Runnaway Public Relations?

A Questionaire? This may be controversial, but I filled out this questionaire that might bring us some exposure if it is published in the Communities Directory 2000. I plan on calling them and seeing if this might be arranged. It could be a way of getting started. The answers below were purely speculative. I based some on what I knew of you all, some on what might be true, and some on wishful thinking. None of it is determined at this point, each item is up for discussion. Let me know what you think. For your convenience I put the responses I made in this highlighted text color. INTENTIONAL COMMUNITY QUESTIONNAIRE [Rev. 10Jan99] A publication of the Fellowship for Intentional Community(for North America -- see our shorter form for other countries email: SendForeignSurvey@ic.org) Please answer this questionnaire, even if you do not want to have your information printed. This will help us to know what is going on in the communities movement. Answer as much as you can, though it is acceptable to leave a question blank if it proves too difficult to answer.Any information you share with us is valuable, as long as it is accurate. If you are answering via email the easiest thing to do isto reply to this message, keeping the text, and then fill in the blanks and check boxes. If you have any questions please email us at dir2000@ic.org See our web site at http://directory.ic.org/ Please return the completed questionnaire to:   Communities Directory 2000 138 Twin Oaks Louisa VA 23093 USA Fax: 734-629-0384 Email: dir2000@ic.org ----------------------------------------------------------------------- PART ONE: CONTACT INFORMATION Note: Check in the "[ ]" box if you do NOT want the info on that line to be printed.   A1. [ ] Name of Community: A2. [ ] Other Names the community is (or was) known by: A3. [ ] Mailing address of Community: (See A4) A4. Address as you would like it to be printed: 138 University St. SF CA 94134 A5. Telephone number/s of community: [X] Telephone 1: 415-587-3442 [ ] Telephone 2: [ ] Fax: A6. [X] Email 1: creative1@creativeideasforyou.com [X] Email 2: dpmb2000@yahoo.com [ ] Web URL: http://creativeideasforyou.com/commune_land.html   What is the PRIMARY language spoken in your community? English, at the moment   A7. (Y) Do you still exist as an intentional community? (If "no", please complete the rest of this question and send us any referrals you might know of for groups appropriate to include.) ( ) We have never been an intentional community. (Please describe briefly the nature of your group): ( ) We were once a community, but are no longer. ____ Our community folded in (month/year) (Please, briefly describe the causes and/or circumstances): A8. (Y) Do you want to be listed in the Communities Directory as an intentional community? [Please note that a "yes" here implies a willingness to respond to inquiries about your community -- unless indicated otherwise below. At the same time, a "yes" does NOT NECESSARILY mean you are open to new members or that you encourage visitors --There are questions in Part 2 that address these and other issues.] A9. Describe any special limitations on how you wish your community to be listed (beyond anything indicated by boxes checked in A1-A6): Part of our purpose is to grow as much of our own food as possible. A10. If your community has any restrictions on its willingness to respond to inquiries, please indicate below: ( ) We cannot commit to responding promptly (X) Include SASE* with inquiries [*self-addressed, stamped envelope] If this option checked, specify one: ( ) SASE Requested ( ) SASE Required (X) Other (please explain): We prefer email. A11. (Y/N) Do you wish to be kept on the mailing list of the Fellowship for Intentional Communities (the publisher of this Directory and of Communities magazine)? A12. ( ) Check, If you do NOT want your name and address passed on to other groups working for positive social change A13. Name of person answering this questionnaire: Dan Brady A14. Date: 12/5/99 A15. Name, address, and phone number of person to contact about continued accuracy of answers to this questionnaire (if different from person answering this questionnaire) Name: Dan Brady Address: 138 University St. Phone: 415-5870-3442 Email: creative1@creativeideasforyou.com A16. BONUS QUESTION [Optional -- we can use your ideas on this one!] How do you define "community", and how does your group fit that description? My wife and I began searching for others who want to create a cooperative group that creates positive change in our locality, and in wider regions. A commune is a group of persons living togather for a purpose wider than simply keeping hearth and home togather PART TWO: CROSS-REFERENCE CHART Answers to this section will be used to create a Cross-Reference Chart. We have tried to narrow our questions to those most frequently asked by prospective members. Please answer these questions FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF YOUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, not as an individual. PLEASE TRY TO ANSWER CONCISELY. On "Yes/No" questions, feel free to use these other responsesif they will make your answer more accurate: [M] "Maybe" [S] "Sometimes" or "Somewhat" [P] "Preferred" or "Probably". Where percentages or