About

The history of Shareable from 2009-2019

 

Shareable is an award-winning 501(c)3 nonprofit news, action network, and consultancy for the sharing transformation — a global movement of movements emerging from the grassroots to address today’s biggest challenges.

Amid crisis, new and resurgent people-powered solutions are democratizing communities. The solidarity economy, open source software, transition towns, the maker movement, right to repair, open government, public banking, and participatory budgeting are just a few of the movements showing a way forward based on sharing.

The sharing transformation shows that we can govern ourselves, build a green economy that serves everyone, and create meaningful lives together. It also shows that ordinary people can meaningfully address the world’s biggest challenges — like wealth inequality and global warming — by working together. It shows that not only is another world possible, but much of it is also already here.

At the core of the sharing transformation is timeless wisdom — that sharing, cooperation, and contribution to the common good are central to human survival and flourishing.

Herein lay the engine of the sharing transformation: When individuals embrace sharing as a worldview and practice, they experience a new, enlivening way to be in the world. Sharing heals the painful disconnect we feel within ourselves, with each other, and with the places we love. Sharing opens a channel to our creative potential. Sharing is fun, practical, and perhaps most of all, it’s empowering. It enables us to experience and do things we never thought possible.

We at Shareable can say this because we’ve experienced the sharing transformation ourselves. We are sharers. We’ve told the stories of sharers to millions of people worldwide since 2009. We’ve seen this transformation time and again in people from all walks of life. It’s why we do what we do. It’s why we believe the sharing transformation is unstoppable.

Here’s how to get started:

  • Subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter to learn about the latest sharing-based innovations, events, research, and campaigns. It’s a great way to connect to the sharing movement.
  • Donate to Shareable. Help us achieve our mission to empower people to share. Get premium access to our reporting, publications, and events. We need and greatly appreciate your support.
  • Volunteer. Help us tell sharing stories or produce events. Better yet, start your own sharing initiative. We can help! Drop us a line at info@shareable.net.
  • Partner with us. Are you leading a sharing initiative in your city, community, or organization? Are you producing a sharing event, research project, or campaign? We can help. Learn more about our services here.

FAQ

What is Shareable?

Shareable is an award-winning nonprofit media outlet, action network, and consultancy with a mission to empower communities to share. We’re a registered 501(c)3 organization with the IRS under the name Sharing, Inc. dba Shareable.

We’re most known for our regular solutions reporting on Shareable.net and for catalyzing several movements, including the sharing economy, sharing cities, and platform cooperativism.

We’ve published several books, including our most popular one, “Sharing Cities: Activating the Urban Commons.”

The campaigns we’ve led or supported — including MapJams, ShareFests, Global Sharing Week, Save Seed Sharing, and MAKESMTHNG Week — have engaged hundreds of thousands of people in new, more sustainable ways to manage resources.

We also advise governments, organizations, and leaders about how to achieve their goals through sharing. This has included work for the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the city of San Francisco, the University of Lund, Tufts University, the Sharing Economy Association of Japan, and more. You can learn more about our services here.    

What is Shareable’s mission?

Shareable is a nonprofit media outlet and action network that empowers people to share for a more resilient, equitable, and joyful world. We inspire social change through our publishing, toolkits, and campaigns created in collaboration with our global partners.

What are Shareable’s values?

The Commons: Ensuring everyone can access and steward the commons, the source of our prosperity, well-being, and resilience.

Sharing: We’re passionate about the transformative power of sharing, which can bring joy, increases productivity, builds community, distributes wealth equitably, and reduces environmental impact.

Inspiration: The best stories, case studies, and role models inspire positive change.

Action: We learn by doing, lead by example, and advance new leaders in the sharing community.

Community: We are empowered by our commitment to our values, each other, and our community.

Diversity: Including diverse players, perspectives, and practices supports better outcomes.

Collaboration: Achieving our goals is best accomplished by working well with others.

Fun: The best solutions are so much fun that we can’t resist them.

What are Shareable’s diversity principles?

First and foremost, our reporting communicates strongly that we’re all in it together and that we believe in a broad agenda for the common good. We seize the opportunity to weave a rich, multicolored tapestry of sharing solutions that reflects and is inviting to every person, no matter their race, gender, geography, class, religion, ability, or ideology.

We focus our editorial agenda on our readers’ most common and essential needs and opportunities, such as housing, food, transportation, jobs, and information access.

Our work focuses on the common good, sharing solutions while acknowledging the broader social and historical context about inequities and obstacles based on race, religion, gender, and sexuality.

We develop empathy among ourselves as well as in our coverage and readership. We listen to and sincerely try to understand and respect various communities’ perspectives.

We make a continual effort to build a diverse team of board members, staff, contributors, sources, readers, and projects.

We seek out examples of people sharing across race, class, and gender lines. We aim to reduce prejudice by showing different groups working together. We make use of research to understand and combat these issues. When available, we use data to explain and address the scope of the problem.

We take care to present sharing as a nonpartisan, common good-oriented solution appropriate for all people, organizations, and communities.

How do I donate to Shareable?

Shareable is a 501(c)(3) and accepts (and greatly appreciates!) tax-deductible donations. You can donate online using Paypal or major credit cards on our donation page here. Or you can send a check or money order payable to Shareable here:

Shareable, 1301 CLAY ST #70507 Oakland, CA, USA 94612

We also accept donations from trusts and through wire transfers. If you’d like to donate this way, please contact info@shareable.net.

What are Shareable’s services?

Shareable offers various professional services aligned with our mission to empower communities to share. Generally speaking, we help governments, organizations, and leaders achieve their goals through sharing. Click here to learn more about how we can help you.

How do I contact Shareable?

Send us an email at info@shareable.netWe still get snail mail, too at: Shareable, 1301 CLAY ST #70507 Oakland, CA, USA 94612

How do I follow Shareable on social media?

Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

How do I subscribe to Shareable’s newsletter?

Subscribe to our e-newsletter to learn about the latest sharing innovations, events, research, and campaigns. It’s a great way to connect to the sharing movement. 

How do I submit a story tip?

Got a story idea for us? Submit your suggestion here.

I’m a journalist. How do I pitch a story idea to Shareable’s editor?

To pitch a story, please submit your idea here. We’ll be in touch.

How do I sponsor Shareable?

Shareable offers standard and customized sponsorship packages to fit any budget. Visit our sponsorship page for more information.