Cohousing-L Mailing List: Practical Capital Projections

[Christine Della Maggiora (cdm]

IMHO: 

The availability (or un-) of funding (from whatever source) for a project
shifts that project from a wish list into the realm of reality.

There are down sides, as I see it based on our experience with this process,
of "prioritizing a list of capital projects" without comprehensive (though
never "complete" of course) information, including plans for financing.

It seems to me that from the start, when you are working on your capital
plan (after the brainstorming ideas), you should be checking for physical
support for the project, not just emotional support. Part of your
prioritization should take into consideration whether there's money and
sweat equity to be found for a particular project.

If there's a project with more or less most of it's funding, and your group
consenses that it's not a desirable project, then there's no way it should
be built.

If there's a project without most of it's funding, but it's so highly
desirable your group still want its, then I'd consider it an act of
community for the more affluent members to support it financially.

But you have to be clear from the start whether the financial support is
already secured or yet to be determined because it's a reality that needs to
be weighed during the act of prioritization.

It's very powerful to say "We don't have the money committed for a
basketball court, but the group has consented on the desire for one. And
we're committed to raising the funds."

-----------------------------------------------

Dream big in the exploratory stages, but be rigorously practical in the
consideration stage - save yourself a lot of grief by removing from
consideration projects that don't have the manpower, or don't have the
financial support, or don't have the emotional support (not just acceptance)
of your group as a whole. I've noticed people will consent to an idea to be
supportive of the group, but have no real desire or enthusiasm for the
project. That creates problems later on.

And all this is coming from a person who firmly believes if we want
something badly enough, we will find a way to make it happen. And I want an
awful lot here. But I don't want to rake our group over the coals again to
pursue projects that have lots of funding but no real group support, or
projects that have endorsement but no will to fund.

Christine Della Maggiora
Eno Commons Cohousing
Durham NC USA

Where we are 22 houses, built out for five years, having community meals for
seven years, in our CH for three years, with a wonderful  deck we just built
with a whole lot of sweat equity that overlooks our playground, lovely
community vegetable garden and meadow.

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