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Donations

Towards gift economies

Our donation system – Modelling gift economies & staying in integrity

Our gift

Sun Beings is a gift with which we would like to contribute to these times of deep transformation, challenge and exciting opportunities. A lot of work and time continuously flows into adding to, and maintaining this project. The platform emerged from research I had done towards my personal sourcing of food and clothing, which friends then asked me to share about. Many people are seeking direction and don’t know where to start with the changes they know they need to make. This is why Kate and I feel this website is needed as a compass, a community endeavor, a set of frequency markers and an opportunity for sharing. The feedback we receive from people around the world keeps confirming that. At the same time we have to offer avenues through which our needs can be met and everyone can stay in integrity – we and you. This is where our donation model comes in.

Our effort

There is so much to Sun Beings: engaging with businesses, artists, initiatives and their websites, writing blog posts and newsletters, writing introductions to all the different pages so that you have a context in which to put our offerings, designing the website, sharing our story, communicating with those of you who reach out to us (we love it!), adding and removing initiatives to and from the pioneer platform etc. Despite the simplicity of Sun Beings, there are many ropes running parallel, linked to one another, which together form an ecosystem that develops a life of its own, and which demands continuous mutual nourishment.

What your donation does

With your donation you maintain a balance of giving and receiving for yourself and for us which then ensures that we can continue our work and expand the Sun Beings project while you are nourished through it. Monetary donations cover the costs of website hosting, website design tools etc., and to some extent are needed and used to take care of basic needs of Kate and myself – much of which we source in non-monetary ways already, but it is still impossible for both of us to live entirely outside the financial system. Non-monetary donations give us direction and contribute to the expansion of Sun Beings. In this way we can together provide more support to people who are seeking inspiration and concrete practical suggestions towards positive transformation of their personal life, their family, or community.

The donation model

Sun Beings is a space where you can give what feels in alignment, considering your personal financial situation, your experience with ethical business and positive transformation, and the value this website has for you.

What to give?

Many of us find less and less ways and desire to participate in the financial system while staying true to who we are and what we want to support in this world. Hence many of us are low on money and/or increasingly withdrawing from that way of exchange altogether. This is why it is important to us that you can choose from a diversity of ways to participate in the Sun Beings project, and to give back for what you feel you receive through our work.

Sharing a story…

Are you excited about writing and sharing a short story which you feel conveys challenge and/or success in these times, and which other people may benefit from? If so, take a look at our ‘Share a story’ page. 

Sending feedback & business suggestions…

Do you know an artist, business, or project which you feel should be featured on this website? Do you have feedback which may help us make Sun Beings even more exciting, or easier to use, or do you have thoughts about our donation model, community approach, or way of redefining ethics? Have you engaged with any of the initiatives and businesses on the platform and would like to share your experience? Please reach out and Contact us.

Sharing about Sun Beings…

Do you have access to online platforms through which you can share about this website so that more people can benefit from it? Or do you hold physical spaces for groups of people who are part of re-defining ethics and who may seek inspiration or direction in certain aspects of life? Feel free to pass on the link and share about this project. We love it when more people get to know about it.

Writing a community blog post…

We are inviting community blog posts esp. from businesses, people and initiatives which are already featured on Sun Beings, or who are driving positive change but don’t have a website that can be added to the platform. We are particularly curious about posts pertaining to the topics of life outside institutional systems incl. creating and experiencing abundance without money, off-grid living, true animal care, and how art and music can change our societies. Check out our Blog.

Writing a testimonial…

If you have participated in a 1:1 online conversation, or an online group call, then we invite and appreciate sharings about your experience connected to that. You can either send us an email, or use the Contact form. We share the testimonials here.

Contributing financially…

Last but not least financial contributions are welcome and necessary to keep this platform running, and allow Kate and myself to dedicate the time and effort towards it that is needed for it to be a valuable tool and flourishing community in these times.

Send a monetary donation

These are all ways in which you can contribute to this joined endeavor and make yourself a more tangible part of the Sun Beings community – your gifts are much appreciated.

How much to give?

There is no specific type of contribution, or amount of money which is more adequate, or valuable than another. What is important in this donation system is that you decide for yourself, based on your situation, experience and skills, rather than by consulting others, or by comparing yourself to others. There is no minimum donation of any type for using this website, neither do we ask the businesses, projects and initiatives we add for compensation of any type. We don’t put a financial value on our work because there is no such thing. It means something different for every person. The website is a gift that we feel called to share. This is how we contribute to leaving behind a system of commodification of people, gifts, and skills – and of life itself. We feel that everyone should have access to what we offer.

Nothing to give

And if nothing is arising for you, then this website may be a gift to you which is provided by Nature through us to rebalance for the ways in which you have given and are giving to other directions already. Similarly on our end we constantly receive through various avenues. By far not all exchange is direct, or immediate. This is how Nature works which is what forms the foundation for the principles of gift economies.

Thank you!

