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Field Guides

Nominating Board Candidates

By |2023-05-05T20:06:54-04:00May 25th, 2015|

“Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.” -- Thomas Jefferson “You have to remember one thing about the will of the people: it wasn't that long ago that we were swept away by the Macarena.” -- Jon Stewart   Why screen and nominate? Screening and nominating candidates makes sense. More and more, co-op boards are recognizing that finding [...]

Policy Governance Quick Guide

By |2023-06-20T22:59:32-04:00March 2nd, 2015|

Policy Governance is an operating system for boards of directors. As with operating systems for computers, the system itself is not the point of the board’s work; the system simply provides an underlying framework on which boards can build further agreements and activities. Policy Governance does not mandate specific decisions, but does highlight the kinds of decisions a board should make. These decisions include [...]

Patronage Dividend: Presenting GM Recommendations

By |2023-05-05T20:30:48-04:00November 12th, 2013|

The “Patronage Dividends for Food Co-ops” Toolbox (available as a free download in the Columinate library) describes the power of patronage dividends as a tool for building strong cooperatives and outlines the steps needed to implement this system. One of the key moments in a co-op’s business cycle comes at the end of a fiscal year when it becomes clear how much profit the [...]

General Manager Contract Template

By |2024-01-11T18:24:14-05:00June 28th, 2013|

Updated: August 2nd, 2016 Every board of directors of a retail food cooperative should strive to be an excellent employer for their general manager, the person who is responsible for the success of the cooperative. Clear expectations are part of being a good employer and contracts are one possible tool that boards can use to clarify expectations and provide for terms of separation. [...]

Board Discipline

By |2023-05-05T20:07:28-04:00June 28th, 2013|

In order to be effective in leading a retail food cooperative, a board must protect the integrity of its process.  Two keys to sound board process are the ability to speak with one voice and the ability to protect confidential information.  Most often these objectives are achieved with a shared understanding of the board’s roles and responsibilities, by establishing a set of clearly articulated [...]

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