"Community economic democracy is our best shot at ending poverty and climate change. Common Good gives us software and funding for that new economy, empowering people of all colors and circumstances to stand together and thrive."
— William Spademan (Founder, Common Good)
"Sign up! Common Good is easy to use, saves local businesses from credit card fees, benefits the community and members get to make grant decisions. I use my CG card often, especially during COVID it is easy to transfer funds or make a payment from the safety of home. Try it out. "
— Mary L. (Ashfield, MA)
"I don't understand why people aren't signing up in droves. It's easier than getting a credit card and costs nothing when you use it and it saves money for our local businesses AND it supports great projects in our community."
— David Greenberg (Co-chair, Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution)
"We can create a community-based economy that supports US, benefits US, is rooted in our neighborhoods, small businesses, social enterprises and nonprofits. To do that, we need a critical mass of residents, businesses, enterprises to become members of Common Good. Interested? Sign up!"
— Judith Diamondstone (Community organizers, Renewable Energy Worcester)
"Common Good is a way for us to build stronger, more resilient communities that ensure everyone has what they need. We need something like this in order to build community connections and collaborations that actually benefit the people in the places where we live. Common Good is real way to make meaningful change locally."
— Andrea C. (Ashfield, MA)
"Money shouldn't be solely in the hands of banks where only rich people profit. Instead I want my community to prosper and take care of each other. Power to the people!"
— Nina N. (Brattleboro, VT)
"Common Good is so amazing. It is seamless and reliable. This system has the possibility of anchoring the local economy the way few other things could."
— Lynn Benander (Manager, Co-op Power)
"Common Good protects our local economy, brings it under community control and supports great initiatives and goals."
— Sam McClellan (Owner, Itabix Inc)
"This is a great system to collectively build a stronger community."
— Sara C. (Greenfield, MA)
"Common Good puts my money where my values are. If you want to live in a society where people, the environment, love, kindness, and community thrive--become a community builder with Common Good."
— Leslie F. (Colrain, MA)
"I was an early adopter of the Common Good system when it was born in Greenfield, Mass. It astounds me that I can be paid for my work in Common Good credits and then pay for goods and services from an array of local businesses such as my food co-op, my dentist, and my favorite farm stands and restaurants. The clincher for me is being able from our pooled resources to make grants to community projects like the Compost Co-op, a worker-owned cooperative that provides meaningful employment for people who are committed to racial justice and have experienced incarceration. If you are wondering if this is real, my answer is yes. I see it nearly every day in the faces of the people I know and the communities that I love. Delight is my main experience when I pull out my card and say, "I'm paying with Common Good.""
— Andrew Palmer Grant (Information Service Specialist, Sociocracy For All)
"I highly recommend signing up for Common Good. It is rooted in building stronger, more resilient communities. It benefits local people, businesses and towns for the common good of the greater local community and economy."
— Cosmo L. (Savoy, MA)
"This is a great concept! I'm excited to now use Common Good to pay for my local farm share and weekly grocery shopping at Simple Gifts Farm. I'm looking forward to other ways to support our local economy. Please join me in signing up as a member, so we can decide together how to fund our community. "
— Anne D. (Amherst, MA)
"I believe in this system As I re-create my small business, I want to invest in myself and in my community in a conscious and sustainable way that is good for all. I believe in the ability to take back control of our lives in a way that is legitimate, necessary and for the common good of all."
— Gwenevra Lodi Nabad (Owner/operator, Highest Good)
"By joining Common Good, you have the opportunity to make every day choices to invest in building a solidarity economy. You get to support local businesses AND make decisions together about how we invest our collective wealth into improving our community."
— Julia Ho (Founder, Solidarity Economy St. Louis)
"Common Good has proven to be a simple and dynamic way to achieve economic growth and resiliency at the community level, successfully generating thousands of dollars for community projects, providing grants and low interest loans, and providing direct aid to help businesses and families survive emergencies, like the pandemic! Please join us!"
