- At the time a new potential Equity Membership is announced, the Coordinating team will determine the target date for calling for decision cards on the Equity Membership, allowing time for the following process. The minimum timeframe is two weeks from the time of the announcement: one week for steps 2, 3, 4, and 5, and an additional week for steps 7 and 8. Coordinating will announce the target date to the group as soon as possible. For the requirements to become an Equity Member, see Membership Requirements
- Any Equity Members or Associates with serious concerns about potential Equity Memberships must bring them to the Community Support (CS) team no later than the target date to call for cards. The CS team email address is cs@mosaic-commons.org
- Community Support will immediately notify the Coordinating team of any concerns that have been raised. If any concerns are raised, Coordinating and CS will determine the best path for resolution. All concerns will be shared with the prospective Equity Member(s). If the issue is deemed a one-on-one issue, it will be kept private between the person who raised it and the prospective. In other cases, the issue may be brought before all Signed-On Folks (SOFs) for discussion and resolution. The group will aim to resolve any concerns before the target date to call for cards. If difficult issues are raised, the decision may need to be delayed. If no concerns are raised, Community Support will notify Coordinating of that fact one week before the meeting at which the equity application is scheduled to be taken to a decision.
- The household's Mentor / the Membership Team will ensure that the household takes part in (or has taken part in already) at least one discussion outside of General Meetings, to learn more about the diversity, culture, and informal history of Mosaic, and to ask any questions the household may have about the group. The informal gathering(s) should include at least the household's mentor and another equity member the household did not know prior to joining Mosaic. The household's Mentor / the Membership Team will let Coordinating know these requirements have been met no later than the target date to call for cards.
- The Finance Team will be in touch with the household to arrange a payment schedule for the contribution of 5% of the household's unit cost. Finance will let Coordinating know the results of this meeting and confirm receipt of a check for the initial payment no later than the target date to call for cards.
- After the Coordinating Team has heard from Community Support, the Membership team / the Mentor, and the Finance Team, it will announce to SOFs whether the equity application will be taken to a decision as scheduled or whether there is a need to delay.
- Decisions on Equity membership must be reached by consensus and cannot be taken to a vote. The Urgent Decision Process will be used, as the Decision is being made outside of a General Meeting. The decision process will be given four days. Please do not submit your card before the call for cards has been made. Any Equity Member who does not respond to the call for cards is assumed to be consenting.
- Once a decision has been reached, Coordinating will inform the Mentor and the Membership Team of the outcome. The Mentor or Membership Team will in turn inform the group and the applicant household. If the outcome is positive, the official joining date for the household will be the date on which Coordinating announces the result. The decision will be ratified at the next General Meeting. At that time, the household members will sign the Equity Member Agreement and the Operating Agreement and the group will celebrate.
- If more than one household announces for Equity Membership on the same day, the timeline for both households will be the same. As long as steps 2-5 are completed on time, the official joining dates for the households will be the same date.
- If an Associate who is on either the Community Support team or the Coordinating team applies for Equity Membership, that Associate will not participate as a member of that team in connection with their equity application.
Example:
- Sunday March 1 General Meeting: Household JKL announces they would like to become Equity Members. Coordinating sends email specifying relevant dates.
- Sunday March 8: CS, Finance, and Memberships steps are complete. Coordinating calls for the Decision. Cards can be submitted.
- Thursday March 12: Decision period closes, end of day.
- Friday March 13: Result of Decision announced. Decision is positive. Official sign-on date for household JKL.
- Sunday March 15 GM: Ratification of the Decision. Household JKL signs documents. Celebration.
