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Cooperative Development Institute
P.O. Box 244
South Deerfield, MA 01373
phone: 1-877- NE COOPS, 413-665-1271
fax: 413-541-8300
info@cdi.coop
The Keep Local Farms program connects consumers with New England dairy farmers through promotion of all dairy products, education on farm activities and the potential for consumers to directly support dairy farmer-members of the New England Family Dairy Farm Cooperative. If you are interested in local food production, productive open land and your local community – click to learn more about the Keep Local Farms program.
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Answer these questions and the ones in the group-based business structure assessment before you consult with an attorney to help you design your legal documents.
Identity
1. Who are your members?
2. What is the purpose of the cooperative?
3. Who will serve as the start-up board of directors, overseeing the development activities?
Membership
4. Who is eligible for membership?
5. What equity will members contribute?
6. Will members each have one vote? or will there be weighted voting?
7. Are there financial obligations for voting?
8. Are all members treated the same? or are there classes of members?
9. How can a member terminate his/her membership? How can the co-op terminate a member's membership?
Board
10. Who is eligible to serve on the board?
11. What are their duties?
12. How many seats should there be?
13. Will you have board members from outside the organization?
14. How long will a board member serve?
15. How are board members elected? removed?
16. Are they paid? Are expenses reimbursed?
17. How will vacancies be filled?
18. How often will the board meet? What quorum is required? What meeting notice is required?
19. Will there be standing committees of the board? If yes, what are they and what are their functions?
20. Will there be officers? If yes, what offices, terms duties, selection process?
Capital Structure
21. What will your capital structure be? (Will you issue shares of stock? Membership/Common? Preferred? How many? At what value?)
22. What are the rights and responsibilities of each stockholder?
23. Will shares earn dividends?
24. What will the redemption procedure be?
Patronage Dividends
25. What is the basis for distributing patronage dividends to members?
Membership Meetings
26. How often will members meet? Who can call a special meeting? What notice is required? What quorum is required? 27. What issues will members decide?
28. How can members vote? by proxy, by mail, electronically?
29. How will the by-laws be amended?
Membership Agreements
30. What will members receive?
31. What will members agree to give?
32. How will money change hands?
33. How will quality be evaluated?
34. How will the agreement be enforced?
35. How will the agreement be terminated/renewed?
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Nickel City Housing Cooperative in Buffalo, NY. nickelcitycoop.org