I.D.E.A.’s Mission is to provide a solution for intellectual direct democracy, built on foundations of transparency and meritocracy. We position ourselves as a testing ground and by evidencing these principles in I.D.E.A. We hope to create a model for change in other organizations.

We empower and offer a participatory income for people to actively improve their communities, while creating an open source decentralized governing system that allows for I.D.E.A. to be completely run by its members. We believe this will result in not only happy communities but happy and fulfilled members of those communities.

Transparency creates trust and common goals. Meritocracy ensures respect within the team. We are all equal. We are all connected. Every problem has a solution.

I.D.E.A. has proven their organizational and financial transparency methods across 500 community actions including tree planting, nature clean-ups and the provision of food and basic necessities for people in need. We achieve transparency through: We only implement community actions when we can guarantee transparency, financially and organisationally. Our bank accounts are accessible to anyone via our website and invitation to audit. We urge our donors to DEMAND a full report of how their donation was spent. I.D.E.A. is now in the process of developing its second goal which is to pay its volunteers a participatory income, allocated through a meritocratic process. Participants can organize, implement, fund and participate in co-designed projects that are of benefit to our communities. I.D.E.A. has created a system that evaluates participants according to the commitment they show to being active citizens. This determines both their payment and the voting rights they have to influence I.D.E.A.’s governance. The result is an organization that places ultimate value on cooperation for and with others through participatory democracy. The community actions organized through I.D.E.A. can be organized by anyone who wants to contribute to I.D.E.A. We encourage and support people to organize actions that they design, that support others, animals and the environment and we mentor them through the process.

Ι.D.Ε.Α. has 2 e-banking accounts through which we manage all the funds available. The bank statements are published on our website www.idea.org.gr for everyone to see as they wish. The bank statements are uploaded at least once a month, without any modifications using 'print screen'. If there is doubt for the authenticity of the statements, one can print them and bring them to our monthly meetings, where we can log in to our accounts and check for discrepancies. Administrator of the 2 bank accounts is the founder of Ι.D.Ε.Α. Theodosis Tzanos. By having just one administrator, we know who is to blame in case of a “mistake”. Ι.D.Ε.Α.’s 1st expenses account Alpha bank IBAN GR76 0140 3630 3630 0200 2000 136 The 1st account is for the promotion of the Ι.Δ.Ε.Α. Union. When there are promotion expenses we make it public and people can contribute towards the payoff of these expenses (we always aim to receive promotional services for free). Ι.D.Ε.Α.’s 2nd events account Alpha bank IBAN GR54 0140 3630 3630 0200 2000 144 Our second bank account is exclusively for our actions. In this way, those who donate to the 2nd account, know that their donation will go in full to their wished action. By separating our expenses from our actions, we make transparency procedures and their audit much easier. For every purchase we make, we photograph the receipt and we publish it on our website so that one can easily compare the money spent with those deposited in the account. Furthermore, for each action we take pictures and video documentation from key steps of the action, in order to prove that the action has taken place. Our I.D.E.A. Transparency Method is a reliable procedure yet with continuous improvements. We welcome any observation or suggestions, so please contact us if you have any. click here for our bank statements

There are several ways for you to be part of I.D.E.A: By organizing actions; By volunteering in other people's actions; By offering your expertise for other people's actions; By giving money, as a donor, to other people's actions; By becoming an I.D.E.A. supplier providing products and/or services for our actions.

At I.D.E.A. we believe that everyone has an interest in affecting key issues in their local communities and should be supported to do so. If your action has the final purpose to help the community and can be executed with proven organizational and monetary transparency, your action will be approved. We never give money to the people we help; we provide goods and services. Keep in mind that we don’t support any political movement, religion or act of violence. Any action that doesn’t fit these conditions will be denied. By becoming a member of I.D.E.A. you are recognised as an AntArtist and have the possibility to develop your action as well as joining others. This system creates an environment in which each local citizen is seen as a responsible agent towards driving social change through their actions. We move from a model of passive citizenship to a model of active citizenship.

In I.D.E.A. we have created a model that allows for a participation-based income that allows for active citizens to be paid for their social contribution. In order to earn the I.D.E.A. participatory income, one has to be involved in the completion of projects that improve their community. You can contribute by implementing your own project idea, being a financial donor (crowdfunding), volunteering, providing your knowledge as an expert or providing products and services as a supplier. For your contributions you gain rewards that propel you in the ‘I.D.E.A. active citizenship ladder’ resulting in payment and decision-making powers. To learn more, please visit our Book an AntArtist Workshop page.

