Foundation for Intentional Community

What Foundation for Intentional Community does

The Foundation for Intentional Community (FIC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, previously known as the Fellowship for Intentional Community, that has stewarded the intentional community movement for over 35 years. Headquartered at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in Rutledge, Missouri, with operations registered in Indiana, FIC functions as a platform and information intermediary serving two primary user groups: individuals seeking to join, start, or learn about intentional communities, and the communities themselves seeking visibility, members, and development resources. The organization operates with a small core team of 1-10 employees.

FIC's core offering is an integrated set of web-based products rather than a single software product. The Communities Directory is a searchable database of 1,000+ intentional communities worldwide. "Communiversity" houses the educational arm — FIC Courses on Community (5-week live courses plus on-demand Re-Run courses at sliding-scale pricing of $99-149), workshops and webinars, the Inside Community Podcast, the Communities Bookstore, an articles/blog library, and a member-only resource library. The Engage section provides member discussion forums, classified ads (real estate, community seekers, events, marketplace, professional services), an affiliate program, and donation infrastructure. The recently spun-off BIPOC Intentional Community Council (independent 501(c)(3) since 2023) supports Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in building intentional communities.

FIC's business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue stack: annual membership dues, course fees, bookstore sales (one-time product), classified listing fees (transaction fees), event registrations, and tax-deductible charitable donations. Marketing is community-led and content-driven, leveraging SEO on ic.org, an email newsletter, the podcast, social channels, virtual events, and a network of 20+ partner organizations including Cohousing, the Global Ecovillage Network, Sociocracy for All, and Ecovillage Tours. The organization has earned tier-1 earned media coverage in TIME, The New York Times, The Guardian, Forbes, The Atlantic, and The Washington Post, and received the Candid Seal of Transparency at the Silver level in 2025.

Name

Foundation for Intentional Community

Legal name

Fellowship for Intentional Community

Website

https://ic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Foundation for Intentional Community (FIC) is a 35-year-old 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating ic.org, a web-based platform serving the intentional community movement through a directory of 1,000+ communities, online courses, a bookstore, classifieds marketplace, and member resources, supported by memberships, course fees, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Living Resources

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Membership Communities with Learning (Community-Led Education) (MPACALAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Interest-Based Communities & Forums (BPAMABAC)

Keywords

• Intentional communities
• Community directory
• Cohousing resources
• Community education courses
• Community living classifieds

Headquarters

HQ city

Rutledge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership program offering access to resources, forums, and member benefits
2. Course Fees: Revenue from online courses including live 5-week courses and on-demand re-run courses at sliding scale pricing
3. Bookstore Sales: Sale of curated books focused on intentional community living, including titles like Finding Community and Building Sustainable Communities
4. Classified Advertisements: Fee-based listings for communities with openings, real estate, events, marketplace, professional services, and community seekers
5. Event Registrations: Registration fees for virtual tours, workshops, webinars and other events
6. Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization; 10% of unrestricted donations reallocated to BIPOC ICC

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

FIC operates a community support platform that helps people join, start, and grow intentional communities. Its core offerings are a searchable directory of 1,000+ intentional communities, online educational courses on community building, a curated bookstore, virtual and in-person events/webinars, a discussion forum, and a classifieds marketplace connecting seekers with housing, land, and forming communities. Supporting offerings include a podcast, member library, newsletter, and the BIPOC Intentional Community Council initiative.

Product overview

The Foundation for Intentional Community operates as a nonprofit organization with over 35 years of service to the intentional communities movement, offering a platform of interconnected educational resources and community-building services rather than a single software product. The core offerings center on the Communities Directory (a searchable database of 1,000+ communities), FIC Courses on Community (live and on-demand educational courses), the Communities Bookstore, Events and Webinars, Discussion Forum, and Classified Ads marketplace. Supporting services include the Inside Community Podcast, Member Library, and Member Newsletter. The BIPOC Intentional Community Council represents a dedicated initiative for supporting underrepresented communities. The Re-Run Courses sub-product provides on-demand access to archived course content at reduced pricing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FIC University: Educational platform offering courses on community living, governance, and intentional community building.
• BIPOC Intentional Community Council
• Ecovillage Tours

