Matchmaker refers to an older program whereby grant making organizations are matched with grant seekers. In this sense it is a way the Volunteer Corps raises funds. Local Volunteer Corps may need start up money until the concept of giving goods and services in trade is established. If so, grant money must be allocated carefully--lent for a specific purpose and when the Volunteer Corps becomes self-sufficient the dollars must be passed on. This is a mindset change.

Many banks and businesses have foundations to ease the road for people engaged in good purposes and will form partnerships. They might add dollar incentives to promote outstanding volunteers and or projects. Scholarships, apprenticeships, camps, trips, jobs startup funds for entrepreneurs etc. are attractive and welcome incentives.

Matchmaker also describes the infrastructure provided by Another Way . The matchmaker program looks for loans, rather than grants. When dealing with organizations that are obliged by their charters to make grants, we will use the pass it on concept and consider the grant a loan and attempt to negotiate repayment, to a scholarship/award fund, rather than to the grantor/lender. This is in keeping with two concepts which must be an integral part of the Volunteer Corps: trade and leverage.