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Welcome to Stanford (Nov. 6th-13th) and St. Olaf (Nov. 6th-10th)! UC Berkeley, Yale, and Sewanee, we're looking forward to your arrival.

This site is still baking and may stick to inserted utensils.

Team Updates

Michael H. of Gumballerz: The Penny War made about $115-$120. I am still waiting to hear from Wilbur and WestFlo dorms about... Read More >>

Joseph v. of Pong for Poverty: We set up a table in White Plaza...business was slow but we are optimistic to make heaploads of... Read More >>

Kalvin W. of Stanford University: The Stanford Gumball Organizing Committee is incredibly pleased. :-) That's all for now! Read More >>

Anne C. of Burbank: We did an In-N-Out run on Saturday night and made about $40. Read More >>

Travis K. of WellRounded: Tonight we went through the dorms getting change for our cause, Pocket Change for Social Change... Read More >>

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the Gumball Challenge?

An entrepreneurial microfinance benefit competition. Create a team or join one. Create value with a $27 loan and 27 gumballs, in one week. Go on a creativity spree. Register online today! Your local Organizing Committee will give you a Starter Kit with the gumballs, the loan, and a booklet guidelines and ideas. At the end of the week you return the loan and any profits you make go to loans for the working poor in developing countries. It's being run at 5 schools this pilot year, including Stanford, UC Berkeley, St. Olaf, Yale, and Sewanee.

What can you really do in just one week?

An amazing amount. Let's see... body ads for student groups? Health kits for the dorm? Neon hairdye booth? Wii Sports with Michelle Wie? (OK, you'll need her permission.) Pranking services? Gumball Assassins? (And these aren't even the good ones.)

Where does the money go?

100% of Gumball Challenge proceeds go to a permanent fund that makes microloans through Kiva. As loan installments are repaid, the capital is lent out again.

Why gumballs?

It's the idea of a gumball machine: you put in a small amount of money (say, a quarter) and a gumball rolls out (of poverty, perhaps). In the process, other gumballs move closer to the exit chute. In the same way, microfinance empowers individuals to lift themselves out of poverty, and can help those around them as well through employment opportunities or new services.

Why 27?

We're glad you asked! (Everybody does; that's the point.) In 1976, Muhammad Yunus lent $27 to 42 poor working women in Bangladesh. He later started the Grameen Bank, which has now loaned billions to over 5 million poor women. Yunus and the Grameen Bank were jointly awarded the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for their "efforts to create economic & social development from below".