Committees

Committee function: Since 1992, the Willy Street Co-op has contributed more than $555,000 to local nonprofits and cooperatives to support developmental and educational projects for our community. Grants from the Community Reinvestment Fund may be awarded to projects supporting food justice or access, creating/developing Co-operative businesses, sustainable agriculture, health and wellbeing, and/or social change.

Committee member information: Committee members must be available from 6-9pm between February 13 and March 5 for two meetings, and the week of April 22nd for the awarding of the grants. Ideal candidates have backgrounds in at least one of the following program focuses: food justice and/or access, creating cooperatives, sustainable agriculture, health and well-being, and/or social change.

Committee kind: operational

Committee function: In 2014, the General Manager and Co-op Services Director, now the Customer Experience Manager, created this committee of staff, board members, and Owners to biennially review Access Program qualifiers, discount percentage, and enrollment goals. The committee was charged with biennially proposing any changes to the Access Program by May for implementation on the first day of the next Fiscal Year (or as soon as possible thereafter).

Committee member information: Committee members must be available from 5-7pm for 2 to 3 meetings between February 1st and April 30th. Ideal candidates have participated in the Access Program and/or have experience with food insecurity OR have experience working with food access or folks who are food insecure.

Committee kind: Operational committee

Committee function: The Finance Committee is a Board committee established to assist the Board in providing oversight to the financial operations of the Co-op. The Finance Committee performs the following duties:

• Recommend an annual operations and capital budget to the Board of Directors
• Review the financial appropriateness of unbudgeted capital expenditures over one percent of the Co­op’s total equity, any decision to buy or sell the Co­op’s building(s), or expenditures over ten percent of the Co­op’s total equity on an expansion project.
• Review quarterly financial statements and other reports to ensure co­op is operating in a financially prudent manner
• Report to board as necessary about financial operations
• Monitor and review policies related to financial operations
• Propose new policies as needed to promote financially sound operations
• Participate in audit process as requested by the board
• Review recommendations from annual audit and work with management to develop plans to
• address identified concerns
• Provide input on GM performance related to financial operations
• Review soundness of key financial partners.
• Identify and align capital requirements with strategic goals set by the Board.

Committee member information: Committee members must be available to meet approximately once per month.

Committee kind: Board committee

Committee function: The Board Development Committee is a Board committee established to assist the Board in Board Member recruitment, new director orientation, and community outreach. The BDC is responsible for the following duties:

• Educate Board on the responsibility to continuously recruit candidates; focus recruitment on geographic, cultural and industry/skills (e.g., health care, social services) diversity
• Lead Board skills assessment to identify strengths and needs and increase the efficiency of recruitment efforts
• Keep Board informed of board development opportunities such as training, conferences, and events
• Ensure Board Reader articles are contributed monthly
• Develop strategies for increasing communication between the Board and owners
• Develop strategies that enable the Board to increase voter turnout for Co-op elections
• In partnership with GM and Board administrator, develop and execute new Board member orientation

Committee member information: Committee members must be available to meet approximately once per month for one hour.

Committee kind: Board

Committee function: The Policy Committee is a Board committee established to assist the Board in providing oversight of the policies of the Co-op at the direction of the Board. Committee duties include the development of an understanding on current Board policy language, the proposal of new policies and measurements as needed, recommend revisions as needed to existing policies, and aiding the Board in properly evaluating monitoring reports

Committee member information: Committee members must be available to meet approximately once per month.

Committee kind: Board committee