When you join I.D.E.A. you can choose the amount of time that you commit. If it is better for you, you can opt for one-off actions. It will take you more time for you to grow within the organization, to the point where you start receiving a salary, or a participatory income. But this gives you the flexibility to organize actions until it can be a part-time or even full-time job.

In I.D.E.A. everyone can grow on the Active Citizenship Ladder, according to the amount that you contribute to your community and the organization. As you grow, you will gain the right to vote and join the decision-making process. Your contribution is measured by your actions, their impact, and longevity. In I.D.E.A. the measurement is made fun using the measurements of “ants” and “seeds”. By accumulating “ants”, you can go up the ladder of I.D.E.A. However, it is not enough to accumulate ants, you have to feed them “seeds”. Otherwise, you will lose the ants. You can acquire seeds by volunteering in the projects of I.D.E.A., or by funding them with fiat currency, like the euro (One seed = 0.10 Euro).

In any given project there will be an AntArtist owner, who proposes the action; AntArtist manager, who tutors the AntArtist owner in implementing their action and is responsible to ensure that the AntArtist owner implemented his/her/their action with transparency; AntArtist evaluator, who allocates the number of ants each action is worth and checks the job of the AntArtist manager. Ants are given to: Actions owners; Actions managers (receives 15% ants of an action); Actions evaluators (receives 5% ants of an action); Experts, when they are required for the action implementation (the ants amount is variable and decided by the action owner). Seeds are given to: Volunteers in other people's actions (20 seeds/hour); Money donors to other people's actions; by giving fiat currency they're buying seeds. The number of ants that an action is worth depends on its benefit to the community. Ants are then allocated to those who provide a service or expertise that is required to carry out that action. After the distribution is completed, the AntArtist owner will receive the remaining ants and all the seeds allocated for this action, minus the 5% that goes to the evaluator and the 15% that goes to the manager of the action. In order for you to maintain or raise your freedom level, you will need to accumulate ants as well as keeping your ants alive, by feeding them seeds. One seed per ant, every month. This means that you need to remain an active citizen, especially if you reach the stages where you vote and participate in I.D.E.A direct democracy. To learn more, please visit our Book an AntArtist Workshop page.

The more beneficial an action is, the more ants/seeds will be allocated for it. To quantify the positive impact of an action, we use the following criteria: Number of people being helped: the bigger the number the greater the impact; The period over which people are being helped: the longer the period the greater the impact from once (e.g. donation of food); periodically or with lasting effects (e.g. an activity once a week; Giving clothes); it is a permanent solution (e.g. providing a job). Creativity and imagination: when a new type of activity is proposed it is worth twice the ants. And it is worth three times the ants when the action consists of new methods that help the implementation of community actions. This category encourages innovative thinking. Each action is considered complete when all information related to its transparency are recorded and uploaded in plain view. Our aim is that the evaluation criteria are constantly improving, so that we can have more and more precise methods of analyzing how beneficial an action is. We welcome suggestions from AntArtists on how we can do this.

