Interview: Eleanor Kline on Building a Membership Model That Gives Back

Eleanor Kline, founder of the newly opened Veridian House, sat down with Privilege.live to discuss the philosophy and mechanics behind a membership model that pledges social investment as a core obligation.

On founding Veridian

"I wanted a place that generated joy for members while contributing measurable benefit to its neighborhood," Eleanor explains. "It wasn't enough to be beautiful; we wanted to be useful."

Eleanor described months of community consultation prior to purchase and an advisory framework that included local leaders, artists, and civic planners. She emphasized designing procurement pathways that prioritized local vendors and workforce development.

On governance and transparency

We asked how Veridian will ensure its 10% profit allocation results in sustained impact. Kline pointed to an independent oversight board with voting seats reserved for community representatives and a commitment to annual impact reporting verified by a third-party auditor.

On membership selection

When asked whether selective membership contradicts the mission of public benefit, Kline replied that selectivity creates a concentrated resource pool that can be strategically deployed. However, she emphasized scholarship memberships, rotating passes for cultural organizations, and publicly accessible programming as mechanisms to broaden reach.

On criticism and learning

Kline welcomed critique and framed it as a governance feature rather than a threat. "We invited dissent; it's how we learn. We want the community to hold us accountable," she said.

On sustainability and partnerships

Veridian is piloting procurement contracts that prefer social enterprises and aims to create apprenticeship pipelines in hospitality and creative management. Eleanor sees the house as an ecosystem: members, fellows, staff, and neighbors all participating in shared value creation.

Final thoughts from Kline

"Privilege is an opportunity to protect what is precious and to create what is possible. If we are thoughtful, the net result can be generative for everyone."

The interview concludes with a practical ask: Kline invites local organizations to propose pilot collaborations for the coming year, signaling an openness to partnership that will be tested in execution.