The Offers and Needs Market
Do you have a group who tends to see the glass as half empty or struggles with their confidence? Do you need a meaningful way to bring together 5-500 people? Do you just enjoy writing on sticky notes or learning about the surprising gifts we all have inside?
The Offers and Needs Market (OANM) is ideal for this and so much more!
It's a lively, guided exchange where groups swap skills, stuff, and support – anything from tech help to a new mindset to the food on your plate. Whether it’s free, bartered, or paid, it’s all about better knowing that what you offer matters and what you need is valued.
The OANM has helped participants find work, a place to live, meet new friends, and discover a deeper sense of belonging. Every exchange builds connections, those connections weave stronger communities, and more trust creates more possibilities.
It’s also a fun way to flip the script on scarcity. No more “We don't have enough” blues! Instead, let's celebrate what we do have, showing how we can help – and get helped – right now.
The Process
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How an OANM Helps and Creates Communities
- Stronger Bonds: You get to see who knows what, who needs what, and who’s got your back.
- New Possibilities: People team up to make things happen in ways they couldn’t alone.
- It’s Fun (Seriously): Want an accountability buddy, creative sidekick, or ukulele jam partner? Those are real examples among endless options.
- Quick, Real Feedback: Share an idea or project, get thoughtful responses right away, and learn how it might be life-changing.
- Less Waste: One person’s extra is another’s perfect fit – saving time, energy, and resources.
- More Ownership: The more you give and receive, the more committed you feel. Now you, and the group, are about what’s abundant instead of what’s scarce.
- Confidence Boost: Asking for what you need and owning your gifts? That’s real power.
- Super-Efficient: It taps into what already exists … people’s often-hidden talents and treasures.
- Multiple Exchange Modes: Gift, barter, or commercial market? Yes to all three in one place!
- Feel-Good Science: Giving makes people happier and healthier with tons of research to back it up.
- Safe for All Personalities: Are you shy, introverted, neurodivergent, or just show up in a unique way? Connections and exchanges come easier here.
“I love Offers and Needs Markets! It's so much bundled into one: community-building, vulnerability, sharing resources, owning up to our own depths, and the generous use of sticky notes. We all inherently want to help, so giving and receiving with an intentional, organized process allows us to contribute and gain without it feeling transactional. This is just genuine and heartfelt.”
“The Offers and Needs Market is the most effective method I've ever seen for strengthening community connections in a short amount of time.”
How to Run It
I've facilitated many OANMs over the years and my process has been thoroughly field tested by other OANM facilitators. Here's where you get all the hard-won insight I've gained, right away, and continue your journey to bring people together around their unique gifts.
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(Want to customize the guide? Here's the source file for you to edit however you like!)
What Now?
If you'd like me to potentially run an OANM for your community, feel free to contact me.
If you want to go to the original source of all things OANM, I highly recommend Post Growth Institute's OANM focused site.
And if you want to prepare for an OANM or reflect upon one you experienced, answer some modified questions from Peter Block's book, Community: A Structure of Belonging.
- What has someone in your community done today that has moved you or been valuable to you?
- How did someone in your community engage you in a way that had meaning?
- What gift do you have that nobody knows about?
- What are you grateful for that has gone unspoken?
- What is the positive feedback you receive that still surprises you?
- What is the gift you have that you don't fully acknowledge?
Photo credit: Armosa Studios, Chris Montgomery, and Post Growth Institute
Me, Briefly
I bring diverse communities together and (maybe) get you excited about spreadsheets. Let's explore how to live intentionally, embrace our multipotentiality, share our gifts, build authentic relationships, and have tons of gratitude. No prior experience necessary.