— Linda B. (Shelburne Falls, MA)
"Let's all sign up for Common Good so that we can rebuild our community to be even better, through supporting local businesses and exciting projects in extremely tangible and meaningful ways!"
— Tona W. (Madison, WI)
"For many years now, it has been clear that our economy needs to be smaller and more localized. And much more transparent. That's precisely what Common Good accomplishes. Years ago, Leopold Kohr stated, "When something is wrong, it means something is too big." His student E.F. schumacher put it even more succinctly: "Small is beautiful." Commond Good has the potential to right the wrong and make it beautiful. Wouldn't you like to be a part of this effort?"
— Aaron Falbel (Head of Adult Services, Sunderland (MA) Public Library)
"Participating in the Common Good program has been financially beneficial to the Wendell Country Store. We save on card processing fees and it's good to know that we are helping the community at the same time. It is simple and very user friendly. I feel that it has brought the store more business as well. As a business owner, I highly recommend this program."
— Patti Scutari (Owner, The Wendell Country Store)
"We use common good to pay our bill for cheaper solar electricity, helping the environment, our pocketbook, and the community"
— Holly J. (Worcester, MA)
"Join to rebuild our economy for good."
— Karen S. (Shelburne Falls, MA)
"Using Common Good rather than a credit or debit card benefits our community rather than some huge, international bank."
— Mary T. (Wendell, MA)
"Such a good way to support local businesses as they rebound from Covid closings."
— Maureen F. (Northampton, MA)
"keeps everyones money in contol of the community"
— Jeffrey Canter (owner, Artisan Beverage Cooperative)
"I love the common good’s ability to empower communities to invest in themselves."
— Rachel H. (Amherst, MA)
"I believe in the 'triumph of the commons' !"
— Frank W Maletz MD FACS (Founder / CEO, HEALTHspital Foundation CT)
"You can be a part of the change you want to see in your community. This is an easy way to be part of that change for the better."
— Joseph M. (Madison, WI)
"There is so much potential to evolve our broken economic model and create a new system that is local and empowers the people who contribute. "
— Nathan Fournier (Owner, HomeHarvest™ Central MA)
"i found Common Good when i was looking for a way to utilize solar power without a solar collector on my house! I'm glad i found Common Good."
— Susan T. (Sunderland, MA)
"For us to have a true democracy we need the people to have a say in where their money goes."
— Catherine C. (Madison, WI)
"Who controls our money? If we want to create change we have to start here. Join Common Good and come use your card at the new Upinngil Farm Bakery!"
— Sorrel Hatch (Farm Manager, Upinngil)
"With my Common Good card in hand, I feel that I am a full partner in this powerful community vision."
— Carol G. Letson (board member, Greening Greenfield)
"Common Good has a lot of potential in our community. I really would like to help get the word out more. My business uses it and I would like to see many more businesses using it. "
— Ethan Vandermark (Owner, Nourish Wellness Cafe)
"We need to shift the stability of the economy so that locally we are okay even if/when things go badly with larger systems"
— Stephanie J Kent (Head Wrangler, Learning Lab for Resiliency®)
"By accepting and using Common Good credit, we can free up funding for the common good of our community."
— John W Glick (Common Good Goshen)
"This is a no brainer. Everyone should be doing this."
— Eugene L. (Greenfield, MA)
"Help the community"
— Marcus A. (Clovis, CA)
"Common Good exemplifies the concept of acting locally while thinking globally. As a member, I know the money I spend at member businesses is supporting an organization who believes in some of the same values as I do."
— Peg Hall (Treasurer, Greening Greenfield)
"The existing banking system is riddled with exorbitant fees, racism, and leaves many people unbanked. Using Common Good is democratic and available to anyone who signs up."
— Darrell Duane (Executive Director, Crypto Universal Basic Income)
"I want a healthy local economy, where I am spending money in like minded businesses concerned about economic and social justice for all."
— Julia Godfrey (Salmon Falls Land Association)
"A simple shift to paying this way allows each of us to shift an entire dynamic - one that enables us to leverage our daily transactions toward benefits the entire community of life deserve."
