Michigan EcoVillage is identifying founders, Board Members and residential members for the establishment of dual urban and rural EcoVillages in Flint and Detroit, Michigan. We are planning to start investments in land and housing in 2011, and are currently establishing businesses and cottage industries which will provide employment opportunities for EcoVillage members.

The core commitment of the EcoVillages is that members are known, loved and supported; physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Therefore, full employment of members in meaningful work is a fundamental characteristic of the community.

The Flint and Detroit Urban EcoVillages will be located within the cities proper, and will affiliate with their sister Rural EcoVillages as an economic off-take partner. Primary economic activities will include businesses related to food, including restaurants and grocery stores selling produce from the rural communities. Other businesses will include service businesses with low start-up investment costs, such as childcare/early childhood education, solar thermal and solar photovoltaic installation, residential and commercial energy efficiency upgrades, building deconstruction & recycling, and pet grooming & boarding. Existing housing stock will be retrofitted as net-zero energy residences for the members of the urban communities. An opportunity will be to partner with local Community Development Corporations, to cooperate on local housing re-development projects.

Primary economic activities of the rural communities will include agricultural businesses related to food production, processing and distribution, including community-supported agriculture and soybean processing. Four-season food production utilizing greenhouses will support year-round cash flow for the farm teams. A key enterprise will be the establishment of a seed bank with seed and plant sales. Multi-unit residential structures primarily utilizing local materials such as straw-bale construction will be built at the Rural EcoVillages for the residents of those communities.

The intellectual property of the EcoVillage collectives is their most valuable asset. A primary activity of the EcoVillages will be the licensing of successfully demonstrated business models to other collectives, with the implementation of those licensed businesses as mechanisms for employment of EcoVillage and licensee members.