Funding the Future, Together: Why We're Asking You for a Loan
In the first blog post of this ongoing series, we shared how the commons hub got back on track over the past 12 months.
In the second post, we envisioned the commons hub event campus, arguing that the nearby church and chapel house, which are on sale, would double our hosting capacity and add a spacious, atmospheric venue for bigger summits.
This expansion would not only lay the foundation for new event formats such as month-long popup villages, summer schools, and festivals, but would be a decisive step towards our long-term vision of a Valley of the Commons, which we’re going to detail later this month.
For now, let’s talk about funding — we’ve got 20 days left to make a binding offer, and a funding gap of €200k to reach our target (commit here).
Introducing: commons hub community lending.
🏦 A Well-Balanced Funding Mix
While we love CoFi, we’re not purists. We aim for a mix of our private funds, community lending, and a subsidized bank loan to buy and renovate the church & chapel house in the coming 18 months.
Seeking to support tourism with access to cheap capital, the Austrian state subsidizes interest rates to about 2% and offers a 15% grant for new businesses such as ours. However, this only covers renovations. To actually buy the buildings, we need other sources of liquidity — fast.
Private funds are ready to be deployed, but not enough to cover the purchase. Community members have pledged ~€40k so far, but we still need about €160k to make a serious bid.
This is where you come in: lend us your money and make a difference in the world.
💶 Community Lending at a Glance
You lend us money in EUR (minimum €1,000)
We use it to buy the new venues, while taking a bank loan for renovation
You receive 7% annual interest in transferable value vouchers with unlimited validity, redeemable for services at the commons hub
We repay the principal in EUR in years 5, 6, and 7 (one-third each year)
Vouchers are issued on January 1 each year for the still-open loan amount
Vouchers are transferable: gift nights to friends, allies, or events — already, €20k out of €40k pledged so far has been earmarked for the yearly CoFi gathering
Example:
On August 31, 2025, A. lends us €6,000.
Jan 1, 2026–2030: A. receives value vouchers worth €420 each year (= 7% of €6,000).
Aug 31, 2030: We repay €2,000 (⅓ of the principal).
Jan 1, 2031: A. receives a €280 voucher (= 7% of €4,000).
Aug 31, 2031: We repay another €2,000.
Jan 1, 2032: A. receives a €140 voucher (= 7% of €2,000).
Aug 31, 2032: We repay the remaining €2,000.
⚖️ Legal Form: Qualified Subordinate Loan
This loan will be structured as a qualified subordinate loan, the only legal way for us to borrow funds from multiple people without being considered a bank.
This means:
Subordinate loan: In case of bankruptcy or liquidation, your claim is behind the bank’s and other senior creditors.
Qualified clause: If repaying you at the agreed date would bankrupt us, we can legally postpone repayment until we can do so without causing insolvency — but we continue paying the agreed interest in the meantime.
📅 Timeline
Until Aug 22 – collecting serious, non-binding pledges
Aug 22 – binding contracts will be ready to sign
Aug 25 – target date to make our offer
Aug 31 – deadline for offers
Sept 15 – if we’re not the only bidder, we may need to raise further funds until mid-September to outbid competitors
💌 Want to Lend?
We’re currently collecting non-binding pledges.
No money changes hands until legal contracts are finalized.
Questions? Write to office@commons-hub.at or attend one of our three Q&A sessions:
14.08.2025, 6pm CET – meet.google.com/wqj-zvtq-nwn
17.08.2025, 6pm CET – meet.google.com/ysf-rhvz-eaw
20.08.2025, 9pm CET - meet.google.com/wnf-abbc-xcb
🌱 Closing Thought
This is Collaborative Finance in action: circulating value within the community, building mutual trust, and empowering aligned infrastructure without extraction. By lending to the commons hub, you’re not just financing walls and roofs — you’re co-creating a living space for gatherings, learning, and solidarity that will serve our networks for decades to come.
