funding - village living

### Grants #### Top Government Grants | Grant Program | Agency | Amount Range | Purpose | Key Requirements | Application Cycle | Best For | | -------------------------------------- | ------ | ------------------ | ----------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Rural Development Community Facilities | USDA | $25K - $2M | Infrastructure development in rural areas | • Rural location • Public/community benefit • Technical feasibility | Annual | • Initial infrastructure • Community facilities • Basic services | | Community Development Block Grant | HUD | Varies by location | Community development and housing | • LMI community benefit • Local government sponsorship • Public participation | Annual or ongoing | • Housing development • Public facilities • Infrastructure | | Environmental Education Grants | EPA | Up to $100K | Environmental education initiatives | • Educational focus • Community engagement • Environmental impact | Annual | • Training programs • Sustainability education • Community outreach | | Local Food Promotion Program | USDA | Up to $500K | Local food system development | • Local/regional focus • Agricultural component • Market development | Annual | • Food systems • Processing facilities • Distribution networks | | Energy Efficiency Block Grants | DOE | Project-based | Energy efficiency projects | • Energy savings metrics • Technical feasibility • Community benefit | Varies | • Renewable energy • Efficiency projects • Energy infrastructure | | Building Resilient Infrastructure (BRIC) | FEMA | $50K - $50M | Community resilience and infrastructure | • Risk assessment • Cost-benefit analysis • Local match | Annual | • Infrastructure • Emergency systems | | Rural Innovation Stronger Economy | USDA | $500K - $2M | Rural economic innovation | • Rural location • Innovation focus • Job creation | Annual | • Economic development • Training programs | | Sustainable Communities Initiative | HUD | $100K - $500K | Integrated community planning | • Comprehensive plan • Multi-sector approach • Community engagement | Biennial | • Planning • Integration | | Climate Smart Communities | EPA | $25K - $200K | Climate adaptation planning | • Climate action plan • Community involvement • Measurable outcomes | Annual | • Climate planning • Sustainability | | Renewable Energy Systems Grant | USDA | $2.5K - $500K | Renewable energy development | • Technical feasibility • Rural location • Energy metrics | Quarterly | • Energy systems • Infrastructure | #### Private Foundation Opportunities | Foundation | Focus Areas | Typical Grant Range | Key Programs | Geographic Focus | Best Project Fit | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------- | ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | | Kresge Foundation | • Climate resilience • Urban opportunity | $100K - $1M | • Environment • Human Services | National | Sustainable infrastructure and community resilience | | Robert Wood Johnson | • Health equity • Community wellbeing | $250K - $500K | • Healthy Communities • Systems Change | National | Community health initiatives and social determinants | | Ford Foundation | • Social justice • Economic equity | $100K - $500K | • Future of Work • Civic Engagement | International | Social systems and community empowerment | | W.K. Kellogg | • Community development • Children/families | $100K - $750K | • Healthy Kids • Community Engagement | National/Selected regions | Community development and family support | | [MacArthur Foundation](https://www.macfound.org/grants/?q=eco%20village) | • System change • Innovation | $200K - $1M | • Climate Solutions • Community Development | National/International | Innovation in community systems | | Surdna Foundation | • Sustainable environments • Inclusive economies | $50K - $400K | • Environmental Justice • Local Economies | National | Environmental sustainability and economic development | | Wallace Global Fund | • Environmental protection • Social progress | $50K - $200K | • Environmental Protection • Social Innovation | International | Alternative community models | | Schmidt Family Foundation | • Sustainability • Renewable energy | $25K - $250K | • Environmental Innovation • Renewable Energy | National | Sustainable infrastructure and energy systems | | Rockefeller Foundation | • Climate resilience • Food security | $250K - $1M | • Climate Action • Food Systems | International | Community resilience systems | | Nathan Cummings | • Just transition • Community power | $100K - $400K | • Inclusive Economy • Climate Solutions | National | Economic transition models | | Barr Foundation | • Climate resilience • Community adaptation | $50K - $300K | • Climate • Resilience | Regional (Northeast) | Climate adaptation strategies | | Park Foundation | • Water protection • Media/democracy | $25K - $250K | • Water Programs • Media Access | National | Water systems and community media | | Chorus Foundation | • Just transition • Community resilience | $50K - $200K | • Community Power • Economic Justice | Selected regions | Community-led transition | | Kendeda Fund | • Sustainability • Community building | $100K - $500K | • Sustainable Communities • Local Food | Southeast US | Sustainable community development | | Merck Family Fund | • Environmental health • Urban sustainability | $25K - $100K | • Urban Sustainability • Clean Energy | Northeast/Southeast | Urban sustainability models | | NoVo Foundation | • Local economies • Social justice | $100K - $400K | • Local Economies • Community Power | National | Community economic models | #### Common Application Requirements | Requirement Type | Government Grants | Private Foundations | | | ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------- | | Organization Status | 501(c)(3) or government entity | Usually 501(c)(3) | | | Financial Documents | • 3 years audited financials • Detailed project budget • Federal forms | • Recent financials • Project budget • Organization budget | | | Project Documentation | • Detailed work plan • Environmental assessments • Technical specifications | • Project narrative • Timeline • Outcomes measurement | | | Impact Metrics | • Quantitative outcomes • Federal reporting compliance • Detailed tracking | • Qualitative and quantitative • Flexible reporting • Story-based impact | | | Matching Requirements | Often required (20-50%) | Less common | | | Review Timeline | 3-6 months | 1-3 months | | | Climate Risk Assessment | • Vulnerability analysis • Adaptation strategies • Impact metrics | • General climate considerations • Community impact | Required for resilience-focused grants | | Community Engagement Plan | • Detailed outreach strategy • Partnership documentation • Public input process | • Stakeholder engagement • Community support | Essential for all community-based grants | | Economic Impact Analysis | • Job creation metrics • Local economic benefit • Multiplier effects | • Community benefit • Economic justice | Important for development-focused grants | | Sustainability Metrics | • Resource use reduction • Carbon footprint • Energy efficiency | • General sustainability goals • Environmental impact | Critical for environmental grants | | Replication Strategy | • Detailed documentation • Training materials • Scale-up plan | • General approach • Lessons learned | Important for innovation-focused grants | ### Retirement - Purpose and continued contribution - Built-in care infrastructure - Social connection - Reduced living costs - Activity-based healthy aging - Skills/knowledge transfer opportunities #### Community Optimized Individual Income Generation - treating income generation as a community-optimized resource similar to labor - income potential as a community resource to be maximized - average community income goal $135,000 by year 5 - Community support removes many career advancement barriers - Shared knowledge accelerates professional growth - Reduced life maintenance burden enables career focus - Collective bargaining power increases negotiating leverage - goal of community is to reduce internal and external labor demands!!! Let's say the micro society requires $10M and 500,000 labor hours to operate. Of 1,000 members, 200 work externally earning $100,000/year (contributing 50% to community) and averaging 2 hours/week of voluntary labor, while 600 members contribute 16 hours/week of community labor, and 200 are non-contributing. Through community-supported income optimization (shared knowledge, career development, negotiation support), external workers' incomes could grow significantly over time. The reduced domestic burden (2 hours vs typical 20+ hours for external workers) makes this attractive to high earners, while collective optimization of both income and labor efficiency ensures community needs are met.