Intentional Communities Newsletter: September 5, 2009
Promoting Community Living & Cooperative Lifestyles
Communities magazine, Directory, Video and more
How to Get Involved in the Work of the FIC
edited by McCune Porter, eNews staff
The FIC's ability to support people in creating and maintaining community is directly linked to contributions of people like you who care about community. We invite you to lend support in any way you can. Here are some areas where your support can make a difference. Please contact us for for more information!
Art of Community regional conferences.
These events, focussed on the nuts and bolts of building community, are held once or 
twice each year. We invite you to join us for a one-day or weekend gathering of learning, networking, socializing and fun activities! Locations vary. More info is here, or contact our main office.
Fellowship Organizational Meetings.
Twice a year we gather to check in on project areas and talk about how we are manifesting our values as an organization. It's a high energy time and a great chance to see the consensus process in action, guided by skilled facilitators. All the board and general committee sessions are open for observation. Attending a meeting is probably the most direct way to get plugged into what's happening in the FIC. Contact our main office for information on the next meeting.
Subscribe to Communities magazine.
Communities magazine is the number one source for news and ideas from the world of community living. Each quarterly issue includes updates to our famous Directory and ads for communities seeking people and people seeking communities, along with a lively selection of articles on topics relevant to life in community. Are you currently picking up your copy of Communities from a bookstore? Please consider buying a subscription instead so that your support can go more directly to FIC.
Become a member of the FIC.
If you are not currently a member of FIC, this is a great way to support us and keep in touch with what we are doing. We welcome individual, community, and organizational members at a range of sustaining levels. Members receive discounts on conferences and publications, invitations to our semi-annual organizational meetings, and a newsletter.
Donate.
It takes money to spread the word about community. We invite contributions for specific projects, our capital fund, general operations and our endowment fund. We would also appreciate any information you can pass on to us about individuals or organizations who may be interested in making a donation or grant. And we have a wish list
of specific equipment we are seeking to carry out our work.
Sell the Print Communities Directory - Do Well by Doing Good.
Make money for yourself while getting Directories out in the world! Buy a box from us at wholesale rate, then re-sell at cover price. The new sixth edition is planned for release in
 late 2009. Contact our office for bulk discounts.
Organize a Community Dialog.
These discussions are designed to tap into people's interest in community, from neighborhoods to rural communes. We are looking for local hosts who are willing to help put together a salon or workshop. It can be as simple as inviting half a dozen friends for potluck, and we have a free organizing kit that explains all the steps. Contact our
main office for more information or to request a kit.
Community Bookshelf.
This online order service is a great source for books on community living, alternative lifestyles, and related topics. Take a look at the list of titles in the online catalog. We are particularly pleased to offer two classic guides on consensus decision-making,
Building United Judgment: A Handbook for Consensus Decision Making and A Manual for Group Facilitators, which were out of print for years until we recently obtained the copyright and brought them back.
Link to Our Website.
Do you maintain a web site for your community or other organization? If it is appropriate, we invite you to add a link to the main page of our Intentional Communities web site, and contact us about linking to your site. More information here.
What Else?
The FIC has many other projects and committees that would welcome your support in the form of time, money and ideas. Here's a sampling:
- Distributing FIC Brochures at Co-ops and Coffeehouses
- Writing for Communities magazine
- Fundraising and Development
- Staffing an FIC Table at a Conference or Event
- Photography for Publications
- Conference Staff
- Ideas for Conference Sites
- Placing Communities magazine and the Communities Directory in Bookstores and Libraries
- Work with a specific committee or project
Do You Have Skills to Share?
If you are interested in volunteering your skilled (or unskilled) time to the work of the Fellowship, please contact us.
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