Free Online Governance Course - Co-op Creator

Early Stages

How to start a co-operative: a step-by-step guide Creating an action plan What is a steering committee, and what does it do? How to name your co-op: a by-province guide Choosing a business structure: A questionnaire Transitioning a Business to a Co-operative Co-operative Members and Governance Choosing a Co-op Type Hosting a Community Meeting Focusing Ideas for Your Co-operative Co-operative Business Model Comparison with Other Models Building Consensus

Incorporating

A Guide to writing Rules of Association in BC Guide to Writing a Financial Plan

A Guide to writing co-op bylaws in Manitoba

Guide to writing Bylaws in Saskatchewan

Guide to Federal Bylaws

Incorporating a co-op in Western Canada — a provincial comparison Incorporation time frame Articles and bylaws (video) Choosing a name (video) Why should you incorporate your co-op? (video) Shaping your Co-op’s Identity Incorporation Checklist

Business Planning

Do a PESTLE Analysis How to find new co-op members Creating a Preliminary Budget — A Guide Building a Business Model Canvas Risk Identification and Management Legal Risks for Co-op Start Ups How to create a governance structure Why create a business plan? (video) Roles and Responsibilities Business Planning Pitch Practice Allocating Surplus in a Co-operative Business Co-operative Members and Governance

Financing

How to handle share capital in a co-op Debt vs Equity (video) Tax Treatment of Co-operative Businesses Ongoing Capitalization Guide to Writing a Financial Plan Financing your Co-operative Business Budgeting and Co-operatives

Up and Running

How to Waive an Audit Sample Board Duties How to Build a Board Calendar Three AGM Resolutions Every Co-op Needs for their Annual General Meeting What you need to know for your first AGM Creating a Terms of Reference Creating a Strategic Plan Creating a Human Resources Policy Free Online Governance Course Creating a Conflict of Interest Policy Board of Directors Evaluations Board Member Recruitment Board Decision-Making Exercise

A Guide to Co-operative Insurance How to Read Financial Statements Everything you need to know about managing records Board Governance Tips for Indigenous Co-operatives Sample Bookkeeper Contract Keeping track of members in a co-op Member Engagement and Onboarding Guidelines for co-operative elections Filing your Annual Return Co-operative Annual General Meetings Ongoing Capitalization Allocating Surplus in a Co-operative Business

Additional Resources

Co-ops and charitable status

Back

Free Online Governance Course

Learn how to better govern through our online governance course

Take our FREE online governance course. For a co-op to be successful, its members must be able to answer the basic governance question for their business: who gets to decide what?

This course examines how to do just that. In the course, we look at three key ideas:

Ensuring people work well together
Creating a successful view of the future
Building legitimacy

Using real world cases in our online governance course, we discuss how these ideas translate into practical features, such as board structure and shareholder or member engagement. Through it all, we explore how to get the right people making the right decisions.

“This course has greatly increased my understanding of what good governance could/should look like and how each part (boards, management, members) plays a vital role in the co-operative’s success.”

— 2017 PARTICIPANT

“This course was highly enjoyable, and relevant to working in not only the co-op space, but with any group that needs to make decisions.”

— 2017 PARTICIPANT

Enjoy this tool on our online governance course? Then you might enjoy our tool on creating a conflict of interest policy, or our blog on good governance in times of crisis.

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