Welcome to the DisCO Mothership Governance Model

Hello and welcome!

For a brief summary of the DisCO Mothership Governance model, jump directly to the Introductory Articles, Infographics and Other DisCO Governance Resources section below.
If you'd like to familiarize yourself with the technical language used in this governance model, jump to the Basic DisCO Terminology section or visit the DisCO Glossary

To get the full picture, keep reading.

IMPORTANT: THIS MODEL IS CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED AMONG THE DisCO MOTHERSHIP TEAM. KEEP CHECKING THIS PAGE FOR ONGOING DEVELOPMENT.

About the DisCO Mothership Governance Model

The DisCO MOTHERSHIP refers to the group of people currently carrying out the DisCO Project and the developers of this Governance Model ^[1].

As such, you are reading the exact governance model by which our organization functions as a living DisCO LAB. It is, however, designed to be adapted for other Non Profits seeking to extend internal democracy, accountability and carework, as well as ensuring socio-environmental outcomes.

This DisCO MOTHERSHIP Governance Model is a substantial fork of Guerrilla Media Collective's version of the DisCO Governance Model. Guerrilla Media Collective (henceforth GMC) is the original DisCO LAB from which DisCO.coop arose.^[2] GMC's Governance Model is the base DisCO Governance Model for worker-owned coops , Social Solidarity Enterprises and SMEs.

This version of the DisCO Governance Model (3.5) is not aimed at working collectives offering goods and services in the marketplace, but non-profits, such as the DisCO Foundation.^[3]. These are considered DisCO Non-Profits, or DisCO.NPs for short.^[4]

While there are other types of DisCOs, this Governance model is specifically aimed at Non-profits.

The DisCO MOTHERSHIP Governance Model is being further developed as part of the Distributed Cooperative Organization (DisCO) Governance/Economic Model V 4.0 for eventual inclusion in the DisCO BALL, which is DisCO.coop's overall knowledge base. Version 4.0 is a non-DisCO specific version highlighting the main DisCO governance templates, of the DisCO Applications Program or DAP. ^[5]

All changes between version 3.0 (The Guerrilla Media Collective Model) and version 3.5 (The DisCO MOTHERSHIP/DisCO.NP Model) are tracked in the DIsCO Governance Model Version Changes entry. If you wish to comment or give feedback on any part of this governance model, please go to this wiki entry's Talk Page and follow the instructions there.

Overview

This document describes a governance/economic model for self-sustaining, mission-oriented, distributed organizations.

It values three types of work:

Pro-bono Lovework (Voluntary, unfunded work)
Funded Livelihood work (project-specific funded work), and
Care work (which includes well-being, as well as admin and maintenance tasks)

The three types of work, or "value streams", are tracked with complementary metrics and rewards are dispensed accordingly. We will fully explore what this means in the Value Tracking section below.

The purpose of the DisCO.NP model is to extract people from the capitalist marketplace so they can use their unique talents to do fulfilling, and socially and environmentally meaningful work. The document prototypes a governance model fit for digital labor.

This model mixes theory with proven on-the-ground practice: it originated in an existing organization: Guerrilla Media Collective or "GMC", also known through the P2P Translation collective Guerrilla Translation ^[6]

As explained in the Introduction above, this version of the DisCO Governance Model (3.5), is a fork of the GMC model. The version you are currently reading serves two complementary purposes:

It functions as the template governance model for DisCO Non-Profits (AKA DisCO NP)
By using the DisCO Mothership to illustrate the DisCO NP Governance model this document is the de-facto governance model for the DisCO Mothership

How to read this governance model

In the following sections we'll examine:

Distributed Cooperative Organizations: a brief introduction to DisCO.
Roles and responsibilities: within the organization and the types of work we do.
Working in a DisCO Non-Profit: Some of the specific day to day, mid and long term practices and processes utilized in DisCOs.
Value tracking: The ways that value is tracked and rewarded.
Decision making processes: How stewardship is held by all who have demonstrated willingness and invested personal effort participating in the collective's goals.

The last four areas are interdependent:

Roles and Responsibilities reflect a member's investment in the DisCO.NP and their level of participation. Working in a DisCO Non-Profit details the types of work members undertake and the ongoing functions and cultural and structural practices of a DisCO.NP.

