffalo, NY
These aren’t you run-of-the-mill cookie farm cookies. Molly’s custom sugar cookies are the kind of thing people stop mid-party to photograph. The problem? She’s outgrown her kitchen. After recently leaving her full-time job to focus on cookies, she’s converting her dining room into a dedicated production space—adding storage, tools, and capacity to meet rising demand. Her business model is simple: more cookies = more revenue. And trust us, people want more cookies. Check out these works of edible art, and order up here.
🛠️ DecorationSphere LLC
Founder: Olha Isaieva — Tonawanda NY
Olha and her family came to the U.S. from Ukraine, bringing with them 15+ years of craftsmanship. Now, they’re blending that experience with culturally inspired handmade goods and reliable home improvement services. Think high-quality renovations with a personal touch—plus one-of-a-kind home decor sold through Etsy, Amazon, and local markets. They’re building something that’s part business, part bridge between homes and heritage.
📸 Sweet Home Photography
Founder: Meg Tyo — Rochester NY
As a social worker and photographer, Meg noticed something: we celebrate babies, brides, and grads... but rarely older adults. Her work changes that. Sweet Home Photography offers portrait sessions, family storytelling, and memorial photo shoots—like capturing a home before it’s sold or downsized. She helps families preserve what matters, while shifting the narrative around aging from something we fear to something we honor. Check out her work on IG.
Where we are now
We’ve now awarded over $25,000 in micro-grants to early-stage founders—and put several thousand more into community events, educational sessions, and pitch competitions.
Just looking at that number—$25K—it still blows me away. It’s not massive in the grand scheme of small business or startup funding, but for us? It’s wild. GNF started as a weekend idea. No real roadmap. No non-profit status. Just an experiment thrown out into the ether... and a handful of incredible people saying, “Hey stranger, here’s some money—let’s fund some ideas.”
And we did.
80% of grant funds went to women-led or owned businesses
50%+ to BIPOC-led or owned ventures
All of it to founders at the earliest, often-overlooked stage
We’re still a small, volunteer, community operation, but this thing continues to gain momentum. And the best part? We’re just getting started.
How you can plug in
We’re actively growing our Western New York chapter and opening up the waitlist for new LPs. If you want to help back brilliant ideas before they’re “ready” join the waitlist—or forward this to someone who should.
Want to launch a chapter in your own city? We’ll give you the infrastructure, tools, and playbook. You bring a few friends and the vibes. Let’s talk.
Thanks for reading, and for being part of this wild little experiment. Whether you’re a founder, an LP, a past applicant, or just someone who believes in backing people with bold ideas—this thing only works because you’re here.
Thanks for believing in what we’re building.
More soon,
Jason
Co-founder, Good Neighbor Fund 💖