The Contribution Calculator helps you recognize and quantify all the ways you contribute value, not just financial capital.
Why 8 Forms of Capital?
Traditional economics only recognizes financial capital. But humans contribute value in many forms:
- Financial Capital - Money, investments, credit
- Material Capital - Tools, equipment, buildings, land
- Living Capital - Soil health, water, ecosystems, biodiversity
- Social Capital - Relationships, networks, trust, community connections
- Intellectual Capital - Knowledge, skills, education, expertise
- Experiential Capital - Wisdom from lived experience, practical know-how
- Spiritual Capital - Purpose, meaning, connection to something greater
- Cultural Capital - Traditions, stories, shared practices, artistic expression
How to Use the Calculator
Step 1: Choose Your Perspective
What project are you tracking your contributions for?
- Land project?
- Alliance organisation (tech company, etc)?
Step 2: Work Through Each Capital Type
For each of the 8 forms, you will: - Describe what you bring - Estimate the impact (in some cases that aren't easy to quantify)
Step 3: Review Your Total Contribution
The calculator shows your complete contribution profile across all 8 forms. You might be surprised by how much value you bring beyond money!
Step 4: Download Your PDF
Generate a professional PDF summary that you can: - Share with land projects you're working with to show how much you've contributed - Include in funding proposals - Use in governance discussions - Keep for your own records
Crowd Pooling Tool
Next tool: Imagine you are launching a land project and seeking funding. You might think "I only have $10,000 to contribute, that is not enough."
But when you fill out the crowd pool calculator, you discover:
- Financial: $10,000 cash
- Material: A tractor worth $15,000 you can bring
- Living: Knowledge of permaculture worth $20,000 in consulting fees
- Social: Connections to 3 potential funders (invaluable)
- Intellectual: 10 years of construction experience
- Experiential: Lived on an ecovillage for 5 years
- Spiritual: Deep commitment to regeneration
- Cultural: Fluent in Spanish, can bridge communities
Suddenly, your contribution is worth far more than $10,000. You are bringing $45,000+ in tangible value plus immeasurable intangible assets.
Tips for Accurate Assessment
- Be honest: Overestimating helps no one
- Think broadly: That "hobby" might be valuable expertise
- Include time: Your labor has value, even if unpaid
- Consider networks: Who you know matters
- Value wisdom: Life experience is a form of capital
Using Your Results
Once you have completed your calculator:
- Share with projects: Send your PDF when applying to land projects
- Update regularly: Your capital changes over time
- Compare with needs: See how your capital matches project needs
- Negotiate fairly: Use your full profile in contribution discussions
Try It Yourself
Ready to discover your full contribution potential?
Open the Contribution Calculator
You might be wealthier than you think.
Learn more about the Crowd Pooling Tool for launching land projects.