— Timothy J. (Madison, WI)
"I believe building a local, democratic economy is our best hope toward sustainable and resilient society that supports both community and individual self realization."
— Timothy H. (Amherst, MA)
"With Common Good your money goes to work for your neighbors in your community. In your conventional bank account it benefits mostly...the bank."
— Nicholas V. (Leverett, MA)
"We live in a special place. There is great effort to 'buy local' and support our local economy. How special it is to have a local payment system that saves all businesses from bank fees and at the same time is able to provide financial support towards community projects and helping others. I really don't understand why all businesses are not participating. This service is 100% fluid and convertible to cash at any time. It's a no brainer people!"
— Mark A Wisniewski (Biologic Dentist, New England Dental Wellness)
"We need new economic systems that work for all people and provide freedom to pursue our true life purposes."
— Erika A. (Great Barrington, MA)
"Common Good is a great way to "invest" in our local economy and help the communities around us grow."
— Dawn D. (Conway, MA)
"Sign up to strengthen our local economy."
— Keith Z. (Ashfield, MA)
"More than ever, Common Good can help participating businesses reduce their costs as they struggle to survive COVID-19."
— Katherine H. (Ann Arbor, MI)
"This is local economic empowerment, by the people for the people. Local business development must be integral to community stability. By keeping money circulating in a community as long as possible, local businesses are bolstered, and local improvement projects become possible, improving quality of life in the community."
— Brian L. (Monroe Township, NJ)
"Common Good offers individuals and communities the very real opportunity to wield economic and political power based on local needs and wisdom, undiluted by Big Government and Big Banking."
— Ivan Ussach (Operations Director, Common Good)
"Common Good benefits people and local economies instead of siphoning the benefits to Wall St bankers."
— Tonio E. (Middlesex, VT)
"True democracy depends upon reclaiming our economy!"
— John P. (Madison, WI)
"I believe in localization and reclaiming the community from global institutions."
— Hannah Brookman (President, Looky Here)
"To build local and regional strength and add cooperative values to cash."
— Jonathon R. (Shelburne Falls, MA)
"This makes sense for us all!"
— Judy S. (Greenfield, MA)
"Common Good is easy to use, encourages me to spend dollars locally, and supports a vibrant local economy. I also like that it benefits the community through grants instead of having profit as its goal. I like to use my Common Good card to purchase local food, restaurants and cafes, and locally made beverages."
— Sarah B. (Greenfield, MA)
"Invest in your community! The best way to improve the environment in which you live is to give to it. Reciprocity is fundamental for community development. Be the change that you wish to see."
— Anna K. (Amherst, MA)
"Common Good’s grants and loans have helped small businesses and organizations grow. By using the Common Good card it makes my trip to the store meaningful. "
— Julie C. (S Deerfield, MA)
"I want to support local and small businesses and keep my community economy going strong."
— Irina W. (North Andover, MA)
"This is a simple way to benefit local businesses and organizations by just shopping locally!"
— Louise A. (Greenfield, MA 01301, MA)
"Using and expanding Common Good is a way of making money work for us, not just for bankers. Give it a try- it doesn't have a cost, and lots of benefit."
— Janet C. (Ann Arbor, MI)
"We've had too many examples in the last few months of why our communities need to develop and grow locally-controlled funds. We need to develop self-sufficient economic networks, and sociocratically managed pools to offset community threats such as unemployment, COVID closures, flood closures, and riot closures. By participating in Common Good we are generating money to help our neighbors and creating financial protections for ourselves and our community businesses."
— Lisa Nunez (Founder/Proprietor, Atae Live Arts)
"Local friends, Let's increase the reach of this free, simple, well-tested funding system for the Amherst area community. Our neighbors are struggling needlessly, for instance with access to healthy food in COVID times. Please sign up today!"
— Madeleine Charney (member, Western Massachusetts Regenerative Food System)
"Common Good seems too good to be true. It helps the community and doesn't cost me anything.."
— Alice S. (Amherst, MA)
"Be a part! Sign-up and show support for your local farms, businesses, and community organizations."
