But I don't know about these things, so I'm just guessing.

Another track is the micro-finance initiatives--here's the first link I found:

http://www.poverty-action.org/ourwork/microfinanceinitiative.php

...but $15,000--it would seem a natural research project to me, with a low overhead and lots of data coming out to analyse.  I don't know which universities or which depts.  Maybe a mix of anthropology, economics, engineering, materials science...

But hey, he's a prof at MIT!  Maybe he can't get hold of the funds--I suppose not if he hasn't got hold of them, but the finance-for-research project route would be the first I'd try if I had contacts.  The other route would be to get onto the established websites where those needing small loans can get into contact with those who are willing to offer small amounts.

Here's another link--maybe you've seen these all before!  If so, sorry!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grameen_Bank

A final thought is that a bank might be willing to sponsor the deal--good publicity for them, they may be happy to put the money up front ($15,000 = not a lot for a bank), with payment to come as and when (the publicity would be worth more than $15,000.)

Those are my guesses!

Certainly if you wish to raise the $15,000 by small individual donations, there are websites designed to bring donor and receiver together.  

http://www.kiva.org/app.php

July is only a few weeks away, though.

Not sure I'm helping, gmoke, but good luck to Robert with his project!

Don't fight forces, use them R. Buckminster Fuller.