actual counts are requested, approximations are quite acceptable -- we're looking for trends and telling statistics more than precise counts.... ALSO NOTE: If your community is part of a larger network, please fill out this form FOR YOUR COMMUNITY ONLY, and NOT FOR THE BROADER NETWORK. The values shared with your network should come through in your answers. ( ) Check here if this is the case, and list the name of your network: ****************************** COMMUNITY HISTORY & MEMBERSHIP ****************************** 1. ____ What year was your community established? ____ Date group began forming 1997, November ____ Date land/house purchased not as of yet ____ Date began living as a group not as of yet (If any dates are less than two years ago, include month) 2. How many members (including all provisional and trial members) do you now have in each of the following age groups? Age, in years (Enter member count for each age group) ------------- ------------------------------------- 0-4 = 0 5-9 = 0 10-14 = 0 15-19 = 0 20-24 = 2 25-29 = 4 30-34 = 0 35-39 = 1 40-49 = 4 50-59 = 2 60-69 = 70&up = ----- ----------- TOTAL POPULATION = 16 interested parties but some have not given their age 3. (N) Does your community have a vision of a maximum population size? If "yes" please specify the projected number of residents: ___ Adults ___ Children   4. What portion of your community membership lives together oncommunity property (either owned or rented)? ( ) All ( ) Most ( ) Some ( ) Few (X) None 5a. Is your community membership generally open to: (X) Both men and women ( ) Women only ( ) Men only 5b. Of the adult members in your community: ___ How many are women 7 ___ How many are men 9 6 . (?) Is there a provisional membership and/or trial period for new members? We have not decided that. 7. What was your highest adult population for: ___ 1993 ___ 1994 ___ 1995 ___ 1996 ___ 1997 10 1998 8. Are you open to new members? (Y) Adults (Y) Children (N) Do you have any age range preferences or restrictions? If "Yes", please specify: Not at this time. 9. Since we have not bought land, we are open to visitors coming to SF to talk and discuss matters, if this is applicable then the answers to #9 are as follows (Y) Is your community open to visitors? If "Yes", check one: ( ) You REQUEST that they make arrangements in advance. (Y) You REQUIRE that they make arrangements in advance. (M) Is there a cost for visiting? It is not clear that we will be able to put people up, we rent at this time and it could be "sticky" (N) May visitors work instead of paying? 10. If applicable, check here if your group considers itself to be in a: (X) "Forming" stage ( ) "Re-Forming" stage [NOTE: Your group will automatically be listed as "Forming" or "Reforming" if your membership is fewer than 4 adults, or if you have been in existence for less than 18 months.] *************** DECISION MAKING *************** 11. (N) Does your group have an identified leader? (M) Does your group have a leadership core group? 12. How are community leaders selected? ( ) Elected (Y) Volunteers ( ) Family Lineage ( ) No Leaders of any kind ( ) Appointed by board or council ( ) Appointed by previous leader(s) ( ) Divine Guidance (Y) Other (please specify): We plan on a concensus format for establishing committees. 13. Please check any skills/responsibilities your group uses as criteria (formal or informal) for leader identification and/or selection: ( ) Spiritual leadership ( ) Project Coordination/Management ( ) Facilitation of group process ( ) Articulation of the community vision ( ) Personal Charisma (Y) Other (specify:) Skills, willingness to work, being able to build cooperation among persons. 14. Among participating members, how are major decisions made? (Check all that apply. If you check more than one, please describe briefly.) (Y) By consensus ( ) By the community leader ( ) By majority rule ( ) By a group of elders or other leaders (Y) Other (Please specify): Committees, and study groups 15. (Y) Do you use a system of decision-making where one or more members' views are given more weight than others -- by virtue of length of membership, special relationship with the group, or other basis for privilege agreeable to the community? (Please do not include trial members in answering) If "Yes", please describe your group's process or criteria for assigning decision-making responsibilities: Some of us have talked about a limited form of "buy in" where in "shares" are created used to translate into votes. We have not talked about this in general yet, however. Others want a very democratic system with a heavy concensus element, shared responsibilities and rotating leadership roles. ********************* OWNERSHIP & ECONOMICS ********************* 16. What is the legal structure of your community? (Y) No Legal Structure ( ) Not-For-Profit Corporation (Y/N) If Not-for-Profit, is it also tax-exempt? ( ) For-Profit Corporation ( ) Partnership ( ) Cooperative ( ) Other (specify:) 17. Who owns your land? ( ) The community ( ) Community-controlled land trust ( ) Independent land trust (not controlled by the community) ( ) Another form of Non-profit : ( ) An absentee landlord (Y) Individual community member(s) ( ) A subgroup of community members (Y) Other (please specify) Many of us want to have individual property within the communes land. 18. Who owns your building(s)? (Y) The community ( ) Community-controlled land trust ( ) Independent land trust (not controlled by the community) ( ) Another form of Non-profit: ( ) An absentee landlord (Y) Individual community member(s) ( ) A subgroup of community members ( ) Other (please specify)  19. To what extent do members of your community share their labor and earned income? [Please check all that apply.] ( ) Members share all income ( ) Members handle their own finances independently ( ) Members are expected to regularly contribute money to the group. If this item checked, please specify one or more: ___% A fixed percentage of earned income $____ An amount (or range) paid per month: ( ) An amount determined by the individual ( ) Members are expected to regularly contribute labor to the group. If "Yes" please specify the number (or range) of hrs/month:(Y) Other (Please specify): We have not determined this as of yet. 20. (M) Does your community require a fee for joining? If "Yes," please specify "All Assets", an amount, or formula used to determine the joining fee:

(continued from column one: ****************** COMMUNITY BUSINESS ****************** Note: The following five questions are for the Business committee of the Fellowship for Intentional Community. If these questions are too difficult to answer or not applicable, please move on and fill out the rest of the questionnaire. While we would like this information, we do not want it to keep you from turning in the questionnaire. 21. Does your community operate one or more businesses? If yes, please answer the accompanying questions for each one: (No, not yet) a. Name b. Product or service c. Gross annual profit d. Number of full-time employees e. Number of part-time employees f. Total amount of labor devoted to business per year or per month g. Are there openings for more employees? h. Is employment priority given to community members? 22. Are there individuals or groups of community members who operate businesses within the community. If yes, please answer the accompanying questions for each one: (No, not yet) a. Name b. Product or service c. Gross annual profit d. Number of full-time employees e. Number of part-time employees f. Total amount of labor devoted to business per year or per month g. Are there openings for more employees? h. Is employment priority given to community members?   23. Do you have business experience/expertise that you are willing to share with others interested in community businesses? Are you looking for business help? (Not at this time.) Answer the following questions accordingly: expertise looking to share for help A = we have B = we are A....B ( ) ( ) Business plan development ( ) ( ) Securing capital ( ) ( ) Management skills ( ) ( ) Technical advice about our particular product or service ( ) ( ) Marketing ( ) ( ) Accounnting and record keeping ( ) ( ) Other (please describe) 24. Are you willing to be contacted by FIC's Business Development Group for follow-up questions and information? (Y) 25. Name, address, email, and phone of business contact person if different than listed above in question A15. (it is the same) ***************** LIFESTYLE CHOICES **************** 26. (R/U/B) Are you rural, urban, or both? (We wish to be outside a small city/town) ___ How many houses/residential buildings? ___ How many total bedrooms? ___ If rural, how many acres do you have? 27. It can be very difficult placing communities into categories, and yet for some communities this is straightforward and informative. Not all communities will fit but if you have some clarity, please check one category: ( ) cohousing (Y) commune ( ) ecovillage ( ) ashram/monastery/temple ( ) cooperative house ( ) intentional neighborhood ( ) land trust/coop 28. What style(s) of housing do you have for adult members? We have none as of yet. a. Check the housing style that best fits your community: ( ) Separate building for each family ( ) 2 or more families per building ( ) Separate building for individuals ( ) 2 or more individuals per building ( ) Other (please specify) b. Check the roommate situation that best fits your community: ( ) Adults having own room ( ) Couples sharing rooms ( ) Others sharing rooms (2-3/room) ( ) Dorms (4 or more adults/room) ( ) Other (please specify) c. Check the lifestyle that best fits your community: ( ) Individual ( ) Nuclear Family ( ) Extended Family ( ) Monastic ( ) Other (please specify) 29. How many school-aged children does your community have in the following education options: ___ Home schooled ___ Private schooled at the community ___ Private schooled off the property ___ Public schooled 30. What percentage of your own food do you grow? (X) None ( ) 1-5% ( ) 6-20% ( ) 21-50% ( ) over 50% 31. Typically, how frequently do most or all community members eat together? [Please check only one.] This is not applicable to us, since we are not yet togather. ( ) Rarely ( ) 1-3 times/month ( ) 1 time/week ( ) 2-5 times/week ( ) Nearly all dinners ( ) Nearly all meals 32. Please indicate the dietary practices and preferences of your members. If diet and health practices are up to the individual members, check here ( ) and answer for the majority. CODES TO ENTER BELOW: 5 = Emphasized by the