— Deborah Ann Stratton (Owner, Wool-ology, local fiber shop and makerspace.)
"We need to think globally and act locally in economics. The people need to take controll of the financial systems. This is a step in that direction."
— Nan R. (Wendell, MA)
"Triple postive...good for the community, good for the merchants, good for the members."
— Susan Worgaftik (Chair of Forum Committee, Greening Greenfield)
"Please sign up. The more we buy from each other, the more services we provide to each other, the more benefit we will get for all of us. With each person joining, our circulation and our fund grows and we start to get additional benefits, such as financing some common projects. There are no fees and no risk."
— Victor G. (Oregon House, CA)
"I want you to sign up as practice, stepping toward community wide matters of common good"
— John Stoltzfus (sole practitioner, Touch Matters)
"Social Justice movements often say the opposition has the money but we have the people. But Common Good adds the people's money to the struggle. "
— Jon Weissman (former Coordinator, Western Mass. Jobs with Justice)
"Community currency systems can and should be an important part of community engagement. As traditional "systems" break down around us it will become more and more important for people to come together in local communities to support each other and ourselves."
— Callan Loo (Founder and Executive Director, The Intentional Living Collective)
"Instead of capital accumulating at the top to benefit a few individuals, Common Good invests back into the community, in whatever ways its members decide. Common Good creates a truly democratic economy by using liquid democracy, where everyone gets to participate in any decisions they want to, or be represented by people they trust when they don't. The more people join, the more we keep money flowing back into our community instead of into the pockets of the mega-wealthy!"
— Emma Daley (Founding member of New Culture Co-op, Founder/Educator at Consent Beyond Yes)
"This could really help both the people of Brattleboro and the local economy."
— Rolf P. (Brattleboro, VT)
"Common Good is aligned with the mission of Kola Nut Collaborative of weaving together different forms of local social infrastructure in mutually supportive, reciprocal, and beneficial relationships. We think multiple forms of participatory local currency should be in circulation to build an economic democracy."
— Mike Strode (Founding Coordinator, The Kola Nut Collaborative)
"Keeping our money local is as important as keeping our business local! Using regular credit/debit cards sends 1-3% of our money to banks, when it should stay circulating in our community. Help your community, help your local stores, sign up for and use Common Good!"
— Rachael Katz (Owner, The Greenfield Gallery)
"By participating in Common Good we are generating money to help our neighbors and creating financial protections for ourselves and our community businesses. We can save our local business thousands of dollars in credit card fees. Those savings stay in the community and allow those business to use that money for other community projects rather than going off to distant credit card companies. It's the same idea as "Buy Local Food" only it's "Use Local Money""
— Gary S. (Hatfield, MA)
"I like the idea of local control of our money, so that we can spend it in useful ways."
— John Ridgway (Programmer, Common Good)
"Common Good allows people to spend their money as usual while simultaneously investing in their community. By signing up, you can choose how to use your Common Good credit to fund the change you want to see."
— Julia C. (Amherst Center, MA)
"Common Good is a beautiful way to keep your money local while also supporting the local economy and our community! Where Venmo, other money transferring softwares & even big banks have capitalist intentions at their core, Common Good comes in as an alternative way to share our collective resources with each other in positive ways 🙂 "
— Kyana F. (Greenfield, MA)
"To create a more beautiful world we know is possible."
— Nicole Thurrell (Director, Institute for Wild Med)
"When you sign up for Common Good, you increase the resiliency of your community and ultimately yourself."
— Joshua C. (Grosse Pointe Woods, MI)
"We all know that our economy doesn't work well for many of us. By joining Lisa and me in participating in Common Good, you'll be part of creating a new economy that benefits all of us, one that brings power to the level of people rather than big banks and big business.
We love using our Common Good cards at places like A2Z Science and Learning, Atkins Farm, and Barts Ice Cream because we know it helps those local businesses more than using our credit card does, AND it grows real funds that can be invested in the common good of our communities. Will you sign up? It will be worth the time."
— J R. (Easthampton, MA)
"Common Good is playing a vital role in the transformation from our current degenerative economy to a truly regenerative economy!"
— Bill Baue (Senior Director, r3.0)
"This is a direct, efficient way to create a safety net for one another."
— Nancy R. (Madison, WI)
"Signing up and using your Common Good Card helps our local economy in so many ways. "
— Laurie DiDonato (Wendell Energy Committee)
"Commerce has taken over a big part of our lives, and that removes power from our community. If we are to strengthen our community, we need to redirect our transactions into organizations like Common Good. It is not just about local investments a bank would never do. It is about our connection to each other and our empowering ourselves. "
— Gabor L. (Amherst, MA)
"for the common good of my family, neighbors, wider community, and planet."
— Jane J. (Amherst, MA)
"I want our society to work well, for and with, each other. This pandemic is taking its toll, though we are strong and resilient. Personally I need help to purchase a home and get my family into a place where we are emotionally, mentally and physically healthy."
— Dorena C. (Portland, OR)
"It can help transition to a stabler, more circular economy directly focused on the needs of people in the immediate community of the Common Good account holder."
— Brendan C. (Sacramento, CA)
"Common Good lets me be a contributing member of the commons."
— David R. (Wendell, MA)
"To help small businesses "
— Deborah T. (Wendell, MA)
"Sign up and participate in a system that keeps money local and empowers us to redistribute wealth to our neighbors."
— Andrew R. (Greenfield, MA)
"The money stays local and there's no bank fee"
— Philip C. (Brattleboro, VT)
"Do something for the common good of our community. "
— Alexander Lee (Board of directors secretary, Wayside Out-Reach Development Inc)
"It is to profit profit to all community."
— Michel Tia (CEO, All Party System Co.)
"I'm very into this idea! This is the non-profit that is helping the free fridge project.
"
— Anna Meyer (Hart Farm)
"To build community!"
— Bonnie Pearce (Initiating Committee, The Ann Arbor Commons)
"So that we can keep more of our money in our community and less in the pockets of large banks and credit card companies and to support local businesses."
— Elizabeth R. (Holyoke, MA)
"The more people sign up, the more local businesses will sign on, and that will be good for us and for our community!"
— Barbara H Partee (Professor Emeritus, UMass Amherst)
"Sign up to keep money local and out of the pockets of big banks. "
— Sarah T. (Amherst, MA)
"More people, more pooled funds available for the Common Good."
— Susan S. (White Riv Jct, VT)
"It's a great opportunity to keep funds in the community, and support actual local businesses."
— Casey H. (Madison, WI)
"Please sign up"
— Pat Spinelli (Waste management, Volunteer at Stone Soup Cafe in Greenfield)
"Local is robust and humane where the larger dogs, players, politicians come and go with no reliable care for the little woman & man."
— Stefan Topolski (country doctor, Trailside Health)
"Finding community resources you didn’t think were available."
— Evan B. (Ashfield, MA)
"Common Good helps us all. Why wouldn’t we want to do that? "
— Emily M. (Montague, MA)
"Common Good is a great idea and has money and credit recycling locally."
— James M. (Amherst, MA)
"I love the idea of keeping money in our community! I'm also using this to teach my child about financial responsibility."
— Johanna R. (Greenfield, MA)
"We can strengthen local businesses! "
— Joya M. (Amherst, MA)
"Groceries"
— Martha J. (Amherst, MA)
"I think it is important to explore all forms of sharing the wealth, of grounding our banking in our communities. Common Good is creative and guided by prioritizing community."
