CrowdBuilding

CrowdBuilding is the starting point for collaborative building and living. Through CrowdBuilding, anyone with a shared housing dream can find information and inspiration, start or join a group, connect with others, register for plots, and more.

The Netherlands needs to build 100,000 homes per year. Collaborative building and living create a more social, affordable, and sustainable housing system. That’s why CrowdBuilding makes collective housing accessible to everyone. Together with self-builders, municipalities, and experts, they are paving the way for 100,000 collectively built homes by 2035.

Why Steward-Ownership?

The housing crisis calls for long-term solutions. CrowdBuilding is building a future where sustainable homes and neighborhoods are built through collaboration, shared ownership, and social value.

That’s why CrowdBuilding has chosen a radically different form of ownership that aligns with this vision: steward-ownership - an organizational structure that legally safeguards the mission, fosters collaboration, and ensures a long-term perspective.

This prevents commercial interests from ever outweighing the mission they started with: making collective building possible.

Steward-owned structure

CrowdBuilding is governed by a diverse group of seven stewards. They safeguard the mission and make strategic decisions based on the conviction that CrowdBuilding’s work creates positive social impact.

The mission is further protected by an independent foundation: the Golden Share Foundation. This foundation has the authority to block major changes to the mission or ownership structure. This ensures that CrowdBuilding cannot be taken over in the future or steered in a direction that conflicts with its social purpose.

CrowdBuilding’s founders and investors also prioritize impact over unlimited profit. They have set clear limits on both their influence and the returns they can receive. Once investments have been repaid, all future profits are dedicated to advancing the mission and generating social impact.

Legal documentation

Implementation

Phasing

CrowdBuilding became steward-owned in two phases. The first step took place in the summer of 2024, during the initial investment by Brian Garret. At that time, the CrowdBuilding Foundation was established, and a golden share was issued to the foundation.

The second step was taken in the spring of 2025, alongside an investment round from Fair Capital Impact Fund and DOEN Participaties. At the time of the investment, the golden share was transferred to the Golden Share Foundation, the stewards were appointed, and two STAKs (administrative foundations) were established — one for the angel investors and one for employee participation.

Team

The implementation was led by an internal team, supported by external experts: