Constraints of the traditional financial and real estate systems make projects like the Aux impossible to advance with market forces alone. The Aux model uses innovative mechanisms to overcome these barriers, requiring nontraditional funding (i.e. philanthropy) one-time during the creation of the physical asset. Once built, the Aux will be self-sufficient. The building for The Aux was purchased for approximately $750,000 – or its market value. We estimate that the project will require investment of nearly $10 million to create. Once complete, the building can generate enough rent to support a market valuation of likely closer to $1.5 million. Therefore, this is the amount The Auxiliary Cord LLC is raising from community investors in a crowdfunding equity raising effort. These community members will then own an asset valued roughly at the same amount they invested. The remaining one-time $8.5 million “gap” between what the project costs to create and the value at completion is the amount The Growing Season has been raising from public and philanthropic sources.