Earthaven Ecovillage

What Earthaven Ecovillage does

Earthaven Ecovillage is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit intentional community established in the mid-1990s on 329 acres of forested mountain land near Black Mountain, North Carolina. The community is built around permaculture design and operates largely off-grid using micro-hydro and solar power, with more than 30 natural buildings organized into 14 neighborhoods (12 of which remain in development). Roughly 75 adult members and 25 children live on site, sharing land and governance but retaining independent personal incomes and individually owned structures. The operating nonprofit, Culture's Edge, holds the educational and charitable functions, while land and infrastructure are managed through separate communal entities.

The community monetizes its assets through several small, diversified streams: annual membership fees and home-site/lease payments from residents; guided tours priced around $25–$35 per visitor; cabin, camping, and event-venue rentals; and tuition from the School of Integrated Living (SOIL), which delivers permaculture, natural-building, and regenerative-culture workshops and online courses. Tax-deductible donations channeled through Culture's Edge supplement operating income. Earthaven serves five overlapping constituencies: its own resident members, SOIL students, eco-tourism visitors, retreat and event clients, and a long-tail donor base interested in sustainability and resilience. There is no central payroll in the conventional sense; labor is contributed largely by members themselves.

Recent strategic activity has emphasized outward positioning and resilience narrative rather than rapid scale. The community weathered Hurricane Helene in late 2024 with no loss of life and was featured on NPR's 2025 Climate Solutions Week as a climate-mitigation model. A partnership with Cooperate WNC has embedded Earthaven in a regional solidarity-economy network, and internal initiatives such as the Racial Equity Task Group, Goal 8, and the Equity Leaps program signal governance reform intended to broaden the resident base. Growth is land-constrained, with an internal target of approximately 150 residents, making the institution best understood as a stable, mission-driven nonprofit with educational and tourism revenue rather than a venture-scale enterprise.

Name

Earthaven Ecovillage

Legal name

Earthaven Ecovillage

Website

https://earthaven.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Earthaven Ecovillage is a 30-year-old 501(c)(3) intentional community on 329 acres near Black Mountain, NC, home to ~100 residents across 14 permaculture neighborhoods, generating revenue through member fees, the SOIL school, tours, rentals, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intentional Community and Sustainability Education Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability Engagement, Training & Behavior Change Programs (On-site) (BPABALAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO), Cultural & Environmental Education Expeditions (Citizen Science, Conservation Volunteering) (THAAAOAH), Eco-Resorts (Full-Service Sustainable Resorts in Natural Settings) (THAAAHAB), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD)

Keywords

• Intentional community living
• Ecovillage education programs
• Permaculture design training
• Natural building workshops
• Sustainable community tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Black Mountain

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees and Dues: Revenue from membership joining fees ($3,900), commons fees ($6,500), and annual dues ($800-$1,100/year). These fees fund capital expenditures and community operations.
2. Educational Programs and Classes: School of Integrated Living (SOIL) offers in-person and online courses, workshops, Ecovillage Experience programs, and specialized training. Programs range from free info calls to paid multi-day immersions.
3. Event Venue Rental: Earthaven rents out facilities including Council Hall, camp kitchen, outdoor spaces (fire circle, village green, plaza), campground, and sauna for retreats and events that support the community's mission.
4. Rental Income: Various rental units including apartments ($450-$1,600/month), tiny home/RV sites ($225-$275/month), cabins ($400-$450), and houses ($750-$2,000). Renters participate in New Roots program with community service requirements.
5. Donations and Friends Program: Tax-deductible donations through Culture's Edge 501(c)3 nonprofit. Friends of Earthaven program offers monthly ($10-$100) and annual ($100-$1,000) donation levels with Village Voices newsletter benefits.
6. Village Member Businesses: Various member-operated businesses generate income including permaculture plant nursery, retreat hosting, carpentry/natural building services, solar system installation, and consulting/teaching services.
7. Affiliate Commission: Earthaven is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. Culture's Edge educational nonprofit earns commissions on book purchases made through their affiliate links.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Earthaven Ecovillage is an aspiring ecovillage and living laboratory that provides educational programs, tours, accommodations, and membership pathways focused on sustainable culture and intentional community living. Its primary commercial offerings are run through the School of Integrated Living (SOIL), including in-person and virtual tours, self-paced online courses, immersive programs such as Ecovillage Experience Week and Compassion Camp, and customized education programs for groups. Supporting offerings include event venue rentals, camping and home rentals, and a live-and-work exchange program for prospective residents.

Product overview

Earthaven Ecovillage is an aspiring ecovillage in North Carolina founded in 1995, consisting of approximately 75 adult residents and 25 children across 329 acres. The community operates primarily through its educational nonprofit arm, the School of Integrated Living (SOIL), which offers a portfolio of educational products and services. Core offerings include in-person, virtual, and customized tours of the ecovillage; in-person and online educational classes and courses covering permaculture, natural building, village economics, and personal development; the annual Ecovillage Experience Week immersion program; Compassion Camp focused on nonviolent communication; and the Earthaven Ecovillage Podcast. Supporting services include event venue rentals (Council Hall, campground, outdoor spaces), camping facilities, home rentals, and live-and-work exchange programs. The community also accepts donations through its Friends of Earthaven program, with funds supporting Culture's Edge, the 501(c)3 educational nonprofit. Earthaven is not a technology product company and does not offer an API.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Village Voices: Monthly newsletter for Friends of Earthaven members featuring village updates, program announcements, and community news
• Earthaven Ecovillage Podcast
• Ecovillage Experience Week

