Why join us?
Be part of the mutually thriving community of artisans, producers, processors, distributors, general public, investors and more . . .
As a member, you have a stake in fostering the collaborative efforts that strengthen the regenerative systems involved in producing regional fibers and goods:
- To drive and support expansion into new markets for farmers and independent artisans
- To make it easier for people to find and buy regionally grown, domestically produced goods that benefit our land, economies, and climate
- To support our efforts to provide training, workshops, agritourism, retreats, and other events that support right livelihood for farmers, ranchers, and artisans
- To support the ongoing operation of the online Fibershed Marketplace at fibershedmarketplace.com
If you have any questions, please email us at: norcalfibershedcoop@gmail.com.
Ready to join? You can find the application here.
Types of membership
| Membership Type | Stock Type | One-Time Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Individual Producer | Voting Common | $.01/share, $100 minimum |
| Fibershed Producer Dual Membership | Voting Common | $.01/share, $140 minimum ($40 to Fibershed for one nonprofit producer membership, plus the $100 Coop Individual Producer membership, above) |
| Individual Artisan | Voting Common | $.01/share, $100 minimum |
| Processor | Voting Common | $.01/share, $500 minimum |
| Distributor | Voting Common | $.01/share, $500 minimum |
| Investor | Non-voting Preferred | $1/share, $1,000 minimum |
| Nonprofit (the Fibershed organization) | Voting Common (AKA Mission Stock) and Non-voting Common | $1/share, $500 Nonvoting Common, + 1 Voting Common share, investment TBD |
| Community Supporter | Non-voting Common | $.01/share, $50 minimum |
| Additional, future memberships TBD | Non-voting Common | $.01/share |
Note: For all voting memberships, one member = one vote. One share does not equal one vote.
Membership costs are one-time and do not need to be renewed or paid annually.
Total shares outstanding:
- 10,000,000 shares of common stock at $.01/share
- 6,000,000 shares of preferred stock at $1/share
Why do we have these membership and stock types?
Voting members provide the Coop with equity capital that the Coop needs to launch and grow. Voting stock rarely pays a dividend or financial return: Its value is in the control (member rights) it confers. Because ownership of voting stock in the Coop is limited to active members, this stock is generally redeemed at par value (original purchase price) by the Cooperative when a member leaves. This is further described and stated in our Articles of Incorporation.
Questions? Email us at norcalfibershedcoop@gmail.com.
Other nonvoting classes of stock (nonvoting common and nonvoting preferred) with different par values and different redemption policies are issued in exchange for additional equity payments. Preferred shares receive priority over other classes of stock in the event of dissolution, and also typically offer a dividend to holders. This is also further described and stated in our Articles of Incorporation.
Because nonvoting stock does not confer member voting rights, both common and preferred nonvoting stock can be offered to nonmembers, in addition to members. This is a common way for cooperatives to raise additional capital from a wide range of supportive individuals or organizations.
We hope that these varieties of memberships will enable the Coop to obtain the funding it needs more quickly than we would, if we relied on members alone.