Thank you so much for being here and for being part of this transformation. Your contributions are much appreciated. For transparency and to express our gratitude we have created a Thank you page to which your name and country are added once your donation has been received, whether it is monetary, or non-monetary.

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Carina Ramm

Carina was the original founder of SunBeings who approached Kate to do the design for the platform. In the 3.5 years of working together, a friendship blossomed, and creative ideas arose between the two of them that has helped build what SunBeings has the potential to grow into.

Since December 2025, Carina has left to move onto engaging with the world in other ways, but we cannot forget the legacy she has left behind – SunBeings wouldn’t have existed if it wasn’t for her!

Her dedication, passion and knowledge was very admirable. She managed to research and write summaries for nearly 500 ethical businesses! She brought further to light how we can live with less dependency on money and banking systems, how we can use gift economies, a new donation model, what real ethics aligned with nature is, the true histories of this planet and more.

Carina has lived for many years without a bank account or phone, engaged very minimally with financial systems, travelled to many parts of the world, and lived in deep trust and communion with herself and nature to receive what it is she needs. She has contributed many posts onto the blog inspiring others with her experiences and findings.

You won’t be forgotten Carina! We hope to continue what you have started.

owenhanner.com

Owen Hanner

Owen is Kate’s partner and a grounded presence behind SunBeings. Both highly creative and logical, with a gift for words, an eye for beauty, and an artistic soul. With his keen eye and a good overview of what’s in alignment, Owen gives feedback, helps with writing and streamlines the content.

He is a gifted musician who can play many instruments, often capturing those who happen to come across his live, dynamic improvisations, and the magic that happens when he gets together with other musicians. A treat for the ears and those who are willing to dream – which fulfils his sense of purpose as his music contains messages of his dream of the new world. Owen’s music has often been his key to opening doors in his life… including in bringing Kate to him. He has had his music included in some of the SunBeings videos.

As a video editor, he is excellent at creating dreamy worlds bursting with freedom, colour and natures dance through his videos he attaches with his music.

Highly creative at whatever he applies himself to, he leans towards creating complex layers to his creative projects with a high attention to detail, that reveals more subtleties when one looks deeper. It reflects his feeling and sensitivity for the intricacies in life.

Owen has a deep sense of love and beauty and lives in deep communion with it. With that, Kate and Owen share an adventurous life together that has provided a driving spark behind SunBeings. They have dived deep into exploring what following nature and a new earth looks like… this can be both a painful and joyful process, and one of deep growth, that helps to ignite this platform. Thank you to Owen for the flame and loving support!

owenhanner.com

katealexandrapriestley.com

Kate Priestley

Kate is an original co-founder and the current coordinator of SunBeings providing much of the foundation and is the designer. Bouncing around with creative ideas, listening to others’ ideas, she has a way to ground them into the physical.

She is a passionate multi-disciplinary creative, and she treats this platform as a creative outlet, to make a space where people can commune and share themselves. Kate loves to nurture others’ gifts and help bring them out into the world. She likes to share the good and the innovative and has a natural passion for community.

An adventurous and playful spirit who likes to push the usual boundaries of the known. Through answering nature’s calls, she has found life to reward her in ways often very unexpected. Discomforts and challenges are often met, but they provide doorways into her own understanding of herself and life – they become something else in her eyes. As a storyteller, she is enthusiastic about sharing her experiences with others in case it may benefit another.

She also is a painter, illustrator and photographer. Her works are often highly expressive with an explosion of colour and play.

Kate has long been interested in projects that bring about change or have a positive impact on the world. Since a young age, she has liked to combine art and social engagement. Now all her interests come together in running SunBeings, and growing its community platform for all of us.

katealexandrapriestley.com

welightup.org

Nixi “No fixed thing” Cole

Coordinator, Coach, Creative and Champion of whole hearted projects and creatives. Nixi offers her gifts as a writer, editor, group holder, artist and art curator. She also loves being in a garden and growing things.

Nixi has a passion and strength for recognising and nurturing gifts in people, places and projects. She is empathic, intuitive, enthusiastic and dynamic in nature, naturally uplifting and energising in many of her offerings. Making connections across the physical and non-physical and encouraging our full and true expression.

Wonderful at coaching, mentoring and holding a safe space, she is gifted in seeing and expanding possibilities with a great sense of joy, play and creativity that pushes on our usual boundaries of imagination.

She has been helping behind the scenes at SunBeings for a little while supporting Kate and Owen and the wider field of the platform and its potentials, coming up with fun ideas, gently questioning, feeling and finding possibilities.

She loves playing with words, pens and fabric and hopes some of this will find its way on to SunBeings offerings too.

Nixi has a free and bright spirit, with extremely sensitive sensors for all subtleties of life. She is connected to the vastness of the universe and yet deeply grounded and anchored in nature. She moves fluidly between energetic, emotional and practical levels, integrating it all with humility and humour.

Nixi is full of magic, joy and love, while also not scared to sense and feel what’s uncomfortable, painful, or unfamiliar. Her curious and listening nature have carried her to many places and experiences and she has been nomadic for over two years.

welightup.org

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