Before They Build™
Public Beta · Edition 5 · Updated June 2026Help improve Before They Build — report errors, suggest features, or share feedback.
Five tiers: Core · Printables · Bundles · AI · Mission.

Sustainability · Five tiers

Help us keep this resource free.

Before They Build is built to stay free for every neighbourhood. These are the five tiers that explain what stays free forever, what is free during Public Beta with a suggested amount, and how Mission Support works on its own.

≈4 min read

Reader-supported · always optional

Support Before They Build

You are supporting the project itself, not purchasing a handbook. Every resource stays free.

Your support funds handbook updates, accessibility improvements, research reviews, and new community resources.

$3$5$10Custom

Stripe-hosted · 30-day refund · No account.

Reader-supported

Before They Build™ is supported by readers and mission supporters. Core educational resources remain free.

During Public Beta, many future paid resources are available at no charge while we improve them.

Jump to a tier: Core · Printables · Bundles · AI · Mission

Tier 1

Core Mission Resources

Always free

These never become paid. They are the public-good core of the project — credibility before commerce.

Tier 2

Printable Artifacts

Free during Public Beta · Suggested Support $3 / $5 / $10

Free during Public Beta. Suggested Support $3 / $5 / $10. This resource may become part of a paid bundle after Public Beta. You can still download it immediately.

Tier 3

Bundles

Future paid · free during Public Beta

Future price: $5. Available free during Public Beta. Suggested Mission Support welcomed while we test and improve each bundle. Contents always remain accessible through their canonical free routes.

Hearing Bundle

Coming after Public Beta

Planned future price: $5

Public Hearing Handbook · Hearing Survival Card · Meeting Helper print · Wallet Cards · Response Cards.

Public Records Bundle

Coming after Public Beta

Planned future price: $5

Records Handbook · Request Packet · Appeals workflow · Evidence Packet.

Environmental Bundle

Coming after Public Beta

Planned future price: $5

Water & Wetlands · Wildlife · Noise & Construction · Complaint Tracker · Agency Contacts.

Complete Civic Binder

Coming after Public Beta

Planned future price: $10

Every bundle, bound, with the binder frontispiece and tab dividers.

Tier 4

AI Services

Planned

Planned service. Pricing will be set after real usage data exists — no dollar amount is pre-committed. AI is a multiplier of the existing content — never the primary surface, and never promised free forever.

AI Notice Review

Planned

Paste a notice — get summary, deadlines, and questions to ask.

AI Hearing Preparation

Planned

Walks you through composing your three-minute hearing statement.

AI Project Review

Planned

Upload a staff report or environmental document. Get a neighbour-readable brief.

AI Local Office Finder

Planned

Match an address to the right local offices, by topic.

Tier 5

Mission Support

Independent of any download

Support the project itself. Buys nothing specific. Unlocks nothing. Someone may never download a bundle and still want to support the mission.

Chip in

$3

Honor-box support after a single resource helped you.

Supporter

$5

Keeps one neighbourhood's binder current for a month.

Sustainer

$10

Funds ongoing audits and accessibility reviews.

Custom Amount

Your choice

Any amount, one time. No subscription required.

What support does not buy

  • It does not unlock anything. Core resources stay useful on their own.
  • It does not create an account. There are no accounts on this site.
  • It does not enroll you in anything. No subscription is required for any tier.
  • It does not share data. Stripe loads only on /support/checkout — never on a content page.

Refund available upon request within 30 days. Email beforetheybuild@shellmiddy.com. Read our Editorial Standards for full bylaws, or the Trust Ledger for audit dates.