By becoming a member, you also become part owner, not only sharing in the profits of the organization, but also having a voice in the direction of the company. As a member, your stake in the company is directly proportional to the amount of services you use. Therefore, the more you spend, the more you earn!
Cooperatives are businesses that:
- Are owned and democratically controlled by their members-the people who use the co-op’s services or buy its goods-not by investors.
- Return surplus revenues (income over expenses and investment) to members proportionate to their use of the cooperative, not proportionate to their ownership share. This is known as Capital Credits.
- Are motivated by service to their members, not by profit.
- Cooperatives have been changing the face of doing business for over 150 years.
- Over 100 million people are members of more than 48,000 cooperatives in the United States today.
- Cooperatives are partners in our community, investing in economic development and human involvement that will keep our hometowns and rural areas alive and well in years ahead