Budgets: The Board’s Plan for Governance Investment
By Michael Healy 135 March - April - 2008 The board of directors fulfills an essential governing role in a cooperatively owned, democratically controlled business. Few assets are more valuable to a cooperative than a board that functions well, learns what it needs to do its job expertly, and provides excellent leadership. Providing that excellent leadership requires expertise, and developing expertise requires investment. In [...]
Evaluating feasibility and planning for success
This presentation will help you to understand what needs to be in place for a new food co-op to succeed and how to plan your organizing and development efforts effectively.
Setting a Process for General Manager Compensation
By Carolee Colter, Mark Goehring 134 Jan - Feb - 2008 What are some words that come to mind when you think of general manager compensation? Uncomfortable. Problematic. Crazy. Or: Exciting. Challenging. Strategic. Even though everyone might say that general manager (GM) compensation is important, it doesn’t always get handled that way. In order to help your board and GM approach this topic in [...]
Governance Toolbox: for Directors of Natural Food Co-ops
by Mary Courteau & Corinne Shindelar In the fall of 1996, over 200 directors of natural food co-ops were surveyed for a project funded by Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund and the National Cooperative Bank Development Corporation. The goal of this joint project was to provide enhanced assistance to borrowers. By directly contacting board members, the survey aimed to reach a critical mass of its [...]
Challenges to the Cooperative Board of Directors
Edited by Dave Gutknecht and Karen Zimbleman