Document Contents

What are Index Nodes?

Index Nodes form a network of loosely connected, highly aligned physical spaces for gathering across the world. Though they may differ in use, all Nodes exist in service of their members in a transparent and non-extractive way. Locally-minded but globally aware, every Node is made by those who use it, and helps to broaden the network’s planetary community of communities.

Learn more about Index Nodes from the operators in the first of a series of conversations

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1-kpx2J93l68ZOSKC16sRIGGIyV6ZHzo&usp=sharing


How do I open an Index Node?

Index offers a grant to empower people in local communities to serve those communities better through physical space. Anyone, anywhere, can apply to open one. The existing space operators and extended community of current Nodes will vote democratically on who receives the grant.

The first grant round will soon open and award a ~$20,000 starters fund (more info) by the end of Q1 2024.

<aside> 💵 You can apply for the grant program by reading through to the end of this document!

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What do Nodes have in common?

Every Node shares the same set of core values, while having the freedom to bring them to life in their own ways →

For members, by members: Members of Nodes always have, at minimum, a say about how the space evolves.

Non-extractive: Our members are never a product, nor user: they’re members.

Transparent: Finances, use of membership fees and other decisions that impacts members are openly communicated.

Space as infrastructure for community: A Node’s core use-case answers a local need while staying open to additional uses as well.

Public: Every Node has some sort of connection to the public that leaves the door open for non-members to engage.

Free benefit to members of other Nodes: Most common is that Nodes extend some form of temporary-membership / visitation rights to each other (i.e. working from Index when visiting New York).

Shared Code of Conduct: All Nodes share and adhere to the Garden3D CoC.

Referential to Index Space, LLC: All nodes are required to reference @index_space in their social media bios, link back to [<https://www.index-space.org>](<https://www.index-space.org>) on their websites, and generally feel like a first class citizen of the Index network.

<aside> 🎪 Other than the above, every Node is independently owned and has no obligations, financial or otherwise, to any of the other Nodes, nor the network at large.

Nodes can choose to develop their own brand identity, or piggy-back on the Index brand (which we’ll carefully work on together).

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What makes Index Nodes unique?

Nodes can be any space that provides a needed service to its local creative community. It can be a co-working space, an event space, a cinema, a bathhouse, a hotel, a retreat center, a community garden, or all of the above. As long as the core values mentioned above are given shape in some form, any space could become or apply to become a Node.