Case Study Discussions of Community Plans, Capital Plans, & Non-Extractive Financing

supported by…

Cooperation Humboldt & the Wiyot Tribe  

East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative 

Full Spectrum Capital Partners

Justice Funders

Loma Prieta Community Foundation

Thriving Resilient Communities Collaboratory

This 2022 workshop series was an interactive discussion of three case study projects that are using integrated community capital (philanthropic, government, and investment money) for large-scale regenerative community asset development projects in Northern California. The series followed our 2021 learning circle. See the report HERE

The opening session offered a community capital orientation and an overview of the case studies. The following three sessions invited participants to review and discuss a specific case study to work through each of the three main steps that community and capital stewards take to plan and finance non-extractive capital projects. 

The first step (LPCF case study) is creating a community plan: a visionary project plan for community-based land stewardship that can involve investors, donors, the government, and tribes. The next step (Dishgamu Humboldt case study) is creating an investable capital plan: translating the community plan into the capital stack financial terms that community organizers often aren’t familiar with. The third step (EB PREC case study) is financing the capital plan: building funding relationships and navigating the cumbersome requirements to raise non-extractive capital.

=  Session Schedule and Recordings

Thurs January 13  Community Capital Orientation     

See Recording HERE                    See Slides HERE

Hosted by Dr Leslie Meehan & David Cobb 

The opening session discusses what community capital means and then shares case study stories. This is a practical orientation for both community and capital stewards to the ideas and real-life experience of building the solidarity economy on a regional scale.

Wed February 9  Step 1: Creating a Community Plan

See Recording HERE                    See Slides HERE

See Discussion Notes HERE

Hosted by Ryan Rising, Robin Porter & Dr Leslie Meehan 

This session opens with perspectives on creating a community plan using various models and experience with planning successes and challenges.  

The case study Loma Prieta Community Foundation (LPCF) is a 40-year-old rural regional resilience hub. LPCF has a joint school & community land use agreement, dual county & Red Cross program and facility funding, fiscal sponsorship for 40+  groups, and more. They are launching a  community planning process including a major shared facility renovation. 

Workshop participants discuss approaches to develop a cohesive LPCF community plan. See Notes HERE

Thurs Mar 3 Step 2: Creating a Capital Plan      

See recording HERE    See slides HERE

Hosted by Dishgamu Humboldt (David Cobb & Michelle Vassel).

The Wiyot Tribe (Michelle Vassel), Cooperation Humboldt (David Cobb) and Full Spectrum Capital Partners (Taj James) are creating Dishgamu Humboldt (Love Humboldt in Wiyot), an Indigenous led Community Land Trust that will only invest and develop projects that are a) approved by the Wiyot people, and b) meet the criterion of a restorative economy.  Projects in the pipeline include a carbon-neutral affordable housing project, several ecovillages, a Solidarity Economy Center, and several housing cooperatives. During the workshop, we invite finance experts to help develop the capital plan.

Mon October 24  Step 3: Financing a Capital Plan with Non-extractive Capital

See recording HERE    See slides HERE

Hosted by EB PREC (Annie McShiras, Noni Session) see Esther’s Orbit Room 7th Street Corridor 

EB PREC leaders share successes and learnings frrom our Esther’s Orbit Room Capital Campaign, which brought in over $5 Million to acquire and rehabilitate Esther’s Orbit Room in West Oakland, California. We hope both community and capital stewards will leave with lessons learned about what they can do to overcome barriers to both receiving and deploying capital.