Policy Governance® is a comprehensive model whereby governing boards establish their values and expectations in policy, delegate implementation to the board’s sole employee (typically the general manager), and monitor the outcome of operational activities against the stated policies. Policy Governance® gives boards the capacity and role clarity to truly be trustees for the member-owners.

Cooperative governance is the act of steering cooperatively-owned enterprises toward economic, social and cultural success. It consists of answering key questions, defining roles and responsibilities, and establishing processes for setting expectations and ensuring accountability.

Columinate has created a model of cooperative governance recognizing the unique needs of the co-op world. Based on the results of our research and deep experience with food co-op boards, the Four Pillars of Cooperative Governance model (4PCG) offers directors and managers a framework for approaching their work grounded in cooperative values.