About Open Groups & Networks

Self-organising, place-based groups and networks that are putting the ideas of Doughnut Economics into practice in their locality.

Network diagram adapted an original created by Ruurd Priester of Amsterdam Donut Coalitie

Introducing networks

In December 2019, a group of pioneering change-makers in Amsterdam came together to form Amsterdam Donut Coalitie - an open network of people enthusiastic about Doughnut Economics who wanted to work together to put the ideas into practice.

Their aim was to make all Doughnut related projects, initiatives and interested people from the region in and around Amsterdam visible to each other, and foster connection so that they could start to collaborate on the deeper systemic shifts that need to happen.

Amsterdam Donut Coalitie now has over 1000 members, and since its launch, over 30 other groups and networks have formed elsewhere around the world, acting to connect and convene the people of their place around the ideas and tools of Doughnut Economics.

If you'd like to start your own group or network around the ideas of Doughnut Economics, or if you'd like to create a profile page for a group or network that already exists, please contact us, and we can arrange an introductory call.

Members of Amsterdam Donut Coalitie

Networks in action

Some of the activities these groups and networks have been undertaking include:

Connecting change-makers already interested in Doughnut Economics and inviting individuals and organisations in their locality to be part of the transformation of their place.


Raising awareness of Doughnut Economics ideas and tools to new audiences in their locality.


Introducing the ideas, tools and guidelines of Doughnut Economics and examples in practice to organisations and institutions in their place (including local government). 

Members of Climate Action Leeds

Advocating publicly for Doughnut Economics and asking ‘are we doing enough and are we moving fast enough?’


Facilitating peer-to-peer learning on the core ideas of Doughnut Economics.


Connecting with similar networks locally and globally in the wider movement of change.


Convening spaces for group or network members and others to connect, share and celebrate.


Hosting events and workshops to explore the core tools of Doughnut Economics, such as the Doughnut Unrolled tools.


Exploring how new and existing projects and initiatives could become more regenerative and distributive. 

Members of Brasil Donut

Introducing the guidelines

When we launched the DEAL Community Platform back in September 2020 we didn’t anticipate the level of interest there would be in forming these groups and networks. So, over the past 18 months we've been learning about the direction these groups and networks wanted to take, and in collaboration with the groups and networks we've now launched some guidelines - based on the Doughnut Principles of Practice - to guide this emerging form of practice.

The purpose of these guidelines is to enable open groups and networks to experiment with the ideas and tools of Doughnut Economics with integrity - healthy boundaries to maximise the ideas' transformative potential.

Members of Donut Berlin

Who the guidelines are for

These guidelines are for:

  1. Any group or network that chooses to use Doughnut/Donut or Doughnut Economics in its name (e.g. Amsterdam Donut Coalitie)
  2. Any group or network that wishes to have a profile on DEAL’s Community Platform (whether it has Doughnut/Donut or Doughnut Economics in its name or not)


The ideas of Doughnut Economics are part of a wider movement of change, and we welcome any group or network affiliated with other organisations to use the ideas and tools of Doughnut Economics. In such cases we only ask that you follow DEAL’s Principles and Guidelines that apply to anyone engaging with the ideas and tools.

Members of Copenhagen Doughnut
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An evolving practice

These guidelines are a starting point - a version 1.0 - that we will collectively reflect upon and evolve as the practice of open groups and networks evolves and new understanding emerges. They are intended to offer considerations for your group or network as you think about how you start and evolve your work. If you have any questions or dilemmas relating to the guidelines, please contact us, selecting the category 'Open Groups & Networks', and we can arrange a time to discuss.

