Cooperative Bylaws

Crushing IT Cooperative – Bylaws

Version 1.0

Article I — Name and Purpose
Section 1.1 — Name

The name of this organization shall be The Crushing IT Cooperative (“The Coop”).

Section 1.2 — Purpose

The Coop is a member-owned cooperative formed by members to:

Collaboratively develop tools, automations, documentation, and technical resources.

Share knowledge, experience, and operational efficiencies.

Reduce overhead through collective contribution and pooling of resources.

Provide a structure for fair compensation of optional overhead, time, and value contributed by members.

Article II — Membership
Section 2.1 — Eligibility

Membership is open to individuals or businesses actively providing Managed Services or related IT services.

Section 2.2 — Active Membership Status

A member is considered Active when:

Monthly dues have been paid in full.

The member complies with all Coop policies and bylaws.

The member participates in required votes or governance procedures as defined herein.

Section 2.3 — Rights of Active Members

Active Members shall have the right to:

Vote in elections and on matters put to membership vote.

Submit proposals for development or Coop operations.

Receive work products licensed to members as described in Article VII.

Receive financial disbursements based on contribution metrics.

Section 2.4 — Termination or Suspension of Membership

Membership may be suspended or terminated by majority vote of the Board of Governors for:

Non-payment of dues.

Conduct harmful to the Coop.

Breach of confidentiality or licensing rules.

Article III — Monthly Dues & Financial Structure
Section 3.1 — Monthly Dues

Each Active Member shall contribute a monthly dues amount of X USD, paid at the beginning of each month.
The value of X may be changed via membership vote.

Section 3.2 — 30-Day Rotating Financial Bucket

All dues for a given month are placed into a 30-Day Financial Bucket (“the Bucket”), which:

Opens on the first day of each calendar month.

Closes on the last day of the same month.

Resets at the start of the next month with new contributions.

Section 3.3 — Disbursement of the Monthly Bucket

At the close of each month, the Bucket shall be disbursed to Active Members based on:

Documented optional overhead contributed.

Documented hours of work performed.

Documented value (as defined by a contribution scoring standard).

Any contributions approved by the Board of Governors.

A standardized scoring or weighting system shall be maintained and revised by Board vote.

Section 3.4 — Transparency

A monthly financial report shall be published to Active Members, including:

Total dues collected.

Contribution weights and calculations.

Disbursement amounts.

Any retained funds for operations (if applicable).

Article IV — Governance
Section 4.1 — Board of Governors

The Coop shall be governed by a Board of Governors (“the Board”), consisting of an odd number of members (minimum 3).

Section 4.2 — Election of Governors

Elections occur annually.

Any Active Member may nominate themselves or another Active Member.

Voting shall be conducted electronically.

The candidates with the highest vote totals shall be elected.

Section 4.3 — Powers and Duties of the Board

The Board shall:

Oversee financial operations.

Approve standards for contribution scoring.

Resolve disputes.

Enforce bylaws.

Cast deciding votes on matters requiring governance action.

Manage licensing and distribution of Coop work product.

Section 4.4 — Removal of Governors

A Governor may be removed by a two-thirds vote of Active Members for misconduct, non-participation, or failure to uphold Coop responsibilities.

Article V — Voting and Decision Making
Section 5.1 — Member Voting Rights

Each Active Member receives one vote on matters requiring membership decision.

Section 5.2 — Quorum Requirements

A quorum shall consist of 50% of Active Members.

Section 5.3 — Voting Process

Votes may be conducted through any secure electronic process approved by the Board.

Section 5.4 — Types of Votes

General Membership Votes

For dues changes, policies, and major Coop decisions.

Simple majority determines outcome unless otherwise stated.

Board Votes

For operational decisions and contribution scoring adjustments.

Simple majority of Governors determines outcome.

Article VI — Contributions and Work Standards
Section 6.1 — Contribution Types

Recognized contributions may include but are not limited to:

Script or software development.

Documentation creation.

Research and testing.

Administrative overhead.

Infrastructure costs (if previously approved).

Peer support, mentoring, or training.

Section 6.2 — Tracking Contributions

The Coop shall maintain tracking systems for:

Hours worked.

Deliverables submitted.

Peer-reviewed value assessments.

Optional overhead provided.

Section 6.3 — Approval of Contributions

All contributions eligible for financial disbursement must be approved by:

A majority of the Board, or

Automated rules adopted by Board vote.

Article VII — Ownership and Licensing of Work Product
Section 7.1 — Ownership

All work products created under the Coop—including code, documentation, standards, and processes—are jointly owned by the Cooperative as a collective entity.

Section 7.2 — Licensing to Active Members Only

All Coop work products are licensed exclusively to Active Members.
Inactive or former members:

Lose licensing rights immediately.

Must cease using proprietary or member-only materials.

Section 7.3 — External Licensing

Any release of Coop work product to non-members requires:

A two-thirds membership vote and

Approval of the Board.

Section 7.4 — Confidentiality

Members may not distribute Coop work, internal communications, or proprietary materials outside the membership without explicit approval.

Article VIII — Amendments
Section 8.1 — Proposal of Amendments

Any Active Member may propose amendments to these bylaws.

Section 8.2 — Approval

An amendment shall be adopted if:

Approved by two-thirds of the Membership, and

Ratified by a majority of the Board.

Article IX — Dissolution
Section 9.1 — Dissolution Vote

The Coop may be dissolved by a three-quarters vote of Active Members.

Section 9.2 — Asset Distribution

Remaining financial assets shall be distributed based on the most recent contribution weighting system.
Intellectual property shall remain collectively owned unless otherwise voted.

Certification

These bylaws were adopted by the Active Members of The Crushing IT Cooperative on: 12/6/2025