Intentional Communities

Episode 36 of Redneck Gone Green

Howdy folks,
April 23, 2024 Daniel Greenberg, Co-Executive Director of the Foundation for Intentional Communities will be our guest on Redneck Gone Green. 

We broadcast live at  6pm Eastern 3pm Pacific every Tuesday. You can join us here on Youtube. You can also join us on Rumble.  Please subscribe to our Rumble channel and keep an eye out for when we post our livestream 24 hours before our broadcast. Our writings, podcasts, and video streams are always free. But if you join as a paid subscriber you will be invited into the studio for a post-show conversation with David, Daniel and the rest of the Redneck Gone Green crew.

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Onward to the world we deserve,
David Cobb (he/him)
Why I put my pronouns in my email signature

The Foundation For Intentional Community

The Foundation for Intentional Community (FIC) stands as a beacon for those seeking alternatives to mainstream living arrangements, and advocates for the creation of  intentional communities worldwide. With a rich history rooted in the communal living movements of the 1960s and 1970s, the FIC has evolved into a hub of resources, support, and networking opportunities for individuals and groups exploring cooperative living models.

FIC defines an intentional community as “a group of people who have chosen to live together or share resources on the basis of common values.”  Click here for a short video. 

At its core, FIC is driven by the belief that intentional communities offer a transformative path towards sustainability, social cohesion, and personal fulfillment. These communities, ranging from ecovillages and co-housing projects to urban communes and rural intentional settlements, prioritize values such as cooperation, environmental stewardship, shared resources, and inclusive decision-making.

One of the primary missions of the FIC is to provide education and guidance to both established intentional communities and those aspiring to create them. Through workshops, webinars, publications, and online resources, the FIC equips community members with practical tools for effective communication, conflict resolution, consensus decision-making, and sustainable living practices. By fostering a culture of learning and collaboration, the FIC empowers communities to thrive and adapt in a rapidly changing world.

Furthermore, the FIC serves as a vital networking platform, connecting like-minded individuals and groups across geographical boundaries. Through its online directory, events, and conferences, the FIC facilitates the exchange of ideas, experiences, and best practices among community builders, organizers, and enthusiasts. This interconnectedness not only strengthens individual communities but also cultivates a sense of solidarity and collective purpose within the broader intentional community movement.

In addition to its educational and networking initiatives, the FIC plays a crucial role in advocating for policies and practices that support the growth and viability of intentional communities. By collaborating with policymakers, researchers, and advocacy organizations, the FIC seeks to remove legal and regulatory barriers, promote innovative housing models, and raise awareness about the social, economic, and environmental benefits of communal living.

One of the hallmarks of the FIC's approach is its emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion within intentional communities. Recognizing that successful communities must reflect the richness of human experience, the FIC actively promotes diversity in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and cultural heritage. By fostering environments where all voices are heard, valued, and respected, the FIC helps to create more vibrant, resilient, and equitable communities.

Moreover, the FIC is committed to advancing research and scholarship on intentional communities, both as a field of study and as a real-world phenomenon. Through partnerships with academic institutions, researchers, and practitioners, the FIC supports empirical research, theoretical inquiry, and practical innovation in areas such as community dynamics, governance structures, economic models, and ecological design. By generating knowledge and insights, the FIC contributes to the ongoing evolution and refinement of the intentional community movement.

The Foundation for Intentional Community is a dynamic and inclusive organization dedicated to promoting and supporting intentional communities worldwide. By providing education, networking, advocacy, and research, the FIC empowers individuals and groups to create more sustainable, equitable, and fulfilling ways of living together. As we confront the challenges of the 21st century, the FIC stands as a beacon of hope and inspiration for those seeking alternatives to mainstream lifestyles and building a better world, one community at a time.

Daniel Greenberg

Co-Executive Director

Back in 1998, following his Ph.D. dissertation on Growing up in Intentional Communities, Daniel founded Living Routes, which ran study abroad programs in ecovillages around the world. In 2012, he started Earth Deeds, which offers online tools to account for our unavoidable CO2 emissions. Over the years, Daniel visited over 100 communities and lived in many, including Sirius in Massachusetts, Auroville in south India and, most recently, the Findhorn Foundation in Scotland, where he served as Director of Education. Daniel is co-founder and past Board Member of Gaia Education and served as President of the Global Ecovillage Network from 2015-2019. Daniel’s passion is to support the development of whole people, living well and lightly together.