community; a basic part of our diet 4 = Eaten regularly, but no community policy 3 = Eaten with fair regularity, not a daily staple 2 = Eaten occasionally 1a = Not provided by the community, but OK to buy your own 1b = Not eaten at the community, but OK when eating out 0 = Community does not allow this in member diets NOTE: Enter "1" if both 1a and 1b are true 5 Organically grown food 5 Raw foods 5 Fruit 5 Vegetables 3 Milk & milk products 3 Eggs 4 Whole grain/minimally processed food 1b Red Meat 1b Poultry 3 Fish 1a White Sugar 2 Caffeine 1a Alcohol 1a Tobacco ___ Other (specify): ___ Other (specify): ******************* SEXUAL ISSUES ******************* 33. In your community, are gay, lesbian, and bisexual people primarily: (X) out in the open ( ) discreet ( ) in hiding ( ) I don't know any 34. In your surrounding neighborhood, are gay, lesbian, and bisexual people primarily: This does not apply we have no location as of yet. ( ) out in the open ( ) discreet ( ) in hiding ( ) I don't know any 35. (N) Are there any restrictions on sexual relationships among consenting adult members? If "Yes", please describe: 36. Please indicate which relationship styles are presently practiced in your community (by at least one member): Presently (Not done) (Required) (Preferred) (Allowed) (X) Celebate: presently ( ) Gay men: (X) Lesbian: presently ( ) Bisexual: (X) Monogamy: presently (X) Marriage: presently ( ) Group marriage: ( ) Open relationships: (X) Other (list below) We do not intend, at this point to allow, require, or disallow any of those choices listed it should be the persons/people's choice. 37. In your community, what is your best estimate as to how many people self-identify with the following labels: Celibate: ( ) All ( ) Many ( ) Some (X) One or two ( ) None Heterosexual: ( ) All (X) Many ( ) Some ( ) One or two ( ) None Gay men: ( ) All ( ) Many ( ) Some ( ) One or two (X) None Lesbian: ( ) All ( ) Many ( ) Some (X) One or two ( ) None Bisexual: ( ) All ( ) Many ( ) Some ( ) One or two (X) None 38. Within a fifty mile radius of your intentional community are there any: (Y/N/DK) gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender (glbt) social groups (Y/N/DK) glbt support groups? (Y/N/DK) glbt-oriented bookstores? Not applicable until we have a location. ******************* POLITICS & RELIGION ******************* 39. How much has your community been talking about the Year 2000 (Y2K) problem? (X) None ( ) Barely mentioned ( ) Some discussion ( ) A lot of discussion ( ) We're seriously into it 40. (N) Does your community have a primarily political focus? If "Yes", please describe: (N) Does your community have a primarily spiritual focus? At this time most of us have some spiritual aspiration, though no common path. 41. Please indicate which spiritual paths are presently practiced in your community: M/R = A major community focus <ETH> REQUIRED of members M/O = A major community focus <ETH> not REQUIRED of members I = Individuals within the community practice this faith A = Acceptable - though no present members N = Not acceptable (A) Bahai (A) Native American (I) Buddhist (A) Orthodoxy (Greek, Russian, etc.) (I) Christian Scientist (A) Paganism/Earth Religions (I) Eastern (A) Protestant/Lutheran ( ) Emissaries (A) Quaker ( ) Hare Krishna (I) Roman Catholic (I) Humanist (I) Scientology ( ) Hutterian Brethren (I) Sufi (I) Jewish (A) Transcendental Meditation ( ) Mennonite ( ) Unification Church ( ) Moravian ( ) Unitarian Universalist (A) Mormon ( ) Atheism (A) Muslim ( ) Agnosticism (A) Ecumenical (includes "all religions") (A) Eclectic (integrates pieces from many religions) ( ) Other (Please specify): 42. Primary Focus. Please write down 2-4 words (maximum of 30 characters including spaces) which most accurately summarize your group's primary purpose and/or focus. "self sustaining ecological peacemakers" PART THREE: COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION This is the most important part. Please give us a description of your community. Try to include glimpses of your vision, your daily life, your projects--images that will give Directory readers a sense of what is special about your group. If your listing is less than 1296 characters, it is free. (That's 18 lines at 72 characters per line.) There is a US$0.08 for each additional character beyond the first 1296. "We want to live and work in our homes. We want to grow our own food and raise our children as a village. Home schooling is a possibility. We want to create an enterprise which allows us to do this wether it be mail order, creating a retreat center, becoming organic food producers, developing crafts, or marketing our skills to the local economy. We want to be off the power grid generating our own power. We want to be part of the solution. We want to live in peace with others. Provide some resource for those in need and assist in educating humanity in being humane."   Thank you for completing our questionnaire Note: The information from this questionnaire will be used by the FIC in its Communities Directory. We reserve the right to publish the information in other forms of information distribution. Communities Directory, 2000 Edition 138 Twin Oaks Road, Louisa VA 23093 USA Tel/Fax: 734-629-0384 Email: Dir2000@ic.org Web: http://directory.ic.org/