About Us

The Bay Area Community Exchange (BACE) is a free, online directory, communication, and time accounting system that distributes human needs and resources using a system of time credit (time currency), In more simple words, BACE is a timebank. Every hour of help or service one member gives another member earns them one hour of time credit that can be used to purchase services from another member. It's that simple!

Our timebank is a community of more than 3500 skilled members and organizations around the greater Bay Area, CA (Click Skillbank tab). Our timebank is available to residents in Alameda, Contra Costa, Lake, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, and Sacramento Counties.  

BACE is fiscally sponsored by Local Futures, a 501 c(3) organization, which gives the BACE its non-profit status. The timebank operates using open source coding. We are indebted to Tom Brown of Open Source Currency and Austin Time Exchange for innumerable hours of volunteer time setting up and tailoring this system for us!

To learn more about our vision/mission, staff, events, etc., visit our website at www.sfbace.org.

(Last Updated: January 1, 2025)

Bay Area Community Exchange Timebank Terms of Use (TOU)

Our Product Bay Area Community Exchange (BACE) facilitates skills and service exchanges through a grassroots community network with the use of a time-accounting system known as a timebank. BACE does not provide services; members of BACE provide services to one another. BACE is a mega timebank and operates not for profit. By using our product they are agreeing to Terms Of Use (TOU) stated herein. Rules for Using Our Product Agreement to Terms of Use is necessary in order to join BACE, but such agreement may not conclude the process for joining BACE Time Bank. An orientation or introduction and/or references may be necessary to finalize membership (March 16, 2010). Terms of Use expresses the rights and responsibilities of members and provides information about other important topics related to using BACE website and OSCurrency website (i.e., timebank). User Guidelines & Behavior Safety. BACE Timebank does not screen members. Users are responsible for using the same caution as they would in other circumstances to get to know a fellow member, conduct reference checks, and use their instincts before engaging with another Timebank member, especially for child and elder care and driving. Users understand that there will be immediate termination of membership of any member who has been found to harass, harm, or interfere with any other BACE Timebank member. Manners. The user may not reveal the contents of this site, nor any other documentation provided by BACE Timebank to non-members, especially any personal information provided. The user agrees that all services they give or receive as a member of BACE Timebank are on a volunteer basis, and that they do not expect to receive or give any money for those services, except if there are related material fees agreed upon by both parties in advance (for example, workshop materials or gas money). The user agrees to proceed with good intent towards being of service to others in their community and treat others in the Timebank with respect and kindness. The user agrees to clarify all details of transactions before meeting with the exchange partner. The user agrees to refrain from smoking in or bringing pets to the exchange partner’s home, unless invited to do so. The user agrees to post and maintain at least one current offer and one current request in the BACE Timebank and to be regularly available to fulfill the exchange. Communication. The user will be notified by email to the user’s external email address, from message@sfbace.org, regarding activity (e.g., a request, an email) in the user’s Timebank account. The user is responsible for logging into their Timebank account and responding to the message in their Inbox in a timely manner, within one week. The user makes the same commitment for any other members for whom they are an “account advocate” (account advocates handle the online accounting for offline users, e.g. elderly). Good and frequent communication is key to a successful Timebank. User Rights The User has the right To earn one hour for every hour of service provided. To spend hours on services offered by other members. To save hours in a personal account for later use. To donate hours to other members. To have privacy and confidentiality maintained. To be treated with dignity, care and respect. To deactivate their account when desired (also a responsibility). User Responsibilities The User is responsible for exchanges they make. Specifically, the User is responsible for: Preparation Reading and agreeing to the terms of use (TOU) prior using the timebank Reading (or disabling) email notifications sent to their external email address. Reading the Timebank Home dashboard upon logging into their account.. Reading their personal dashboard upon logging into their account. Reading the direct messages in the Inbox upon logging into their account. Maintaining an accurate profile Participation Completing one exchange per year, at a minimum Assessing whether a service provider has the level of expertise needed to provide the service requested with the quality desired Paying for parts, materials, ingredients, or travel expense, if requesting service Ensuring customer purchases are part of original agreement, if providing work If renting, checking with the landlord before requesting home repairs. If doing home repairs, asking for approval from the landlord or property manager Being prompt. Keeping scheduled commitments; canceling in advance when you can’t attend. Communicating what needs to be done or will be done before a service starts Having liability insurance and requiring all people in the car to wear seat belts when using your personal car to transport a member Deactivating account by editing your profile when leaving the BACE community. Respect & Kindness Respecting others’ religions, beliefs, political viewpoints, lifestyles, and privacy Respecting the privacy and confidentiality of other members Discussing and achieving mutual agreement on whether or how to post the exchange when one or both parties require greater privacy and/or security. Being patient and open Accepting guidance and instructions Troubleshooting Dialing 911 in the event of an emergency and informing us at support@bace.org Contacting support@bace.org if a transaction does not meet expectations. Payment Terms None. Since its founding, BACE has not charged a fee to join or use BACE. There are no levels of membership. All members are offered the same service and access for free. Data Privacy BACE does not guarantee the privacy of your data. Transparent Accounting System. BACE uses a transparent accounting system. Founders chose to design a transparent system because they believed that such a system facilitates trust and community. This means that members of BACE are able to read your profile and read about your timebanking activity. Profile. There are steps users can and should take to reduce risk to exposing their profile data, including personal identifiers such as name, residential address, email address, and image as well as posting and exchange activity. Learn more at Responsibilities. Activity Dashboard. BACE uses a transparent accounting system. Most user activity is posted to the Activity dashboard for all members to view. An incomprehensive list of activity posted to the Activity dashboard include user name, activity (request, offer, completed requested), comments about activity, and number of hours earned. Requests Dashboard. Other information such as Bids are not posted to the Activity dashboard, but other members can identify bidders on a request by opening that request of the Timebank’s Request tab. There are steps users can take to reduce how much information about them and their exchanges are displayed. Learn more at Responsibilities. Offers Dashboard. Offers are displayed on the Timebank’s Offer tab and all members can see information related to the offer. Offers contain the name of the member (i.e., worker) who is making an offer(s), when the offer was initiated, when the offer expires, and the number of offers remaining. Because the offer contains an open field for describing the offer, the worker controls what information they share with the membership. There are steps users can take to reduce how much information they share in an offer. Learn more at Responsibilities. Learn more at Responsibilities. How BACE Uses Your Data. BACE does not sell your data. BACE does not share your data unless required in order to cooperate with law enforcement. BACE collects information (i.e., data) through surveys, the OSCurrency/timebank platform, our public-facing website, social media pages, and our technical support emails. BACE collects and analyzes information to improve the timebanking experience for members, meet the changing needs of its membership, and recruit new members. BACE reports data in an aggregate form. Staff who collect, aggregate, and report data are required to have professional experience and/or training in data science, including privacy and ethics in reporting data in aggregate form. BACE uses fewer than five cookies to provide services on its platform and those are related to Amazon Web Services and peripheral software that supports our time-accounting system and timebank messaging service. Liability Disclaimer By using the public-facing informational website for BACE and the OsCurrency platform that operates the exchange (i.e., timebank), the user understands that the function of BACE Timebank is to facilitate the exchange of services within the community. The user understands that BACE Timebank shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to loss, damage, or injury caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by information contained on this website or any other Bay Area Community Exchange resources. The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless all parties who facilitate or organize the BACE Timebank. The user hereby agrees the duty, responsibility, and liability that is inherent with Timebank exchanges shall remain as it would be if the parties were not part of any Timebank. Dispute Resolution The user agrees to refer any disputes, complaints, misunderstandings and questions to the support@bace.org or a mediator of the user’s choice. The user agrees to leave intact the normal remedies and cause-of-action available to these parties in the event of any unforeseen circumstance. Account Deactivation When deactivating an account, the user is responsible for removing their user name from any BACE Groups they joined and any email forwarding they established with their email provider before deactivating their BACE account. Each member is responsible for deactivating their own time account. Deactivating an account is done through the member profile. Thus, a member will need their password to access their profile and deactivate their account. Deactivating your account does not delete the user account from the database. By deactivating an account, a user should not receive any email notifications from BACE or its members and the user name and/or profile will not be visible. BACE is not required to delete a user account under the California Privacy Protection Agency because BACE is not a for-profit or business entity. If assistance is needed deactivating an account, the user can contact support@bace.org. Intellectual Property OSCurrency is available under the GNU Affero General Public License. The public-facing, informational website at www.sfbace.org is protected by copyright. No part of the website content can be reproduced, copied, or distributed without the written permission of BACE. All rights reserved. The website is powered by WordPress©, which has its own intellectual property statement.

