The Functional Circles & General Circle of DAF Governance

DAF is a living, evolving entity. A new governance model emerged in September 2023. Many dedicated people infused DAF with their hearts, energies and abilities. Some have moved on, while many others are still active. To honor the efforts of all who came before, a chronicle of DAF’s governance journey is underway. It will be published on this website when completed. 

As of September 2023, the Deep Adaptation Forum has a new, volunteer-based  governance model.  Considered good enough for now and safe enough to try, the Sociocracy-based model has 6 self-organizing Functional Circles that take care of DAF’s many diverse, operational needs. Each Circle is a group of 2 or more volunteers generously giving their time and energy to make sure DAF not only stays up and running, but also upholds its purpose and intention. 

Each Circle seeks consent from all members when making decisions about their work.  Functional Circles work in attunement with the DAF Charter, the DAF non-violence statement and our continuous striving for inclusion of all human and more-than-human beings on the planet. 

A huge thank you to everyone who participates in keeping DAF’s governance strong! 

The 6 Functional Circles are:

Moderators Circle

Our moderators are dedicated to informing, monitoring, welcoming and guiding the thousands of DAF participants on both Facebook and in our Community Space. 

DAF moderators are experienced volunteers who practice non-violent communication, are compassionate toward all levels and types of collapse-awareness. Moderators also guide participants toward the resources that may help answer collapse-related questions. 

If you are interested in joining our Moderators Circle or wish to contact them for any reason, please do so here: moderators@deepadaptation.info .

Facilitators Circle

Facilitators are the visible heart of the Deep Adaptation Forum. Our DAF facilitators are experienced, deeply collapse-aware volunteers who offer a broad spectrum of  weekly and monthly events. 

The events provide compassionate support to enable and embody loving responses to our predicament. Most of these events are free and donations are vital to keeping them available. 

DAF Facilitators also publish the events calendar and facilitators newsletter. The Facilitators Circle meets monthly. If you are interested in joining our Facilitators Circle or wish to contact them for any reason, please email: events@deepadaptation.info .

Tech-Support/Artisans Circle

Maintaining, designing and monitoring the Deep Adaptation Forum website and all DAF platforms requires constant attention and excellent technical skills. 

DAF tech-support reacts quickly, clearly and kindly to technical questions, to site navigation problems and to the many issues that arise on our unique digital platforms. Without these people, the Deep Adaptation Forum wouldn’t exist. 

The Tech-Support/Artisans Circle is made up of both volunteers and (minimally) paid contractors. If you are interested in joining our Tech-Support/Artisans Circle or wish to contact them for any reason, please do so here: @DAF-Tech-support or, for those not on the DAF Community Space: techsupport@deepadaptation.info

Financial/Legal Circle

Volunteers with expertise in non-profit management give their time and energy to keeping DAF afloat legally and financially. They track and report expenses, while coordinating the fundraising campaigns that make DAF possible. 

DAF financial/legal volunteers work closely with the Schumacher Institute, DAF’s fiscal sponsor. If you are interested in joining our Financial/Legal Circle or wish to contact them for any reason, please email admin@deepadaptation.info.

Comms/Editorial Circle

The Communications/Editorial Circle volunteers are responsible for most written content on the Deep Adaptation Forum. This includes writing and/or editing website updates, the DAF blog, Inside DAF newsletter and external DAF-related content.

The focus is to relay DAF-related content as simply, inclusively and eloquently as possible, in alignment with the DAF Charter. Comms/Editorial Circle meets bi-weekly on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month. If you are interested in joining our Comms/Editorial Circle or wish to contact them for any reason, please email blog@deepadaptation.info.

Weavers Circle

Weavers Circle volunteers sustain the DAF ethos and mission to enable and embody loving responses to our predicament. 

This 7-member circle commits to supporting all functional circles and the entire DAF community through research, outreach, conflict transformation (upon request) as well as through promoting inclusion of all humans and more-than-humans in all endeavors, reduction of harm, and much more.

The Weavers Circle meets weekly and invites all DAF participants to regular open meetings. Open meetings are recorded and can be viewed for 14 days following the meeting. You can contact the Weavers directly via the Weavers Circle web page

General Circle

The General Circle is the central meeting place for all six functional circles. Like a dance, the volunteers come together in the center to exchange information, bring news and ideas as well as discuss decisions affecting more than one functional circle. 

This regular interweaving of all volunteers and their appointed tasks ensures relationships evolve, an optimal flow of information and a strong sense of community.

Inclusion and solidarity are the lifeblood of all DAF activities. Each meeting of the General Circle holds an Empty Chair, symbolic of all life forms, human and more-than-human, past present and future. It is a reminder for General Circle participants to consciously hold space for all those not present.

These words open each General Circle meeting:

This group stands heart to heart with those not present in this room, including and foregrounding BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour), people on the front lines of collapse, people of all genders, sexualities, classes, political, spiritual and cultural backgrounds, and the Earth and the more than human world. We aspire to center compassion in all our work by noticing and deeply listening within ourselves, being aware of our emotions, inviting vulnerability and acting from our hearts.

General Circle meetings are recorded and available for viewing for 14 days. Monthly open General Circle meetings will invite the entire DAF community to bring their ideas, struggles, projects and energy to our endeavors. You can reach the General Circle at info@deepadaptation.info

Updated October 30, 2023/Ramey