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Guidelines for open groups and networks

Do follow DEAL’s Principles & Guidelines, that include the Doughnut Principles of Practice.
Be open and inclusive and find creative ways to overcome all barriers to participation.
Be open about who the organisers of your group or network are, e.g. by making them visible on your website.
Be aware of the dynamic effects of who initially forms your group or network and have diversity and inclusion at the heart of your outreach strategy from the start - recognising that we all have unique worldviews, lived experience, assumptions and blindspots.
Explore how you can help connect different realms of the economy in your locality, including the market, the state, households and the commons.
Encourage peer-to-peer learning within your group or network to deepen your shared understanding of the ideas of Doughnut Economics, and how they might be put into practice.
Recognise the wider movement of change and connect with like-minded groups and networks locally and globally.
Recognise your and others’ boundaries and work within the cycles of human capacity, given the very real risk that high demand on volunteer time can lead to burnout.
Explore your and your group or network’s volunteering dynamics so that the value produced in these realms is made visible.
Ensure that finance serves the work rather than drives it, and ensure that finance does not seek undue reward and recognition. To safeguard this, we ask that you do not seek finance from any for-profit businesses.
Share these guidelines and DEAL’s other guidelines - Business policy and Policy for Consultancies and Organisations - with relevant members of your group or network and those associated or connected with your group or network.
Feel free to open your membership to individuals, not-for-profit organisations, and to professional service providers that have made a public declaration on the DEAL Community Platform (according to DEAL's Policy for Consultancies and Organisations).
Aim to distribute rather than centralise the work within your group or network.
Share back your stories of practice on the DEAL Community Platform to inspire others.
Don’t use the name DEAL, Doughnut Economics Action Lab or Lab in your own name, to avoid any confusion with DEAL.
Don’t create a logo that could be confused with the DEAL logo or that shows the Doughnut as a sugary snack.
Don’t provide professional advisory services if your group or network has Doughnut or Doughnut Economics in its name (see DEAL’s Policy for Consultancies and Organisations); such services can, however, be offered by members of your group or network.
Don’t open membership to for-profit organisations. There is one exception to this, being professional service providers that are using the tools of Doughnut Economics with their clients who have made a public declaration on the DEAL Community Platform (according to DEAL’s Policy for Consultancies and Organisations). Individuals who work for for-profit organisations can, of course, become members in a personal capacity.
Don’t say or imply that any business, including any associated with your group or network is, or could ever be, a ‘Doughnut business’ or a ‘Doughnut-aligned business’; instead recognise and communicate the potential for business to embrace regenerative and distributive practices through innovations in their organisational design (see DEAL’s Business policy).

The support DEAL offers

Integrity
The DEAL Team holds ultimate responsibility for ensuring the integrity of the concepts. As part of this, DEAL has protected ‘Doughnut Economics’ and ‘Donut Economics’ with trademarks to help ensure that the terms are used publicly (e.g. by organisations, publications or initiatives) with integrity, and are not misrepresented or watered down. And we offer DEAL’s Guidelines and licensing rules to guide the work of your open group or network, that includes the Doughnut Principles of Practice and platform code of conduct.
Identity
We offer all open groups and networks the unique choice to use the words Doughnut, Donut, Doughnut Economics or Donut Economics in the name of your open group or network. However we ask any open groups and networks using these words in their name to not provide professional advisory services (see DEAL’s Policy for consultancies and professional advisors). We also offer the choice to create a logo that has symbolic association with the Doughnut.
Funding
We offer to keep engaging in conversations with funders to ensure open groups and networks (and other members of the DEAL Community) can access meaningful funding. We will explore the possibility of DEAL signing support letters for open groups and networks’ funding applications. And will explore creating a dedicated space on the platform for the DEAL Team and the DEAL Community to share publicly advertised funding opportunities internationally that are aligned with this work.
Visibility
We offer all open groups and networks that are using the ideas and tools of Doughnut Economics the choice to have a profile page with visibility to all those visiting the DEAL Community Platform. We will celebrate and amplify the stories of practice of groups and networks through DEAL’s speaking events and media platforms.
Peer-to-peer learning
We will offer facilitated peer-to-peer learning spaces and public webinars to share the experiences, learnings and ideas of Doughnut Economics in practice with the global network of open groups and networks.
Introductory calls
We offer all new groups and networks an introductory call to get started, including suggesting relevant tools and connections with other open groups and networks and other members of the DEAL Community.
Training
We will offer training based on suggestions and requests from the DEAL Community, including the introduction to the key ideas and the core tools of Doughnut Economics.
Tools
We offer the DEAL Community Platform as a place to connect with others, to share your work and explore the tools and stories of others, and we will continue to explore what online solutions can we provide to enable better your work.

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