This investment/stake is measured through Value Tracking and it also affects the Decision making process.

It is important to highlight that Member's investment in the DisCO.NP is not monetary, but contribution-based — the more a member puts into building the DisCO.NP, whether through pro-bono, funded or reproductive work ^[7], the more their investment is weighted in the DisCO.NP's ownership and decision making mechanisms.

For a brief overview of how this investment is measured and rewarded, you can read this introductory article before diving in: Take Your Time, Do It Right: Commons Governance.

The full mechanism is explained throughout the governance model you are about to read.

While we have presented the three sections sequentially, the document doesn't necessarily follow a linear narrative.

Each section refers to the others and the document features many page-jump links to different relevant sections^[8] and related entries in the DisCO MOTHERSHIP Wiki.^[9] Whenever you come across a new term, or want to be reminded of a particular context, simply click on the hyperlink.

Important: We recommend reading it at your own pace, taking notes and jumping from section to section until you have a clear picture. If you're already conversant in DisCONomics, you may want to skip large tracts of this Overview section and skip directly to Roles and Responsibilities section. If you're not familiar, read on or check the Introductory Materials section below.

Before continuing, we will say this again:

Please skip any sections that may not seem immediately relevant and/or applicable to your interests. The document loops back upon itself through in-document links, so don't worry about missing anything.^[10]

Speaking about the big picture, this section features an infographic summary of the model, links to introductory articles and other resources to make the model more digestible. If you're not already familiar with DisCO, start by familiarizing yourself with these materials, or the model may be very hard to comprehend.

What we offer here is an equipotential and opt-in engagement governance model. This means that everyone who participates in a collective (and, in this case, a DisCO Non-Profit) will have their work valued, and will be expected to participate in the decision making process. Decisions and control are shared, based on contributions and peer review.

To see how we envision the model in practice, The DisCO Mothership (i.e., the organization who has developed and tested this model) is used as a showcase example, but it’s important to note that the model is designed to be picked up and adapted by other Distributed Cooperative Organizations whether they’re other Non-Profits, coops or other types of entities (see The DisCO Applications Program section below).

To ease the narrative, the term "DisCO MOTHERSHIP" (our organization) is used for concrete examples, while the term "DisCO.NP" is used for general ones. Next, we will go over the terminology used in DisCOs most often.

Introductory Articles, Infographics and Other DisCO Governance Resources

If you're not already familiar with DisCO we recommend taking some time to get the picture overview of what we offer before diving deep into the minutiae of this Governance Model.

DisCO intro articles and short videos

For a brief introduction to DisCOs we recommend these two introductory articles, with their corresponding video trailers:

1: Last Night A Distributed Cooperative Organization Saved My Life: A brief introduction to DisCOs

"DisCO stands for Distributed Cooperative Organizations, and it’s a set of organizational tools and practices for groups of people who want to work together in a cooperative, commons-oriented, and feminist economic form. DisCO is also an alternative to another form called the Decentralized Autonomous Organizations, or DAO".

Click here to see video trailer

2: DisCO in a Nutshell (Covid Edition)

"Distributed Cooperative Organizations or DisCOs explained in a nutshell and what they mean in the context of the Covid-19 crisis."

Click here to see video trailer

3: Take Your Time, Do It Right: Commons Governance

"A guide to how DisCO governance specifically articulates the 7 DisCO Principles and Eleven Values. Includes infographic illustrations about the DisCO Governance and economic model"

Click here to download the DisCO Governance Infographic

DisCO Governance Model Infographic

The DisCO Governance Infographic features a simplified visual explanation of the Basic DisCO Governance Model.

Click here to download the DisCO Governance Model Infographic

The DisCO Trilogy

The DisCO Trilogy comprises three downloadable multi-format publications covering various aspects of DisCO. Also to be published as Audiobooks (see section below)

If I Only Had a Heart: The DisCO Manifesto

The DisCO Manifesto is a deep dive into the world of Distributed Cooperative Organizations. Over its 80 colorful pages, you will read about how DisCOs are a P2P/Commons, cooperative and Feminist Economic alternative to Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (or DAOs). The DisCO Manifesto also includes some background on topics like blockchain, AI, the commons, feminism, cooperatives, cyberpunk, and more.

