Conscious Community Capital — Prospectus

Archival document (April 2021). This is the prospectus for a fund that did not launch — published as part of the Fund Archive. Figures, projects and team reflect that moment in time. Context: the fund we almost built.

Enabling Conscious Community Living

Conscious Community Capital is a real estate investment fund which develops and stewards spaces for conscious community living.

We raise capital from investors and banks and use it to purchase land and buildings which we steward on a long-term basis, making them available to partners developing conscious community living projects. As a form of "conscious capital" we focus on deep social impact whilst providing security of capital and a fair return.

Executive Summary

What am I investing in?

You are investing in a real estate fund. But it's much more than that: you are investing in conscious community living and the spaces that make that possible. Specifically, we buy or are donated tangible real estate assets, such as land and property, and steward them for the creation of conscious communities.

What sector am I investing in?

There's not really an established term yet for the work we're doing. We call it "conscious community" real estate — or more fully: mindful, ethical, social, community, sustainable real estate (not quite as catchy!).

For us, conscious community living has two complementary aspects. First, an explicit awareness of one's impact on others and the planet. Second, active engagement with "inner development", whether in a spiritual or secular form.

Modern co-living is where people live together with varying degrees of integration and shared spaces — the whole spectrum from all space held in common to private dwellings with shared kitchen and dining, from fully residential to short-term retreat formats. One important point for us: we see co-living not as an economic convenience but as an active commitment to fostering community.

Conscious co-living is the fusion of these two complementary practices.

What's the high-level vision of the fund?

Providing the financial investment to create conscious communities that are committed to wiser, weller, more awakened living, placing a high priority on looking after one another and the environment.

We believe conscious community living is a key contribution to wiser, weller being and a happier, healthier planet.

We supply the critical ingredient in making conscious co-living happen: the physical space. We do this by bringing together investor capital and conscious co-living projects — using our experience and expertise to bring confidence to capital, and capital to conscious communities.

We need a better way of living together; which depends on having physical spaces; which in turn requires capital investment. We are the bridge from increasingly conscious capital to emerging conscious co-living projects.

What's the expected rate of return?

We are targeting an IRR of 4–6% using conservative leverage ratios (< 50%).

What makes us different?

We are rooted in a "conscious capital" model. We are ethical, patient and long-term, with a not-for-profit management structure. We bridge two worlds: from consciousness to capital. Our team includes both serious mindfulness practitioners and successful serial entrepreneurs who have started and run multiple funds and companies.

Finally, we offer the safety and security of a bricks-and-mortar investment, let out to highly integrous and reliable groups, managed by an experienced team deeply committed to a clear code of ethics.

Where do we operate?

A focus on European markets, primarily western Europe (Germany, France, UK, Spain, Ireland). In the long term we may expand more globally.

Who is involved?

The fund is led by a combination of experienced entrepreneurs and managers, each of whom recognises the importance of — and maintains — a regular mindfulness practice.

Dr Rufus Pollock — serial entrepreneur and long-term zen & mindfulness practitioner. Founder of Open Knowledge, Datopian, and Life Itself. Previously Mead Fellow in Economics at Emmanuel College, Cambridge; Shuttleworth and Ashoka Fellow; PhD in Economics.

Ian Sneath — founder of multiple financial-services businesses including, in 2008, an open-ended investment fund that attracted tens of millions under management. Retired from the sector in 2012 and lived for two years at Plum Village, receiving the 5 Mindfulness Trainings (2014) and 14 Mindfulness Trainings (2019). Mindfulness coach for Plum Village UK.

What are our principles?

The success of the fund and the success of the communities are inextricably linked. We live by this insight and value all parties equally.

Strong in our ethics
Rigorous in our assessments
Flexible in our approach
Compassionate in our actions
Patient on our journey

The Fund in More Detail

Investment strategy

The fund invests in bricks & mortar so as to provide maximum security for investors; the fund always owns the underlying assets. Every potential acquisition is rigorously assessed — for alignment with the fund's philosophy and the independent economic viability of the property.

Conscious communities with strong ethical principles make good tenants, less likely to default than traditional tenants; they also operate within a well-connected network of like-minded communities, which supports adherence to financial and ethical commitments.

Acquisition happens two ways: communities approach the fund with an identified property, or we work with a community to find a viable one. The fund does not speculatively acquire property for pure financial gain. The fund also invests in capital improvements where appropriate; if a community self-finances development, their lease is adjusted to reflect it. Planning permissions are the community's responsibility, with guidance from the fund.

What we offer investors

A fair return with long-term capital growth and security: a target net return of 3–5%, prioritising long-term viability over risky short-term gains — plus real impact: directly underpinning successful conscious co-living communities.

What we offer communities

Not just capital: expertise, and access to a network of relevant organisations. A management team comfortable in the traditional world of finance whose outlook and practice mean they understand the needs and aspirations of communities.

Potential projects (illustrative, 2021)

Berlin Roofspace — 500m² of developable roof space in Kreuzberg; community of 12–15 people plus events space; €1.5m purchase + €1m development; expected rental yield 3.6%.

Bergerac Farmhouse — 19th-century farmhouse complex with 4ha of gardens and meadows and an adjoining 8,000m² buildable plot, near Plum Village; at least 30 residents plus communal, retreat and workshop spaces; €465k purchase + development; expected rental yield 5.4%.

Financial structure (selected)

Income: rents from communities leasing fund properties; potential capital uplift over the long term.
Leverage: max 50% LTV per property, targeting ~30%; long-term loans only, secured per-property with no recourse to the wider fund; cash buffer retained.
Returns: target 3–5% net (sector 25-year average ROI was ~9.5%; we deliberately discount short-term return for long-term community success).
Ownership: assets 100% owned by investors via revenue shares; stewardship via management shares held by the founding partners' organisations. Accumulation shares only.
Minimum viable capital: ~€2m.

How the fund evaluates prospective investments

Three categories of criteria, balancing financial and impact considerations:

Financial — return and reliability: market value and growth prospects; income streams and their security; business model credibility; plan B (resale-ability); guarantor; initiators' own financial stake.

Impact — how will this support wiser, weller, more mindful living? How many people benefit, and how deeply? Benefit beyond the space (surrounding communities, ecology, further community creation)? Part of a wider systems-change vision? Team track record?

Alignment / cultural fit — clearly stated aspiration; defined ethos, principles, culture and practices; the way of being of the people involved, including the strength of their own practice.

Appendix: the co-living capital landscape (2021)

At the time of writing, significant capital was moving into co-living: Coliv (DTZ/The Collective, £700m, London, 8–10% target IRR); Common (US, 67 properties); Node (€300m raised, US/Europe); Venn (Tel Aviv/NY/Berlin, $40m+); Fore + Mason Fifth (€600m, London boutique co-living). On the social-transformation side: Edith Maryon Foundation (Switzerland, €100m+ of property "removed from speculation") and Rootstock/Radical Routes (loans to housing co-ops). The gap the fund targeted — conscious community specifically — remained unserved.

From the Fund Archive. Lightly edited for the web; original April 2021.