Stage 2 Fund

Introducing the Stage 2 Fund, a unique giving outreach of Stage 2 Studios

 

SUCCESS is exciting. Watching your dreams come true is rewarding. It takes hard work, focus, dedication, persistence—and a little outside help. Because no matter how much strength, genius, or drive we may possess, few great achievements are realized without support, interest, and motivation. We’ve been fortunate to be on the receiving end many times, and that’s why today we’re announcing the Stage 2 Fund.

Over the years, Stage 2 has given back with cash, in-kind donations, and through pro bono and “low bono” services to charitable organizations. With the success of projects like Lifeless Planet and our continued growth, we’d like to do more. In the coming days we’ll be posting updates about contributions to local organizations and individuals who make positive, lasting change in our communities, but who don’t always get the support they need. Some contributions will come in the form of cash. Others will be gifts of technology and media equipment and services. We have some truly exciting ideas…

First up, Stage 2 has given $3,000 from the sales of Lifeless Planet to sponsor the Burke Museum in Seattle, Washington. The Burke is the official state museum or Washington, preserving and sharing knowledge of natural science and cultural heritage since 1885. As a premier institution of science education, The Burke Museum seemed like a fitting place to share profits from our game about space exploration. Our commitment to The Burke is a long-term one, too. We have selected them as our pro bono client for our Seattle metro office and we’ll be contributing via volunteer time and cash donations for many years.

It’s our plan that the Stage 2 Fund will become a powerful force for good. We intend for all of our future original productions (games/films) to benefit the fund and grow its capacity over time. This isn’t a run-of-the-mill corporate outreach program. It’s not just a way for us to stroke our egos in the community. Giving back is integral to who we are. We’re exploring the possibilities of what a for-profit firm can do with a mind-set of social good and educational outreach… and we’re trying to have fun doing it!

Sincerely,
David Board, John Conn
& the rest of the Stage 2 crew

 

8/30/16  The Stage 2 Fund just paid for booth space for two awesome indies at PAX Prime in Seattle! We can’t think of a better way to pay forward profits from sales of our own indie game. What’s more, we’re in talks to expand this effort into something even bigger. We hope to help build an Alumni Fund that will pool profits from sales of numerous indie games to fund promotional space for future indie game studios.

5/24/18 Stage 2 donated some Lifeless Planet proceeds to Mrs. Gonzalez’s kindergarten class in Xenia, OH recently. Then we got these awesome *hand-made* thank you cards in return!

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Quick Answers:

Can I apply for support from the Stage 2 Fund? Not at this time. Generally, we’ll be selecting recipients without solicitations, but when opportunities are available, we’ll post them here.

What types of organizations and projects will you be funding? We will be selecting a wide range of nonprofit organizations, students, individuals, and perhaps even for-profit entrepreneurs to receive support in the future.

What kinds of contributions will you make? We’ll be giving cash from the proceeds of our projects (like future games and films). We’ll also be donating science, technology, and media equipment to folks who can make good use of such tools. And we’ll be contributing services at a discount and for free to select organizations, like we’ve done from day one.

How much will you contribute annually? Stage 2 is still a small company, so our contributions will be relatively small as well. That’s why we’ll be selecting recipients who will benefit significantly from small or targeted contributions.