gumballcapital.

org/challenge

Frequently Asked Questions

What is it?
The Gumball Challenge is a one-week microfinance benefit competition.

Who can compete in the challenge?

The challenge is open to all undergraduate and graduate students.

When is the Gumball Challenge happening?

The Gumball Challenge is tentatively running at Stanford from November 6th to November 13th.

What is microfinance?
Microfinance is the practice of making small loans, or microcredits, to the working poor in
developing nations to start new businesses or expand existing ones. (ie buy a sewing machine, buy
items in bulk for a grocery store) They can make more money and have a better chance of escaping
poverty.

So what would I actually be doing?

After you and your friends register as a team, we give you a Starter Kit containing 27 gumballs, a
$27 loan and a guide booklet. Your team has 7 days to do something creative and entrepreneurial.
At the end of the week you return the loan and any revenue is given to a microfinance-related
cause.

What can you really do in just one week?

- print post-its with pledges for microfinance and raise 3k in 3 days (Gumball Capital did that)
- lemonade stand/bake sale
- send handwritten notes to people in other dorms - with candy or songs or soda (Crushgrams)
- Sell pizza/burgers/ice cream in the dorms
- hand in homework/borrow DVDs, return books for lazy people
- rent out xbox 360 or ps3 time on a nice TV
- Gumball Olympics - bubble-blowing, gumball throwing, homerun, juggling contests etc, - pay to
enter
- clean people's rooms
- photography contest - sell the best prints.

Where does the money come from and where does it go?
The $27 loan is provided by Gumball Capital, which has been donated these funds from individuals
and corporations. The revenue you generate will be donated into the Gumball Fund, which
provides loans to the working poor in developing nations.

Who are you guys?

The Gumball Challenge is presented by Gumball Capital, a nonprofit started by Stanford students
in February of 2007. The Challenge is being run by the Stanford Gumball Agency, a group of
students who believe in Gumball Capital's mission and want to bring the Challenge to Stanford.

What's with the 27?

27 is a special number when it comes to microfinance. In 1972? Muhammad Yunus made a $27
loan to a group of 42 Bangladeshi women near the University where he taught Economics. He went
on to found the Grameen Bank and win the Noble Peace Prize in 2006 for his work in microfinance.

What's with the Gumballs?

It's a metaphor for change. By placing a small amount of money in a gumball machine you allow a
gumball to roll out. That one released gumball shifts all the remaining gumballs, moving them one
step closer to the exit tunnel. In a similar way, each developing-world entrepreneur lifted out of
poverty through microfinance helps other members of his or her community by providing jobs,
goods, and services.

How many gumballs do you have?

Gumball Capital has in its possession 25,000 gumballs.

Why are you doing this?

We want to inspire entrepreneurship for social change and raise awareness for the great things that
microfinance is doing for poverty alleviation. We hope that you learn a lot about microfinance and
take the excitement and passion you feel during the Challenge to future activities you pursue.

What do I do next?
Sign up to compete by logging onto http://gumballcapital.org/challenge
Email Jason Shen at jashen@stanford.edu if you have any questions.