This one is not free, but helps you start a business where the emails, contracts, intake forms, bidding... are provided. This organization has lots of support for your new enterprise such as podcasts, conferences, and more!

"Welcome to the Roma Education Fund’s Guidelines for Toy Libraries. These provide practical information about setting up and running a toy library. Since 2010 the Roma Education Fund (REF) has supported the establishment and operation of several ToyLibraries across Central and Eastern Europe. During these years REF has gathered experiences and knowledge about the operation of Toy Libraries which are now shared in these guidelines." What a wonderful initiative that can save waste and help young people have access to interesting and educational toys as they are growing up.

Free community refrigerators are a great idea because they provide a practical solution to food waste by allowing individuals and businesses to share excess perishable items with those in need. Additionally, these communal fridges foster a sense of solidarity within neighborhoods, promoting a supportive and caring community environment.

Also known as dynamic governance - "We believe the best decisions are made when everyone’s voice is heard, that’s why we use sociocracy to save time, make inclusive decisions and create more human organizations." Increase satisfaction and success in your group, whether it is a family, eco-village, or eco-action group!

The Local Foods, Local Places Toolkit is meant to help communities interested in undertaking a similar process to develop their own plans for setting and achieving local food and revitalization goals. The toolkit was developed over the course of delivering the Local Foods, Local Places technical assistance and compiles best practices and lessons learned from the program. A facilitator, either from the community or hired from outside, could use this toolkit to help a community articulate its goals, engage stakeholders, and prioritize achievable actions to make progress. The toolkit provides step-by-step instruction for planning and hosting a community workshop that produces an action plan laying out next steps for implementation. It also suggests some approaches, useful tips, and lessons in maintaining momentum, including that communities should: Cultivate and support champions. Find someone to own the plan. Help build relationships. The Local Foods, Local Places Toolkit (PDF) (78 pp, 3 MB, About PDF) includes links to funding opportunities and other resources plus detailed templates to help guide a community through the process. These templates are provided here as editable files so users can adapt them to their needs:

Shareables: Welcome to Shareable’s growing collection of how-to share posts, which can help you save money, reduce waste, and build community through sharing. In fact, Shareable’s co-founder Neal Gorenflo made new friends and saved $17,000 during his “Year of Living Shareably.” If you try one of the guides, let us know how it goes. Now go forth and share!

TCI provides young climate champions education and engagement tools to steward our planet and catalyze the transition to climate-resilient communities. Through community-based education and empowerment initiatives, youth learn about local climate problems and possible solutions, giving them hope and the inspiration to become change agents in their communities and beyond. This resource provides programs and toolkits.

Check out Robin Greenfield's site and resources from "Institute for Local Self-Reliance for a great resource to help you think out, plan, and learn as you go and grow.

Check out both links if you are considering starting a local food cooperative. Food cooperatives are a great way to support and grow a more robust local food system, help the environment by supporting more sustainable farms, and reduce foods needing to travel thousands of miles to make it to your community. This is another link to check out as well: https://fci.coop/resource_library/

This organization helps equip people starting a green deconstruction enterprise. They work with deconstruction contractors, nonprofit leaders, and our clients to ensure that every deconstruction project and donation is approached with integrity, attention to detail, and proper research.

Ecologically, native oysters are equally important: they filter algae, sediment, and other pollutants. Oyster reefs also provide habitat for fish, crabs, and other Bay organisms. The Bay's native oyster population has been estimated at as low as one percent of historic levels, making restoration critical to help improve the Bay’s water quality and increase its economic viability. Help rebuild the Chesapeake Bay's oyster population by becoming an oyster gardener. Hundreds of community members in Maryland and Virginia grow oysters alongside their docks and then help CBF plant them on sanctuary reefs. Find out more about oyster gardening and how you can become a gardener in Maryland, Baltimore, and Virginia. Baltimore, Maryland https://www.cbf.org/how-we-save-the-bay/programs-initiatives/maryland/oyster-restoration/oyster-gardening/ Virginia https://www.cbf.org/how-we-save-the-bay/programs-initiatives/virginia/oyster-restoration/oyster-gardening/

"Repair Cafés are free meeting places and they’re all about repairing things (together). In the place where a Repair Café is located, you’ll find tools and materials to help you make any repairs you need. On clothes, furniture, electrical appliances, bicycles, crockery, appliances, toys, et cetera. You’ll also find expert volunteers, with repair skills in all kinds of fields. Visitors bring their broken items from home. Together with the specialists they start making their repairs in the Repair Café. It’s an ongoing learning process. If you have nothing to repair, you can enjoy a cup of tea or coffee. Or you can lend a hand with someone else’s repair job. You can also get inspired at the reading table – by leafing through books on repairs and DIY." There are over 2,500 Repair Cafés worldwide. Start one in your area and add it to their list.