Products and services

• School of Integrated Living (SOIL) Educational Programs Earthaven's nonprofit educational arm offering in-person and online programs that teach whole-life skills for sustainable and community living, including courses on permaculture, natural building, village economics, and personal development for individuals and groups.
• In-Person Ecovillage Tours Scheduled Saturday walking tours of the ecovillage providing an introduction to the community's history, purpose, and development over more than 30 years; priced $25-35 per adult with kids free.
• Virtual Ecovillage Tours Live online two-hour guided tours plus Q&A examining sustainability across social, ecological, and economic dimensions at Earthaven, for individuals and groups unable to visit on-site.
• Customized Tours Tailored in-person and virtual tour experiences scheduled on the visitor's timeline and customized to their specific interests.
• Event Venue Rental Rental of Council Hall, camp kitchen, outdoor spaces (fire circle, village green, plaza), campground, and sauna for retreats, board meetings, workshops, and events aligned with the community's mission.
• Earthaven Campground Forested campground near the village center open April through October, offering tent sites, van/small RV sites, and a rustic screened cabin with bunks for program participants and tour attendees.
• Customized Education Programs Nature-based, team-building programs offered by SOIL that inspire creativity and authentic leadership through immersion in an off-grid community in Southern Appalachia for organizations and groups.
• Self-Paced Online Courses Asynchronous online courses including Place-Based Living at Earthaven Ecovillage, People Care at Earthaven Ecovillage, Village Economics, and Introduction to Natural Building.
• Ecovillage Experience Week Week-long residential service-learning immersion offering hands-on skill-building in sustainable and climate-resilient community life at the ecovillage.
• Compassion Camp Annual weekend event focused on Nonviolent Communication featuring classes and experiential learning designed to foster compassion and connection in hearts, communities, and the world.
• Earthaven Ecovillage Podcast Audio interviews featuring Earthaven members and educators about all aspects of village life and learning, approximately 30 minutes each, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Libsyn.
• Friends of Earthaven Donation Program Recurring donation program supporting Earthaven's educational mission, with donations going to Culture's Edge, the community's 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit, offering monthly ($10-$100) and annual ($100-$1,000) levels plus Village Voices newsletter.
• Home Rentals Rental units within the ecovillage ranging from tent sites and tiny home/RV sites ($225-$275) to apartments ($450-$1,600), cabins ($400-$450), and houses ($750-$2,000) for those exploring possible membership.
• Live and Work Exchange Live-and-work exchange arrangements with Earthaven members offering positions in exchange for hosting, food, and camping as part of the New Roots program for prospective residents; standard 24 hours/week.

Quantifiable outcome

• NPR featured Earthaven as part of Climate Solutions Week 2025, highlighting community-based resilience during Hurricane Helene
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Cooperate WNCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperate WNC is a grassroots nonprofit building a stronger, more resilient region in Western North Carolina by weaving together food sovereignty, disaster recovery and resilience, leadership development, and cooperative economics. Earthaven participates in this regional network focused on helping neighbors meet immediate needs while creating systems of trust, belonging, and collective power.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Findhorn Ecovillage: Findhorn is one of the world's longest-running and most prominent ecovillages, located in Scotland. It is the most direct comparable to Earthaven in combining residential intentional community, educational programming, and a built village-scale economy, with similar focus on permaculture and personal development.
• Auroville: Auroville is a large international intentional community in Tamil Nadu, India, founded in 1968 around sustainable living and human unity. Comparable to Earthaven in mission and demonstration purpose, though far larger in scale and global in scope.
• Ithaca EcoVillage at Cayuga Commons: Ithaca EcoVillage is a cohousing-based ecovillage in upstate New York with multiple neighborhoods focused on sustainability and community. Directly comparable to Earthaven in offering residential sustainability living, educational programming, and a multi-neighborhood structure, though urban-adjacent.
• Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage: Dancing Rabbit is a rural ecovillage in northeast Missouri focused on demonstrating sustainable living through natural building, renewable energy, and cooperative culture. Comparable to Earthaven as a US-based aspiring ecovillage with tours, educational programs, and membership pathways.
• Sacred Groves Nature-based Retreat Center: An on-site Earthaven retreat facility operated as part of the Earthaven ecosystem; included as a peer for completeness around comparable small eco-retreat models, with similar size and mission focus.
• Twin Oaks Community: Twin Oaks is a long-running intentional community in Virginia with a shared-income model and established hammock-making business. It is comparable to Earthaven as a peer ecovillage in scale and longevity, though its pooled economy contrasts with Earthaven's independent-income structure.

Broad incumbents

• Schumacher College: Schumacher College is a UK-based ecological education institution offering short courses in ecological design, transition, and regenerative practice. Comparable to SOIL as a sustainability-education provider but operates as an established college rather than embedded in a residential ecovillage.
• Omega Institute for Holistic Studies: Omega Institute is a large educational retreat center in Rhinebeck, NY offering workshops on sustainability, wellness, and personal development. Comparable to Earthaven's event venue rental and workshop programming but at significantly larger scale and broader scope.

Others

• Global Ecovillage Network (GEN): GEN is the umbrella organization supporting ecovillages worldwide with certification, networking, and educational resources. Relevant as the certification body Earthaven would work toward as an aspiring ecovillage, and a channel for partnership and program distribution.
• Cohousing Association of the United States: The Cohousing Association is the national membership organization supporting cohousing communities in the US. Comparable as a network and resource for the cooperative-pod structure that Earthaven's neighborhoods use, though it serves a broader cohousing (not ecovillage) constituency.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@earthavenecovillage
• Facebookfacebook.com/earthavenecovillage
• Instagraminstagram.com/earthavenecovillage
• Xx.com/EarthavenE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/earthaven-ecovillage

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries14 records

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 Earthaven Ecovillage