(Last updated: May 1, 2026)

Practice

Timebanking can be a lifestyle or something that you occasionally use. The more you timebank, the easier it is to use. When you practice timebanking on a regular basis, you build community, and you are more likely to meet your needs regardless of your financial situation.

How to get started

• Learn more about timebanking and our community by visiting www.sfbace.org. 
• Read Timebanking 101 and related links on that webpage.
• Sign up for your free, BACE Timebank account at timebank.sfbace.org
• Give your real name, a valid email address, and a password. Accept the member agreement.
• Go to the email address you registered with and click on the confirmation link.
• Sign in and complete your profile.
• Make a request or offer (or both!)
• Visit our YouTube channel for our how-to video tutorials on making requests and offers.

Remember: 

• Honor the five principles of timebanking.
• Everyone's time is equal; you may not charge more than 1 hour time credit for 1 hour of service because you have greater skill or experience.
• Do not give monetary tips or time tips to member-workers.

(Last Updated: January 1, 2025)

POLICIES 

Please be very conscientious of your communication and transactions. Friendliness, honesty and generosity help foster the kind of community we hope to create together. Your word is everything. Honor it. Trust before suspicion.

As a community-run system, members are encouraged to help develop and maintain Bay Area Community Exchange. Invite others to join the timebank so we will have more abundant resources from which the community can draw upon. If you have ideas or comments please share them with the community in the forums or contact us at support@bace.org to get involved. Our goal is to create a positive environment for community building and exchange. Be part of it!

 

LIABILITIES, LIMITATIONS, & CONFIDENTIALITY

• Liability
  • BACE Timebank refers to members who state that they are able to perform services. BACE Timebank cannot guarantee the performance of anyone who is referred, nor will BACE Timebank or its volunteer staff or members be held responsible for any injury to persons or damage to property experienced while involved with the transaction.
• Limitations
  • No service is guaranteed, and there may be situations when the service provided does not meet the expectations of the receiver. Wherever possible, appreciation of another's best efforts is part of what makes the Timebank work. Additionally, all problems should be brought to the attention of the Timebank Planning Committee, support@bace.org.
  • The BACE Timebank discourages Members from providing timebanking services that directly relate to the same services they provide professionally (i.e., for dollars). Providing, through timebanking, more than introductory services related to your profession may have tax and financial implications to the Timebank and to the Member, and in some professions, providing professional services through the Timebank in any capacity may violate State or Federal law.
• Confidentiality
  • All members must protect the privacy and confidentiality of other members. Membership can be terminated for violating this rule. The only exception for sharing information is when a member feels that the health and/or safety of another member is in danger. Please communicate these concerns to us at support@bace.org.

REGISTRATION/PROFILE POLICY

• Use your real name when setting up your profile. We are real people who also get together for potlucks, meetings, events etc. Being real helps us build trust and community. If you have a common first name and you list only your first name, it will be hard to find you in the directory and give you Credit Hours.
• Select neighborhoods that you spend the most time in; for most that is their residential neighborhood, but for some it may be the neighborhood/city in which they work. You can select more than one neighborhood for your profile.
• New members are required to attend a one-hour orientation, online or in person, for which they will receive one credit hour (CH).

