The Cleveland Colectivo, a grassroots giving circle whose members provide grants to innovative, community-minded ideas, attracted 27 entrepreneurs and a crowd of nearly 100 people to its recent "Pitch for Change" event at Shaker Launchhouse.

Following the spirited two-minute presentations -- which grew more creative as the night wore on -- attendees voted on their favorite projects. The winner, Have You Met Cleveland?, took home the coveted door prize -- over $400 in cash.

Each presentation was met with rousing applause from the enthusiastic crowd, and attendees spent time after the pitches networking and creating new connections.

The next step in the Colectivo's selection process is for its members to interview the top 11 vote-getters. Details will soon be announced on the Colectivo website.

Here is a sampling of the top projects of the night:

Have You Met Cleveland? is a grassroots initiative that will use the tools of appreciative inquiry to engage young people in the community.

Improv-ing Cleveland is a small concert series that would present top musical acts in vacant storefronts in Slavic Village.

The Cleveland Hostel is a soon-to-be-completed contemporary hostel on West 25th Street, just south of Lorain Avenue.

Music in the Park is a project to organize crowd-pleasing concerts in Edgewater Park this summer.

Lakewood Alive Revolving Loan Paint Program aims to create a fund to help low-income Lakewood residents repaint their homes.

Source: Cleveland Colectivo
Writer: Lee Chilcote