# What is BioFi? At its core, [[BioFi]] is a framework that organizes the flow of financial capital and other [[BioFi Glossary#Multi-capital|multi-capital]] resources to the [[BioFi Glossary#Regeneration|regeneration]] of ecosystems, culture, and communities in [[BioFi Glossary#Bioregion|bioregions]]. More broadly, BioFi is also a philosophy rooted in and informed by: systems thinking, bioregionalism, living systems science, Indigenous ways of knowing, permaculture, the rights of nature, regenerative economics, nonviolence, decolonization, and social justice. **BioFi aims to catalyze the transformation of financial and economic systems from those that are:** - global, - homogenized, - abstract, - and rooted in a reductionist paradigm **to those that are:** - place-based, - community-owned and governed, - relational, - anti-fragile, - aligned with living systems principles and Indigenous wisdom, - and rooted in a Gaian (see [the Gaia hypothesis](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/gaia-hypothesis#:~:text=Introduction,that%20are%20favorable%20to%20life.)) or [whole systems worldview](https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/the-whole-is-more-than-the-sum-of-its-parts-9dcb0e1b6d85). There are a wide range of BioFi-aligned tools, templates, mechanisms, and approaches – a selection of which are laid out in the 2024 book *Bioregional Financing Facilities: Reimagining Finance to Regenerate Our Planet*. However, this is merely a sampling intended to provide definition to BioFi. There is a diverse global movement afoot of countless organizations and communities working in alignment with the patterns and principles of BioFi. **Central to the BioFi approach are the following objectives:** - Decentralize financial resource governance - Organize systemic portfolios of projects (across space, time, sectors, communities, and organizations) - Deploy investment to catalyze the transition to bioregional, regenerative economies (that are less dependent on external financial capital and financial capital in general over time). - Plan geographically in alignment with geological, ecological, and cultural patterns (rather than political boundaries) - Work at nested geographical and systemic scales - Work across long time horizons (in order to shift the ecology, culture, economy, and governance in a place to those aligned with living systems patterns and principles) - Embrace complexity and relationality - Work with the regenerative potential of life (see [Capra](https://www.fritjofcapra.net/principles-of-life/) and [Kauffman et al](https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsfs.2022.0063).) To dive deeper into the design philosophy of BioFi, check out the [[BioFi Design Principles]]. ## Practical Applications BioFi principles are being applied in various contexts around the world. In Catalonia, organizations like [[Resilience Earth]], [[Arran de Terra]], and [[Eixarcolant]] demonstrate bioregional approaches to community development and regenerative practices. The [[Assemblea Ciutadana pel Clima de Catalunya]] and [[Assemblea Ciutadana pel Clima de Barcelona]] represent participatory governance models that align with BioFi's community-owned approach. International organizations such as [[Gaia Education]] and [[Regenesis Institute]] provide educational frameworks and methodologies that support BioFi implementation, while [[Dark Matter Labs]] explores systems change innovations that complement bioregional finance approaches. ## Next Steps To understand how BioFi works in practice, explore: - [[What is a BFF?]] - Learn about [[BioFi Glossary#Bioregional Financing Facility (BFF)|Bioregional Financing Facilities]] - [[Activation Guide for Bioregional Organizing Teams]] - Practical steps for implementation - [[BioFi Case Studies]] - Real-world examples of BioFi in action - [[BioFi Glossary]] - Key terminology and concepts --- *Note: This content is from BioFi's resource garden - https://www.biofi.earth/resource-garden*