ACCOUNTING & BALANCE POLICY

• Individual Exchanges 
  • One hour of service always earns one Credit Hour, and one Credit Hour is always exchangeable for one hour of service. 
  • Travel time (to and from a service location) is part of the time expense related to an exchange. Prior to the exchanges, Members should discuss ways to credit for time expenses related to the exchange.
  • Preparation/Cleanup time is part of the time expense related to an exchange. Service providers should communicate whether such time expense is included or will be added to their bid for the service.
  • For fractions of Credit Hours, round up to the nearest quarter hour. 
  • Credit Hours are not redeemable for cash.
• Classes or Group Activities Exchanges
  • Members offering a group activity or class receive one CH for every hour they work or prepare for the class. 
  • Members who attend the activity or class pay one CH for each hour they attend. They pay the CH to The Timebank Collective, where CHs are used for community projects proposed by Members. 
  • The Timebank Collective gives CHs to the teacher(s) of the activity/lesson.
• Timebank Volunteer Exchanges
  • Members who volunteer for the Timebank or represent the Timebank at an event can receive time for the service provided and, with prior approval from the leadership, be reimbursed (in dollars) for transportation costs. 
• Account Balance
  • A positive hour balance isn’t required to make a request/accept an offer.
  • The BACE Timebank permits time debt of up to 25 CH/hours. Spending hours of credit that you don't have is OKAY! We operate on a community system of trust, an integral part of time banking. If you have or anticipate a need for a larger "credit limit", please contact us at support@bace.org to discuss your particular situation.

MEMBER RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES

• While timebanking, every member of BACE Timebank has the right:
  • To earn one hour for every hour of service provided.
  • To spend hours on services offered by other members.
  • To save hours in a personal account for later use.
  • To donate hours to other members.
  • To have privacy and confidentiality maintained.
  • To be treated with dignity, care and respect.
• While timebanking, every member of BACE Timebank has the responsibility:
  • Maintain an accurate profile.
  • To assess if a service provider has the expertise needed to provide the service you’re requesting with the quality in which you want it done.
  • To pay for any parts, supplies, ingredients, or materials that are used if you are requesting service and to ensure purchasing of parts are part of your original agreement.
  • To be prompt and keep scheduled commitments.
  • To cancel in advance if you’re unable to keep your commitment.
  • If renting, check with the landlord before requesting home repairs. If you’re providing home repairs, you have the right to ask for evidence of approval from the landlord or property manager.
  • Communicate what needs to be done or will be done before a service starts.
  • Have liability insurance and require all people in the car to wear seat belts when using your personal car to transport a member.
  • Respect others' religions, beliefs, political viewpoints, lifestyles, and privacy.
  • Be patient and open.
  • Contact members in advance if you must cancel.
  • To be accepting of guidance and instructions.
  • To respect the privacy and confidentiality of other members.
  • Dial 911 in the event of an emergency and inform us at support@bace.org
  • Contact a Coordinator if your transaction does not meet your expectations.

MEMBER FEES POLICY

Currently membership in BACE Timebank costs no US federal reserve notes (dollars). Other timebanks have added a system of collecting national money from Members to maintain a healthy timebank, administration for offline users (elderly), etc. The BACE Timebank Membership Committee has not moved on setting any US$ fees, and would like to keep it that way, as long as our server costs remain donated.

MEMBER REMOVAL POLICY

Like any job, being a time banker comes with responsibility to the community. Members may be removed for many of the same reasons one would be dismissed from a traditional job. These include but are not limited to:

• Lack of participation
  • If a member has had 0 transactions within 6 months they will be contacted by the leadership. If they are reachable, their offers and requests will be reviewed and adjusted if necessary.
  • If the member is unreachable after 1 email attempt, and 2 phone attempts, the member will be deactivated and their offers and requests removed.
• Lack of response to communications
  • If you do not get a response from another member, contact us at support@bace.org. 
  • After 2 complaints of non responsiveness, a member will be contacted and may be deactivated.
• Violence, harassment or other disrespectful interactions
  • We rely on YOU to report any inappropriate behavior, be it directed at you or observed by you and can result in de-activation of the account.
• Fraud, misuse or abuse won’t be tolerated and the member will be removed.