The Active Citizenship Ladder has nine levels. All members start at level one and have the opportunity to reach level 9 through hard work and dedication in the production of social projects. All members of I.D.E.A. are given the title of AntArtist as soon as they sign up as a member of the NGO. Each level gives different participatory rights in the management of the NGO. From levels six to nine, members can vote on key governance issues influencing the NGO. Such a dynamic has the ability to produce an intellectual direct democracy. The meritocratic system of I.D.E.A. allows all its members to receive rewards in relation to the social output throughout their work. AntArtist Level 1 All members of I.D.E.A. start at level 1 and are called AntArtist. In order for a person to be promoted to level two they need to organise and lead three different social actions that do not require any monetary support. (for example, a beach clean-up). This is the training stage of an AntArtist to get familiar with our transparency procedures. AntArtist Level 2,3,4 From level two onwards AntArtist will gradually receive financial rewards for implementing social projects (payment corresponds to the number of ants in a given month). When an AntArtist is in this stage they have gained sufficient experience on the methods of transparency and are being trained in the methods of meritocracy and intellectual direct democracy. From level two, members can receive a participatory income which relates to social engagement and production. AntArtist Level 5 AntArtist five are awarded with the certification of transparency diploma and now work as AntArtist managers for projects. The work of an AntArtist manager is to tutor new members and help with the monitoring of transparency and meritocracy organisational procedures. The people that have reached level 5 can be seen as ‘Ethics Officers’ that have been trained and in return train and certify the transparency of projects. AntArtist Level 6 At level six members gain the right to vote in strategic decisions regarding I.D.E.A. Each member at level six has 1 vote. Members from level six to level nine have a seat in the board of directors. The weight of each person's vote increases at each higher level. AntArtist Level 7, 8, 9 AntArtist at level 7 have 2 votes in our strategic decisions; level 8 have 3 votes and level 9 have 4 votes. Being promoted to a new level does not necessarily mean that AntArtist will occupy that position indefinitely and the benefits (monetary, voting rights etc.) that this position holds. If the AntArtist is no longer active, they will gradually be demoted in the freedom structure. One of the primary aims of I.D.E.A. is to avoid the accumulation of power to a few top executives. I.D.E.A. has created mechanisms for decision making processes to happen in the most egalitarian manner possible. This takes place by no member being able to occupy a higher position until there are sufficient members in the lower-level positions. i.e. no AntArtist level 9 may exist if there are no users in the level 8.

There are many reasons why your company should consider partnering with I.D.E.A. Here are just a few: Make a positive impact: By supporting I.D.E.A.'s community-led initiatives, your company can directly contribute to active citizenship. Whether it's feeding the homeless, planting trees, or providing support to low-income families, your company can help make a difference in people's lives. Build your brand: Getting involved with I.D.E.A. can help your company build a positive image and reputation. By showing that your company cares about social and environmental issues, you can enhance your brand's credibility and appeal to socially-conscious customers. Engage your employees: Participating in I.D.E.A.'s initiatives can be a great way to engage your employees and boost morale. Giving back to the community can be a rewarding experience for employees, and can help foster a sense of teamwork and camaraderie. Meet your CSR goals: If your company has corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals, getting involved with I.D.E.A. can be a great way to achieve them. By supporting community-led initiatives, you can demonstrate your commitment to social and environmental issues and show that your company is actively working to make a positive impact. Make a lasting impact: By getting involved with I.D.E.A., your company can help support sustainable, community-led initiatives that have a lasting impact. Rather than just making a one-time donation, your company can help empower communities to take action and make positive changes in the long term. Overall, getting involved with I.D.E.A. can be a great way for your company to make a positive impact, build your brand, engage your employees, meet your CSR goals, and make a lasting difference in the world.

Donating to I.D.E.A. can provide several benefits for your organization, including tax benefits, CSR fulfillment, publicity and recognition, and networking and collaboration. We encourage you to contact us to discuss how your organization can get involved and make a difference. Please visit our donation page to learn more.

Partnering with I.D.E.A. can provide several benefits for your organization, including employee engagement, CSR fulfillment, branding and marketing, networking and collaboration, and positive impact. We encourage you to contact us to discuss how your organization can get involved and make a difference. Please visit our partnership page to learn more.

CSR stands for Corporate Social Responsibility. It refers to the responsibility that businesses have to operate in an ethical and sustainable manner and to contribute to the well-being of society and the environment. CSR involves taking actions that go beyond maximizing profits and shareholder value, and instead prioritize the interests of all stakeholders, including employees, customers, suppliers, communities, and the planet. CSR is an important concept for businesses to embrace. By taking responsibility for their impact on society and the environment, businesses can enhance their reputation, manage risks, drive innovation, engage employees, and have a positive impact on the world. Please visit our CSR page to learn more.

At I.D.E.A., we are always open to exploring new collaboration ideas with our partners. We welcome any suggestions or proposals that align with our mission and vision of supporting community-led initiatives that make the world a better place and encourage active citizenship. If you have a collaboration idea that is not covered by our existing partnership, CSR activities, or donation options, we encourage you to reach out to us to discuss it further. We can work with you to understand your objectives and see if there is a way to create a custom partnership or project that meets your needs. We believe that collaboration and innovation are key to achieving our goals and making a real impact in the world. By working together with our partners and supporters, we can leverage our collective strengths and resources to create positive change. So, if you have a collaboration idea that you would like to explore with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you and exploring new opportunities to make a difference in the world.