Products and services

• Communities Directory

Quantifiable outcome

• 1000+ communities listed in directory
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CohousingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCohousing partner organization promoting cohousing communities in North America
• The Federation of Egalitarian CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of egalitarian intentional communities sharing resources and advocacy
• North American Students of Cooperation (NASCO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent housing cooperative organization supporting cooperative living education
• Global Ecovillage NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal network of ecovillages promoting sustainable and regenerative communities
• Cohousing Research NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch arm of Cohousing Association of the US conducting surveys and academic research
• New Economy CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of organizations building a just, democratic, and sustainable economy
• Search Tinyhouse VillagesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDirectory and resources for tiny house village communities
• NuMundominorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatform connecting people with regenerative communities and ecovillages
• California CohousingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCalifornia-focused cohousing advocacy and networking organization
• International Communes DeskminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational desk connecting communes and intentional communities globally
• ICSA (Intentional Communities Scholars Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic organization studying intentional communities
• Communal Studies AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic association promoting scholarship on communal societies
• Transition USminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork supporting Transition Town movement for resilience and sustainability
• NW Intentional Communities AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional network of intentional communities in the Pacific Northwest
• Commune LifeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublication and resources for commune and community living
• Sociocracy for AllcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization providing sociocracy consulting, facilitation, and training services to intentional communities
• Holistic Centers NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNetwork of holistic wellness centers promoting integrative health communities
• GEN-US (Global Ecovillage Network US)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS chapter of Global Ecovillage Network supporting ecovillage development
• Systems Change AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance focused on systems change and transformative social innovation
• Community FindersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerService helping individuals find compatible intentional communities through quizzes and matching
• ICMatchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity matchmaking service connecting people with intentional communities
• Ecovillage TourscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGuided tours of intentional communities and ecovillages worldwide, including Greece, Italy, North Carolina, Bali, Costa Rica, India, New Zealand, and Vermont
• BIPOC Intentional Community CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent 501(c)(3) organization supporting Black, Indigenous, and people of color in building intentional communities. FIC allocates 10% of unrestricted donations to the Council. Council has granted $27,000 to BIPOC-led projects since 2021.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Federation of Egalitarian Communities: Network of income-sharing, egalitarian intentional communities. Comparable as a peer movement organization serving the same communities and seekers, and an FIC strategic partner.
• Transition US: US hub of the Transition Town movement focused on community resilience and sustainability. Comparable in mission, nonprofit structure, and audience overlap with FIC's ecovillage segment.
• Ecovillage Tours: Tour operator running guided visits to intentional communities worldwide. Comparable because it serves the same 'experience-then-join' funnel and is an FIC partner; it monetizes experiential access to FIC-listed communities.
• North American Students of Cooperation (NASCO): Cooperative housing education and advocacy organization for student and nonprofit co-ops. Comparable in mission to support cooperative living and in operating as a 501(c)(3) network with education resources.
• NuMundo: Online platform connecting people with regenerative communities and ecovillages globally. Directly comparable as a digital directory/marketplace serving the same seeker-to-community funnel as FIC.
• Cohousing Association of the United States: The national membership organization for cohousing communities in North America. Directly comparable because it serves the same intentional-community-seeking audience with a similar directory, education, and advocacy model, and is an explicit FIC GTM partner.
• Global Ecovillage Network (GEN): Global network supporting ecovillages and sustainable communities. Directly comparable in mission, audience, and directory-driven discovery model; FIC is a strategic partner via GEN-US.

Emerging players

• ICMatch: Community matchmaking service that helps seekers find compatible intentional communities. Comparable because it targets the same pain point FIC addresses, but with a narrower matching-focused experience rather than FIC's full platform.
• Community Finders: Quiz and matching service for individuals seeking intentional communities. Comparable as an emerging alternative to FIC's directory-based discovery model, with a more guided UX.

Broad incumbents

• New Economy Coalition: Coalition of organizations building a just, democratic, and sustainable economy. Comparable as an FIC strategic partner and umbrella body; broader in scope but materially aligned in cooperative-economy audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7XwI3h5JYVLoX04IW2D_vw
• Instagraminstagram.com/foundationforintentionalcommunity
• Facebookfacebook.com/FoundationForIntentionalCommunity
• Xx.com/icdotorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fellowship-for-intentional-community

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Foundation for Intentional Community