DOs & DON’Ts

• Do communicate your needs and expectations.
• Do communicate which city the exchange needs to take place.
• Do communicate any transportation expectations related to the exchange.
• Do expect service providers to charge time for service plus transportation time.

                        ————————————————————-

• Do not provide "hands-on" care that is beyond your training or expertise such as giving medicine, baths, lifting, or cutting nails.
• Do not timebank your professional skills for which you currently earn dollars.
• Do not ask for or accept money or time tips.
• Do not smoke in a member's home without permission.
• Do not use alcohol or illegal drugs while performing services.
• Do not purchase alcohol or cigarettes for members.
• Do not “double”, etc. your service hours because you think your service is superior. One hour of service always earns one Credit Hour, and one Credit Hour is always exchangeable for one hour of service. 

 

Disputes, complaints, misunderstandings and questions should be directed to support@bace.org, or a Mediator of your choice.

Contact Us: Support@bace.org

Need help using the timebank? Email us with your question.

Have feedback? Email us with your positive or constructive comments and suggestions.

Having trouble with an exchange or getting in touch with another member? Email us with your concern, and we'll work with you to try to get you in touch!

To learn more about timebanking, our community, and how to start timebanking, please visit our website.

(Last Updated: January 1, 2025)

What is a Timebank?

A timebank is like a local community bank that keeps track of time instead of US dollars. For every hour you spend doing something for someone in your community, you earn one hour to use to have someone do something for you. It is an alternative way to give and receive resources.

How does an exchange work?

Let's say you need someone to help out in the garden for two hours. You can post a request to the timebank or search the timebank directory and contact another member to set up an exchange. A timebank member then comes by and helps out in the garden. Once the service is completed, you transfer hours on the timebank from your account to the service provider. You've spent two time dollars and another member has earned two time dollars that s/he can spend elsewhere in the timebank.

You can also post service offers to earn more hours and help out your community. Posting specific offers and requests help generate more exchanges and invigorates the timebank.

What's in it for me?

For every hour of help you give, you also receive an hour of help. You may get credit for things you may not normally be rewarded for but do anyways or things that you love to do but don't often make time for. You can save your scarce cash for things like rent, food, and medicine and use time dollars for the rest.

You are also making a difference in someone's life, whether it's giving a ride to a person who doesn't have a car, tutoring a student, translating, sewing, or helping with computer problems, things that they might not be able to afford but need. You are contributing to a more caring culture and healthy community to live in that can help take better care of you in the long run.

How much time is involved?

You may participate in service exchanges as often as you are able. Some members give or receive services every week, or every month, or a few times per year. You are invited to help each other by doing what you enjoy when it is convenient for you. Usually the more you give the more you get back in many ways.

Many of the services people exchange in a timebank are the types of things they are already doing every day. For example, those of us who have children are already cooking for them, driving them to activities, and helping them with their schoolwork among other things. Cooking an extra portion of food for someone down the street who is housebound, picking up your neighbor's kids on the way to soccer practice, or helping the child down the street with his homework doesn't add work to your day. Or, if you have a dog and take it for a walk every day, why not pick up your neighbor's dog along the way?

What if I don't have any skills or a service to offer?

At the core of timebanking is the belief that everyone is valuable and everyone has something to offer. Think of the various tasks you do everyday (e.g. cooking, driving, walking a dog, etc.) and your hobbies (e.g. sewing, graphic design, writing, playing tennis, photography, etc.). Don't list only what you could get paid to do in the formal economy. The timebank economy is an informal economy of people doing the types of favors that family and neighbors have been doing for millennia. Thus, mentoring, braiding hair, beginning guitar lessons and making chicken soup are all great offers!