Care Before Code: The DisCO Elements

The DisCO Elements is a compilation of several articles on DisCO, including dedicated sections on DisCO in our current historical and Pandemic context, the Seven Principles, DisCO Governance, DisCO Carework and DisCO policies. The DisCO Elements is a "director's cut", expanded from a publication commissioned by Autonomy.work. The DisCO Elements will also be serialized as standalone articles in Hackernoon and cross-posted in DIsCO Stories.

The DisCO PinkPaper

(Forthcoming, late 2021) The White paper for the DisCO project (or as we like to call it, the PinkPaper), will not only describe the technological aspects but will also highlight the cultural and ethical considerations underlying our design choices. The DisCO PinkPaper will include sections on the DisCO FLOOR, the DisCO DECK and their co-dependencies, as well as a sections on the DisCO STACK and how it relates to FLOOR and DECK.

Basic DisCO Terminology

This document uses some DisCO-specific terms you'll want to get a handle on. Feel free to bookmark this section for reference.

The DisCO Glossary

This wiki contains an evolving DisCO Glossary. Many of the terms referred in-document, link to Glossary entries, but feel free to look at it on its own.

Why so many funny words? Why can't we just talk like normal people?

After 40 years of bullshit neoliberal language (risk premium, derivatives, there is no alternative, there is no society!) it's time to rebel and revel in terminology more suited to changing this dystopian reality we inhabit. If the current language of economics is equivocal and, arguably, specifically designed to keep normal people out of self-determining their economies, we can co-create a new one to describe the much-needed alternatives. We don't expect you to know these terms, this is why we've created the DisCO Glossary.

To better explain our position on language and terminology, here is the introduction to the Glossary, written by DisCONaut Timothy McKeon:

It’s shocking that our mainstream societies have been so removed from the concepts of cooperation, collectivity and caring for each other that as soon as we begin to talk about these ideas in any depth, we enter into the often alienating and exclusive realm of jargon. We live in a world in which terms such as “value sovereignty” and “care work” are used and understood by relatively few people, even though they describe concepts that are very basic and human.
This is why education is such an important part of the DisCO Project. We realize that everyone is entering the DisCO with different levels and manifestations of experience and knowledge. However, if we all want to share in the same discussion, it helps to speak the same language. To this end, we’ve put together this glossary to help navigate the sometimes intimidating language used to describe our specific approach to feminist, commons-oriented cooperativism.
Don’t let this new vocabulary scare you – it just describes concepts that you already feel deep inside, concepts that maybe you haven’t found the words for yet. We have coined some of these terms ourselves, but many will be recognized outside of DisCO as well. Take this language and use it well – it will open up new worlds for you.

^[11]

You can find the full glossary here. It is continually being added to and reimagined. Because language, like value (and values), is a living thing, never static, never dead.

The DisCO.coop Terminology Lowdown

Beyond the glossary, we also want to clarify some of the nomenclature used around DisCO (the project) DisCO.coop (the "brand") and the DisCO Mothership (a DisCO carrying out the DisCO project).

DisCO

DisCO stands for "Distributed Cooperative Organizations", and is the name of the overall project.

If we say "a DisCO", we are talking about a single DisCO LAB (see below). We use DisCOs (plural) when we refer to various separate DisCOs.

DisCO.coop

DisCO.coop is the "brand" name, hashtag and what we use in social media to distinguish us from platforms and mirror balls (although we love those too). It's also our main website domain. We also use DisCO.coop to refer to the DisCO Mothership, although DisCO.coop encompasses more than the Mothership.

DisCO Mothership

The DisCO Mothership is the organization that stewards the development and implementation of DisCO methodology and tools. The DisCO Mothership is a DisCO Non-Profit (or DisCO.NP) and the organization stewarding development and implementation of DisCO methodology and tools. We are in the process of creating the DisCO Foundation. Unlike our cousins in the DAO-space, we think that organizations are built around people not code, which brings us to…

DisCONauts

The DisCONauts, who are the crew of the DisCO Mothership. Meet us here! We are working to develop this unique system of governance, related documentation and other educational materials, and DisCO-related projects. DisCO has a federation protocol, where we recommend that any particular DisCO should not exceed 20 members. At present we are 16, and will soon be adding several team members. We're cautious and selective because joining this crew is a commitment that needs to be well understood. In the meantime, we collaborate with people in our close orbit, whom we call the DisCO Satellites of Love. These include past or current collaborators, board members, etc., and can be found here.

