Become a Member
We are in development and looking for people to join us
who want to become active members of a community.
If you are considering joining the Rachel Carson EcoVillage,
we offer three levels of membership.
Level 1: INQUIRER
The purpose of being an Inquirer is to simply to find out whether you’d like to learn more about Rachel Carson Ecovillage. We invite anyone who is curious about the ecovillage to attend an introductory meeting, which we offer monthly. The meeting includes an introduction to our vision for the ecovillage, a tour of the site and Eden Hall campus, and a chance to ask questions and meet other interested people. Inquirers’ contact information is added to our list so that we may alert you to upcoming meetings or events. Inquirers may attend other ecovillage activities that are announced to our contact list or publicly. As an Inquirer you have no responsibilities to the group except to let us know whether or not you are interested in taking the next membership step.
Level 2: EXPLORER
The next step in the journey toward becoming a full member of the ecovillage is the Explorer membership. Its purpose is to give interested people a low-risk opportunity to see whether the ecovillage is a good “fit” and a chance to get to know their potential new neighbors. As an Explorer, you’ll also get to understand our plans, our budgets, our requirements for contributions, and the risks attached to those contributions.
Explorer members are expected to be involved in planning group work/meetings and full group meetings as able. Responsibilities may also include various tasks such as meeting with a new participant, helping organize an event, or helping draft a document. Explorer members will be invited to take part in learning and establishing our governance practices. You will also participate in ecovillage design workshops.
Inquirers who want to become Explorer members will complete an Explorer membership form and pay a non-refundable fee of $150 for an individual adult membership, if you have more than one adult in your household it is strongly recommended that ALL adults that want to “explore” become members. This entitles you to four months of participation in business meetings, social events and one-on-one meetings with members. At four months, you may choose to renew Explorer membership for $75/quarter or move forward as an Founder member. The fee is credited toward Founder membership for those who move to the next stage.
If for any reason you need financial assistance in meeting these fees, there is a reduced rate membership level available for $75. All fees are credited toward Founder membership for those who move to the next level.
Level 3: Founder
Founder Membership information and application can be found in the Members Area tab in the Membership Overview drop down option.