Member‑Led Proposal Process

Purpose

Establish a clear, democratic, and repeatable method for (a) submitting proposals in a standardized format, (b) forming a mixed sub‑committee to fully develop proposals, and (c) routing finalized proposals for board or general‑membership votes. This reflects cooperative principles of democratic member control, transparency, and education.

Submission & Standardized Format

Eligibility

Any member in good standing may submit.

Format

As Standardization improves clarity and speeds review. Proposals must use a standardized proposal format that will be developed and maintained by the governing board. This format will be ratified by a vote of the general membership.

Intake & Logging

The Secretary logs proposals within 5 business days and acknowledges receipt.

Submission Period

The board shall determine and publish a specified submission window for proposals. ___

Evaluation

Threshold Review

(To be completed within 14 days of proposal submission) Upon receipt of a proposal, the Board Chair and Secretary shall conduct a preliminary review to assess:

  • Completeness – ensuring all required sections of the standardized proposal format are filled out.
  • Alignment – evaluating whether the proposal aligns with the Co-operative’s bylaws, strategic objectives, and operational scope.
  • Voting Pathway – determining whether the proposal should be routed for:
    • A Board vote, if the matter falls within the Board’s delegated authority.
    • A General Membership vote, if the proposal affects bylaws, strategic direction, capital expenditure beyond board limits, or other member-governed areas.

If the proposal is found to be incomplete or misaligned, it shall be returned to the proposer with specific written guidance on required revisions. The proposer may resubmit once corrections are made.

Board Sponsors

(To be completed within 7 days of proposal approval) Chair solicits two directors to serve as sponsors; if none volunteer, the Chair appoints. ___

Proposal Subcommittee (PSC)

Once a draft proposal is submitted and accepted, the Board shall initiate the formation of a Proposal Subcommittee (PSC) per the terms outlined in the by-laws

Term

The Proposal Subcommittee shall convene for a minimum 60 day period from PSC formation to deliver the final proposal; extensions by Board vote.

Member Engagement

PSC must document member input (listening sessions, surveys, comments).

Transparency

Meeting notes and draft revisions stored in a shared repository; sensitive items redacted as needed ___

Deliverables

The PSC submits a Final Proposal containing:

  • Standard proposal
  • Budget, sensitivity analysis, and funding source(s)
  • Risk/compliance assessment
  • Implementation plan (owner, milestones, KPIs)
  • Member engagement summary and feedback log
  • Recommendation: Board Vote or General Membership Vote (with rationale) ___

    Voting Process

1. Board Agenda

Secretary places the Final Proposal on the next feasible board agenda.

2. Routing Decision

After receiving the final proposal from the Proposal Sub-Committee (PSC), the Board shall:

  1. Review and ratify the PSC’s recommendation regarding the appropriate voting pathway.
  2. Take a formal vote to confirm whether the proposal will proceed to: (a) A Board vote, if the matter falls within the Board’s authority and scope. (b) A General Membership (GM) vote, if the proposal involves changes to bylaws, strategic direction, major financial commitments, or other matters requiring member-wide approval under the Co-operative’s governing documents.

The Board’s decision shall be recorded in the meeting minutes, along with the rationale for the selected voting pathway.

3. Notice

Members receive the Final Proposal (or summary) ≥14 days before any GM vote.

4. Voting Standards:

  • Board votes: simple majority unless bylaws require supermajority.
  • GM votes: quorum and thresholds per bylaws; supermajorities recommended for charter/bylaw changes.