This is the post to read if you would like to better understand how the forum is structured and where to go for the kinds of discussions you are interested in.
There are two main parts to this site – the forum itself where all the discussion takes place, and a members’ page which provides some context for who is taking part in the discussions. Each section is described in more detail below.
Forum
To help folks find what they are looking for and provide some structure for the conversation, we’ve broken the forum into categories and sub-categories. Forum members can post in any subcategory, but we’ve restricted posting to the main categories to try to keep things organized.
Below is a guide to the categories and subcategories and the topics we imagine might be discussed in each.
You are here! Posting is restricted for this section to keep it focused on providing useful information on the purpose, structure, and features of the forum.
This section is dedicated to welcoming those just joining the community and give them a place to introduce themselves.
Managing Cooperatives
This section is for discussion around the nuts and bolts of starting and running a cooperative organization. It is broken into the subcategories below.
All co-ops start somewhere, and it’s usually just an idea that it would be cool to work together on an opportunity/challenge. This is the spot to have those discussions, whether it be that you have an idea for an actual cooperative or you have an issue and you want to explore possible cooperative solutions to it.
There’s a lot that goes on between the initial idea and a living, breathing cooperative organization. This is the place to discuss all the challenges and triumphs of forming a steering committee, conducting feasibility studies, developing a business plan, writing bylaws, dealing with the legal issues of incorporation, and everything else that happens before the cooperative is a formal, legal entity.
Governing a cooperative is a little (or a lot) different than running your average business. This is the place to discuss all that goes into keeping the cooperative operating as a cooperative. This could include board policy, the separation between the board and staff, setting up committees, addressing board dynamics, and recruiting/retaining board members.
Member-owners are the heart of any cooperative. Here you can discuss how to recruit members, how to keep them engaged in the organization, and how to educate them on issues affecting your specific cooperative and the cooperative movement more generally.
Finances. Operations. Legal Questions. These are issues every organization faces, and we need a place to discuss them. This is that place, whether the issue is cooperative-specific (e.g. patronage), or more general (e.g. parsing a P&L statement or on-boarding new employees).
The Cooperative Movement
Cooperatives are not just stand-alone organizations. They are examples of an alternative economic model. This is the place to discuss that model and how we can advocate for it and help it gain purchase in mainstream discourse. It is broken into the subcategories below.
A great place to share the shining examples which are raising the bar on what cooperatives can accomplish, both on their own and working together. A place to go to recharge your batteries when the work’s got you down.
A place to share stories/reports about the collective/general impact of cooperatives. Or to discuss how to increase awareness of that impact among decision-makers and the general public.
One cooperative good; one hundred cooperatives better. This is the place to discuss how we can support new and emerging cooperatives and create environments where cooperatives are seen as preferred options.
The cooperative identity is founded upon a set of principles and values, but cooperatives aren’t the only place those ideals can be found. Here’s the place to share other ways the cooperative principles and values are being lived in our world, and to discuss ways of connecting to these various expressions of cooperation.
Admin
As much as we’d love to focus the discussion solely on cooperatives and cooperative issues, it’s also important to reflect on how the medium is influencing the conversation. This is the place to discuss the forum itself and how it is impacting your ability to engage in the discussion(s).
Got ideas for improving the site? Let us know here! Or just vote for existing ideas you’d like to see us focus on implementing.
Something not working the way you think it’s supposed to? This is the spot to drop us a line (or answer someone else’s questions!).
Members
Want to peruse who’s joined the community? This is the place to do it. You can view member profiles, follow members, or let us know if there is a member we need to pay attention to. Members have the option of including contact information in their profiles as well, so you can also reach out to individuals outside of the forum, if needed.