Membership Process

ROOTS Solutions Mission Statement

The ROOTS Solutions worker cooperative functions to provide sustainable solutions to communities’ economic, energy, and food needs now, as well as in the future. ROOTS (Remembering Our Obligation To Sustainability) Solutions is made up of men and women from all walks of life, young and old. We all have one thing in common however: every one of us recognizes the need for positive answers to the problems we face as a society in a modern and rapidly changing world. Though we do function as a business and produce our own innovations, we also network with already existing cooperatives and other entities, in order to integrate our technological and sustainable breakthroughs with their own, thus helping to transition our community into a future that we can all look forward to with a clear conscience and positive outlook.

ROOTS is using a community-centered process that blends local industrial, agricultural, social and economic development to foster stability in these areas, as well as nurturing the ecological and cultural well-being of our communities.

If this is something you are interested in being part of, the following steps outline the beginning of your journey (from Invitee, to Volunteer, to Candidate-Worker to Worker-Owner).

Read the ROOTS Solutions website

The first step of joining our cooperative is actually finding out what we’ve been up to by reading our website.

Read the ROOTS Solutions organizing documents on website

The hierarchy of documents is:

• 00 ROOTS Mission & Oath – unchanged since day 1
• 01 ORS for Cooperatives – the section of state law covering cooperative – NOT required reading until you actually become a member, then it is your responsibility to know.
• 02 ROOTS Articles REGISTERED.pdf – Oregon organizational document
• 03 ROOTS Bylaws (as ratified 2013-08-25).pdf – current version of our bylaws
• 04 ROOTS Consensus Process Flowchart.pdf – the official flowchart of decision making
• 05 ROOTS Decision Making Process overview – explanation of our process
• 06 ROOTS Membership Disclosure Document – older version of our final “joining” document
• 07 ROOTS CP-575 EIN.pdf – official IRS document of our existence
• 08 ROOTS Meeting Roles – unofficial but more detailed explanation of a section of #5
• 09 ROOTS Agenda Welcome – unofficial welcome
• 10 ROOTS FAQ for computer stuff – unofficial intro to some of our computer stuff

Those interested in becoming volunteers should read 00, 03, 04, 05 before tour.

Complete the Questionnaire for Tour & Volunteers

Web form submitted so tour invites can be managed. Questions like “what is your passion” “what do you bring” and disclaimers regarding sustainable growth of ROOTS so there is an expectation of selectiveness and capacity limits.

This questionnaire will help current ROOTS members get to know you. As a cooperative we have attempted to create a process for bringing in new members that is open, simple but structured, and respectful of your time and ours.

We strive to grow and bring in new members as quickly as we can while still maintaining our commitments to our current projects.

Join ROOTS Solutions Google Group

The 10 FAQ for computer stuff outlines how to do this.

Attend a ROOTS Solutions Tour and Workshop

The Tour is used to provide a thorough yet consolidated introduction to personnel and projects. Importance attached to realistic status of projects, what work in the project looks like, and what one can expect to get from working in the project. At the end of a tour, interested candidates should seek out a “Initial Sponsor”. Candidates most likely will only find sponsors in areas with capacity, bandwidth and need for growth – so candidates may want to weigh “getting a foot in the door” vs “doing what they are passionate about” as they go forward.

Complete ROOTS Solutions Post-Tour and Workshop Survey

Web form submitted so tour feedback and new volunteers can be managed. Questions like “what might improve the tour” “what projects did you find most interesting” and re-iteration of disclaimers regarding sustainable growth of ROOTS so there is an expectation of selectiveness and capacity limits.

Get an ASANA electronic checklist and complete the rest of checklist there

When ROOTS determines capacity and needs allow for new members, Volunteers will be selected from those who have completed the Post-Tour and Workshop Surveys. You will be contacted by email, and will be requested to complete the rest of your intake using the ASANA management tool.  This is done to have you learn the tool, as ROOTS projects and meetings are handled with this app. You can learn more about the tool at asana.com.

There is an old version of what was on this list here, so that you can get an idea of what is expected.

Invitees are welcome to keep attending tours and workshops, and to continue submitting new Workshop Surveys.

Initial Mentor

Every candidate should be matched to an “Initial Mentor” – usually this is an existing member working on a project the candidate is interested in. The Mentor is the point of contact to ask questions, learn structure, relevant history, how co-op functions, responsibilities & expectations. All intake is tracked in ASANA. The Mentor will help determine when it is appropriate for candidate to begin observing meetings. This time does NOT count toward “Candidate-Worker Owners” prerequisites in the by-laws.

Case for Candidacy

When ready, a candidate should “present” a proposal for their participation. This can be formal or informal, written or verbal, or any format the candidate chooses. The goal of this step is to communicate one’s interest and passion and to end with a request that membership can vote on. A thumbs-up consensus would allow a candidate to formally begin the “Candidate-Worker Owners” process.