jaotusprojekte

Jaotusprojekte is a German initiative that focuses on the development and implementation of projects aimed at fair and sustainable distribution of resources within local communities. The name derives from the German word *jaotus*, a coined term that blends *ja* (yes) and *otus* (signal), reflecting the commitment to transparent and participatory decision‑making.

The initiative began in 2014 as a grassroots movement inspired by the success of open‑source software communities. Its founding members were a group of social entrepreneurs, urban planners, and technologists who sought to apply similar collaborative principles to social infrastructure. In 2015 the organization formalized its structure, adopting a non‑profit status and establishing a board composed of representatives from municipalities, NGOs, and specialist consultants.

Core projects under Jaotusprojekte include the Community Energy Grid, a network of local micro‑grids that share renewable energy among residents, and the Community Food Distribution Platform, which coordinates surplus foods from farms and restaurants to food banks. A third flagship effort, the Transparent Budget System, provides open‑data dashboards that allow citizens to track municipal spending and contribute to budget proposals.

Governance of Jaotusprojekte is based on consensus‑driven councils that meet quarterly, drawn from project participants and stakeholders. Decision‑making follows the *One‑Person, One‑Vote* principle, with every stakeholder having an equal voice. The organization relies on a mix of volunteer labor, public grants, and partnership revenue to fund its projects.

Since its inception, Jaotusprojekte has aided over 50 communities across Germany, achieving measurable improvements in energy independence, food security, and civic engagement. The model has attracted interest from European policy makers, who are exploring how similar participatory approaches can be scaled to larger municipalities and even national infrastructure.