— Jennifer L. (Florence, MA)
"local money helps local people and businesses"
— Joyce F. (Whately, MA)
"Supporting alternative local community based economy especially in more than usual uncertain times "
— Deliah Rosel (Owner/practitioner, Deliah Rosel - Healing Therapies)
"It is my understanding/opinion/immensity of feeling that the more we invest in eachother- our community- the happier we will all be. The more we empower ourselves to understand and envision solutions for our own problems, the more resilient we become. Systems like Common Good can help direct our money to the exact places and projects that supply the changes we want. The more we take direct action to resolve our communities problems- injustices, imbalances, inequities etc., the freer we all become to pursue our individual goals and realities because we are all mutually supported at the root. By using tools like Common Good we are empowering ourselves and eachother to reimagine and create alternative social and economic systems that serve all. "
— Brianna L. (Ashfield, MA)
"Keeping money in the community by eliminating credit card fees seems like a no brainer. "
— Richard W. (Amherst, MA)
"To support local economy "
— Shahar C. (Oregon House, CA)
"To help people in the community help themselves, each other, and the community"
— John M. (St Louis, MO)
"save small businesses"
— Judy R. (Leverett, MA)
"Alternative is exploitative paypal"
— Phillip G. (New York, NY)
"Keeping money local benefits everyone in the community."
— Emily K. (Northfield, MA)
"Instead of credit card fees going to banks, I’d rather have as much money stay in local communities as possible. Common Good helps make that happen."
— Marc K. (Springfield, MA)
"It is for the common good of our Western Mass community."
— Rosalie E. (Amherst, MA)
"You can save money on your energy bills while helping to sustain the environment. "
— Carol T. (Longmeadow, MA)
"I'm glad to be supporting other businesses, organizations, and individuals in our community without spending $$$."
— Suzanne R. Carlson (board member; also trainer of curriculum "Walking in Balance with All My Relations"(VBCIC), Traprock Center for Peace & Justice; Visioning BEAR Circle Intertribal Coalition...)
"Keeping more of our spending dollars local adds more vibrancy and resiliency to our local communities."
— Michael A. (Anherst, MA)
"Big finance doesn't care about us."
— Angelica E. (Madison, WI)
"Common good keeps or money within our community and avoids sending a percentage away to the financial industry"
— Jeremy Barker Plotkin (Co-owner, Simple Gifts Farm)
Support Your Cause
The right technology — and funding in the right places — can make a big difference for everything you care about in the world. Including helping people who need help the most.
- Support renewable energy, small business, food systems, social justice, arts, and basic needs every time you use your card – at no cost to you. See our video for details.
- Save your local businesses thousands (or millions) in credit card fees.
- You decide as a community what to invest in and what to fund.
"I am part of a community of like-minded people who share a common vision for strengthening and improving the quality of life at the community level."
"Common Good has the potential to fundamentally change the roots of our local economy, building a new economic system, one where we control the money."
"We feel grateful to be growing low-bush blueberries for our community and being part of Common Good is just an extension of the volition we have to contribute to our region's local economy."
"It works!"
"We believe in strong regional economies that benefit our local communities, co-operative ownership, and democratic decision-making."
"As an early adopter — We LOVE Common Good!"
"As a growing local business, we feel it’s important to bring camaraderie back, working closely with our customers to create the perfect promotional concepts to represent your business."
"Common Good is so amazing. It is seamless and reliable. This system has the possibility of anchoring the local economy the way few other things could."
"It’s beyond buying local. It is the goal of a community investment."
"Thinking about joining? I’d say get on the diving board and jump off."
"It's faster than a chip card! And I feel good every time I use my Common Good card."
"I love the Common Good card. It saves me all the credit card fees."
"We really like being tied in with the community. What makes us successful is Greenfield being what it is — a great mix of people in the community. Common Good supporting that is a hit with us."
"I applaud the Common Good founders and staff for their dedication and hard work towards constant improvement and clarification of how and why this alternative system for local transactions makes sense here and most anywhere."
"Common Good is a great way to be part of the community and help—it’s for a good cause. You can’t go wrong!"
"I absolutely love the concept."
"We're excited to be involved with Common Good because it benefits the community in such a concrete way. So many people are working to make our community a good place to live, and this is one more way to be a part of that."
"I’m ethically aligned with it and the power it has. What it stands for philosophically is a really good thing."
"We joined to propel Common Good's mission."
"If every business in our region were to take the leap of faith and commit to staying local as much as possible, everyone would benefit. It's all about diversifying and resiliency. Invest in your neighbors!"
