Applying for COCo Membership
(2014 and beyond)
Why this membership form?
At the COCo (Centre for Community Organizations) Annual General Meeting, on March 27th 2014, our members adopted new bylaws with significant revisions in our membership definition.
The previous (old) membership definition accorded membership automatically to anyone using our services (info-COCos, facilitation contracts, free events, participation in projects, etc.). Many groups thus became members without any particular awareness and without providing explicit consent for it.
Hoping to build more meaningful member engagement at COCo, our first step was to ask groups to explicitly consent to becoming members. Our current (new) membership definition requires explicit consent from groups to join, thus explaining our new membership form.
Link to the form: https://coco-net.org/join/
What’s changed about membership?
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Old Membership Definition |
New Membership Definition |
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Who is eligible to be a member? |
Quebec Community Organizations (incorporated or not) |
Community-based not-for-profit groups (incorporated or not) |
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How do you become a member? |
By using COCo services |
By consenting to membership |
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For how long? |
2 years |
3 years |
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Participation |
Members are encouraged to contribute to the development of COCo and its activities through forums, committees, requests for advice, days of reflection, etc. or at the initiative of the member organization itself. |
Members are encouraged to contribute to the development of COCo, participate in its activities and benefit from its services. They are also welcome to take the initiative and propose other ways to engage with COCo. |
Who can be a member?
We strongly encourage any organization that fits the following criteria to become a COCo member.
- Believe in and support COCo’s mission and role;
- Value developing a meaningful relationship with COCo;
- Are a not-for-profit group (registered/incorporated or not);
- Are community-based.
What are we asking for in the form?
- In the form, we’re asking you about your main contact information in order for us to reach out to your group for communications to our membership.
- We’re also trying to get to know our members better, and ask about your mission and areas you work in. We’ll want to know if you want to receive our monthly E-bulletin (newsletter) with information of interest for the community sector.
- Most importantly, we want to know if you provide consent on behalf of your organization for becoming a member, and if you would like to be added to our public list of members.
- And we want to know the contact information of the person who filled out the membership form, as we’ll need to verify your group’s eligibility and follow up with you to confirm your membership.
- At that point, if you agreed to being publicly listed as a member, we’ll ask for a copy of your logo to accompany your contact information on our website.
How do I renew my membership?
Before your 3-year membership expires, COCo will contact you to see if you want to renew for another 3 years.
How do I cancel my membership?
Give us a call before cancelling membership. You will need to obtain organizational consent (signed board resolution) to cancel your membership. Send us an email to info@coco-net.org explaining why you want to cancel your membership, and with an accompanying scan or photo of the signed resolution.
Does it cost anything to be a member?
No, it’s free.
Do you have other questions about becoming a COCo member?
Give us a call at 514-849-5599 or email us at info@coco-net.org