DisCO LABS

DisCO LABS are the individual DisCOs. Every single DisCO is a DisCO LAB, including the DisCO Mothership. There are no hierarchical relations between the Mothership and the other DisCO LABs, we operate heterarchically. The main difference is that the DisCO Mothership is a DisCO Non-Profit that spends 100% of its time creating resources for DisCO generally. Currently active DisCO LABs are showcased here. Other organizations wanting to become a LAB are listed here. The other Labs are DisCO Cooperatives and spend most of their time creating goods and services for their communities, and DisCO is just one part of their mission and/or development plan. TLDR, it's part of who the LABs are, but not what they mainly do.

DisCO Nodes

DisCO Nodes are individual, but related "sub-DisCOs" that operate under a shared umbrella, or "Mother" DisCO. Nodes may overlap in terms of members, value accounting, mutual support, etc. For example, in Guerrilla Media Collective, there is a translation and copyediting node, a graphic design node and an “agitprop” node (a historical political term which we use lightly to encompass various forms of outreach); Cooperation Jackson has nodes for Economic Democracy and Development, Sustainable Communities and Community Production.

The DisCO Project

The DisCO Project is the journey the DisCONauts have embarked on, going boldly beyond and all that jazz. The project entails many relationships and partnerships and has been conceived as a series of modular DisCO Blocks. You can read about the project and its many components on the DisCO Project Matrix page. The project was initially plotted as an initial 4-5 year development phase. If you want to help us achieve this, please support us.

The DisCO CAT

The DisCO CAT stands for Community Algorithmic Trust. It is also DisCO's mascot and the enigmatic author of the DisCO Beat Newsletter and the voice behind DisCO's social media channel. In its algorithmic existence, DisCO CAT refers to all the cultural and structural components of the DisCO Project. All components are modular, concurrent and in Perpetual Beta.

Trust is used in two senses here: first, as a description of a legal entity that holds the ability to maintain tangible functions like contracts and agreements, and more intangible ones like commonly held values. Secondly, “trust” is used in the sense of the ability for team members to operate with a specific relationship to one another, according to defined principles and common goals. To build this trust, in both senses, we need to develop and test systems, platforms, software, research and experiments. Our related mission is to spread the word and teach people the magic of DisCO. We’ve organized all of this work into four pun-filled CATegories:

The DisCO FLOOR: Our educational web platform. The DisCO FLOOR houses educational resources for cooperators to set up DisCOs anywhere. On the DisCO FLOOR you will find MOOC courses, a reference handbook and wiki, articles, audio and video content, and much more.
The DisCO DECK: Our value tracking platform. The DisCO DECK is the interface and back end of the DisCO CAT. This will be a user-friendly, accessible online tool featuring value tracking, accounting, and other tools to support DisCO operations.
The DisCO STACK: Our collaborative online tools. The DisCO STACK will be a toolkit of Free/Libre Open Source Software platforms to help people work together using the DisCO Methodology and resources.
The DisCO EXPERIENCE: Our research and pilot program. The DisCO FLOOR and DisCO DECK will be developed based on the experiences, data and input of real cooperatives. The resulting case studies plus the mentorship that these pilots will receive make up the immersive DisCO EXPERIENCE.

The DisCO CAT's legs are starting to grow; development in all four of the components is underway. Some components (such as the DisCO Floor and Experience) are further along. As above, a fuller description of each of these can be found in the DisCO Project Matrix page.

Precedents to the DisCO Governance Model

Like anything else in life, this model didn't arise out of nowhere but is the result of many influences, distilled down to the current DisCO Governance Model.

The Open Enterprise Governance Model

The DisCO Governance Model and its various applications are a substantially developed fork of the Better Means Open Enterprise Governance Model (OEGM). The adaptations have been made to:

Bypass the original model’s start-up/for-profit orientation
Address the needs and ideals of
Benefit a variety of entities self-sustain their social vision while addressing their specific requirements and allow for future modifications.
Shift the focus from technical, protocol-based solutions to relations, trust and care work.

For more influences, see the next section.