You can also contact the timebank administration if you volunteer for a nonprofit and want to earn time dollars for volunteering. If your organization offers services to the community, it may be eligible to join the timebank. Contact support@bace.org for more information about how an organization can apply to be a part of the timebank.

Why is everyone's time given the same value?

At first glance, it seems crazy that someone is paid the same for web design and pulling weeds, but this turns out to be the core of what makes time dollars really work. Putting a price on people's time separates us by making some people more valuable than others. Time credits excel in building relationships because they place an equal value on everyone's time and relationships above profit.

Time credits aren't meant to replace US dollars. They are designed to counterbalance the market economy where people may have invested in special training to make their time more valuable. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just taken over too much of our experience of the world. Almost everything is monetized. We are building a parallel economy where people take care of each other as families. We build extended families or villages by geography.

Can I trust the people in Timebank to come into my home?

Most people on the timebank are probably trustworthy. However, we do not screen people. If you have any doubts, please do not accept the person's offer to help. It is up to each member to get to know and feel comfortable with another member. You can also look at each member's profile to see comments about them made by other members they have exchanged with.

What keeps the system honest and fair?

Whenever one person earns time dollars, there is a corresponding debit for the same amount in someone else's account. No one is anonymous in a timebank and transactions are transparent. This makes it pretty easy to know whether transactions are honest or not. There is not much incentive to cheat because the system is inherently abundant and is based more on reputation than anything else.

What if the quality of work doesn't meet my standards?

Sometimes you get professional quality work, but you can't always expect professional standards as the receiver or giver. People are donating their time and skills to the best of their ability. If you have a concern that you want to share about someone's exchange, pleases contact support@bace.org.

What if a member's conduct is unacceptable?

We have a process for handling complaints about conduct. Through this process a member may be suspended or removed from the system. Please contact support@bace.org if you have a problem.

What if I don't have Internet or Email?

We can help you find free public computer terminals or a friendly neighbor with a computer and set up an email account. We are hoping in the near future to have more ways for the off-line population to participate.

Can children join the Timebank?

Yes, with their parent or guardian's permission, children and teenagers can participate in the timebank. The timebank can be a great way for children and teenagers to secure tutoring, music lessons, mentoring and job coaching, as well as feel useful and develop skills.

What happens if you go into debt?

Having a negative balance is not a big deal in a time dollar account. After all, people have to receive in order for others to give and everyone needs to be cared for sometimes. Currently, we have set the limit around 50 hours. Reaching the limit triggers an administrator to contact you to help you spend or earn more hours. Limits may change as we see what works for the system.

Our system functions a bit more like a reputation system than a normal accounting system. You can see how much other members have both given and received and others comments about them, as well as profile information that may help you determine who you would like to exchange with.

Do I have to live in San Francisco Bay Area to participate?

We prefer that members be in the Bay Area on a fairly regular basis. It is difficult to build a community with people you can't get to know and are not able to regularly exchange.

Are hour exchanges tax-exempt?

Yes, timebanking is different than bartering, it is not taxable. In normal bartering, you have to declare the value of the good and services you receive to the IRS. In independent contractor or consulting work, you should declare your income in US dollars. However, timebanking is considered volunteering as long as you don't charge market rate for your service (more or less than one hour for an hour). Goods are also nontaxable as long as they are valued based on labor time, not market value. Timebanks USA, a very similar system to ours has an IRS private letter ruling that time dollar exchanges are tax-exempt. However, laws and their interpretation by the courts change all the time. You are responsible for knowing the law and reporting your income if necessary.

Can I share my hours?

Yes, you can always gift your earned hours to a member of your family, a friend, or someone in the community who may need hours.

How do I leave the timebank or delete my account?

You have the power and the responsibility to delete your account when you no longer want to be a member of BACE. Log into your account with your email address and password. Edit your profile. Check the "Deactivate" box and save changes. If you have trouble removing your account or you keep receiving email from the Timebank or its members, email us at support@bace.org using the email address that you use on your account, and we will assist you.

(Last Updated: January 1, 2025)