Funding
02.11.2023
Some words about funding of such a community
Recently I talked with Toni, who is also interested in our community, about how one could enter financially as a member. We had thought about a lease contract. Toni then took the trouble to draw up a contract from templates on the net. And we saw that it wasn't that simple.
I discussed the conditions for joining our community with the founder of the German community "Schloss Tempelhof", which is quite successful with its concept. And he recommended that we organise the financial aspects with loans.
We are now buying the land with the firm intention of passing it on to the community. The community is to use it as a cooperative, but the owner is to be a foundation. In this way, the land does not belong to anyone, but we can - legally secured - live on it.
In order to be able to pass the land on to the foundation, we want to have the foundation buy the land. This means that we have to raise money not only for the facilities but also for the purchase of the land. For this, we want to ask for a certain contribution from everyone who decides to join us.
Apart from the individual plots we want to give to the members, we want to create an infrastructure with the creation of paths and platforms, the setting up of springs, boreholes, connection to the electricity grid, the purchase of power trimmers, chain saws and other tools, the construction of a shala (a kind of platform for yoga or other group work) for groups that visit us and last but not least the reconstruction of the two ruins with a kitchen, workshop etc. and much more.
All in all, I expect costs of at least 250,000 and at most 500,000 Euros, which we will have to collect over time.
If we grow plants or bamboo, we might be able to make some money from that (and other sales), but from the 20 to 30 people we are counting on at the moment, we need money, no matter how bad that sounds.
I think an amount of at least 10,000 euros per adult might be sufficient. We might also get money from "patrons" or "sponsors", so that might be enough to design the infrastructure for good togetherness. And maybe we can also earn some money with parking spaces for campervans, the renting of huts and sales in the cafeteria. I am always very optimistic and believe that we can achieve something good with this.
This 10,000 euros ( which can also be paid in instalments in certain cases) should be divided into a contribution to the community and a loan that can possibly be paid back if a member would have to leave the community. The distribution should be 50/50, only in the case of young people could the credit share be increased. And of course, members who do more for the community must be compensated somehow, so not only free food, but also get paid for their work somehow.
But I would like to decide this together with you. And for that I need your feedback. Personally, too, if you like :-)