From Platform to Open Cooperativism to DisCO

Apart from the Better Means Governance Model, explained above, DisCO has a rich lineage, going from traditional cooperatives, Platform Cooperatives, Open Cooperatives and, with the addition of Feminist Economics, Open Value Accounting and Distributed Ledger Technologies.

Here is a brief explanation of each of these cooperative movements, with links to additional resources:

Cooperatives

A cooperative (or coop/co-op) is any self-governed organization or business in which members focus on mutual assistance while working towards a common goal in everyone’s best interest. Read What is a Cooperative? on the International Cooperative Alliance's (ICA) website for a short introduction.

Platform Cooperatives

Platform Cooperatives seek to democratize the ownership and governance of the digital platforms that increasingly mediate our daily lives. Check out the Platform Cooperativism Consortium's website for abundant resources on Platform Cooperativism.

Open Cooperativism

Open Cooperativism, or "Open Coops" is an approach towards working together that aims for the democratization of ownership and governance, while focusing on the production of commons. Open Coops arose simultaneously with Platform Cooperativism in 2014. Read From Platform to Open Cooperativism to check out the differences and commonalities between Platform and Open Coops or this shorter explanation, which includes infographics and a TLDR.

Open Coops are the precursor to DisCO. DisCO evolves on the initial premises of Open Cooperativism by re-conceptualizing Open Coop's four original principles and adding new, explicit principles on Feminist Economics, Open Value and Federation.

You can read more on the Seven DisCO Principles in Chapter 3 of the DisCO Elements or this wiki's entry on DisCO in 7 Principles and 11 Values. You can also jump to an abbreviated summary of the Principles in this section of the Mothership Governance Model.

DisCOs are not necessarily better than their precursors. They, more specifically, focus on social and environmental outcomes from a feminist, decolonial and post-capitalist point of view. On the one hand, DisCO gathers the best of the three preceding movements. On the downside, DisCOs are also more complex in the initial stages, although once their learning curve has been overcome, we'd argue that they function more smoothly and are more resilient organizations. Here are the main differences:

In summary all DisCOs are "classic" cooperatives, Platform Cooperatives and Open Cooperatives, but not all classic, platform or open coops are DisCOs. (Come join us!PLACEHOLDER FOR LINK IN DISCO.COOP). The DisCO model has very specific design features and constraints to favor certain (feminist, commons-oriented) outcomes. We will delve into these features in the following sections.

From Guerrilla Translation/Media Collective to DisCO

At the top of this Overview section we clarified that version 3.5 of this Governance Model is a fork of Guerrilla Media Collective's 3.0 version of the model, oriented towards Worker-Owned coops. Version 3.0 was mostly developed in 2018 based on the influences listed above. This gradually morphed into DisCO during the autumn of 2018. This transition from Open Cooperativism, to GMC's governance model, is documented in a series of articles that can be found in this section of the 3.0 Governance model: Version History and Related Resources.

For a layperson's overview of the 2018 developments on the governance model, read Elegance: How Guerrilla Translation reimagined itself for Open Cooperativism, an article on Guerrilla Media Collective/Translation's 2018 workshop where versions 2 and 2.5 of the model were prototyped, leading to version 3.5.

As already mentioned, all changes between version 3.0 (The Guerrilla Media Collective Model) and version 3.5 (The DisCO MOTHERSHIP/DisCO.NP Model) are tracked in the DisCO Governance Model Version Changes entry ongoing.

Other Notable Influences in the DisCO DNA

DisCOs' main influences are described in Groove is in the Heart: the DisCO Elements chapter 2: DisCO in a Nutshell. From the text:

DisCOs are a cultural and structural framework that combines influences from other forms and movements into a practical toolkit. The framework is based on existing, disruptive economic alternatives normally absent from the blockchain space. They are:
‍

The Commons and P2P: Self-organized systems stewarding resources to meet human needs while leveraging the power of networks. ^[12]‍

Open Cooperativism: Combining Open Source and Commons principles with those of the cooperative and social solidarity movements.^[13] ‍

Open Value Accounting: Enables value sovereignty by rewarding meaningful contributions to projects, rather than wage labor.^[14]‍

Feminist Economics: Challenges normative economic abstractions while factoring reproductive and care work.^[15]

These influences, together with a strong focus on accessibility and social and economic justice, provide DisCOs with vastly different affordances to other available alternatives such as Decentralized Autonomous Organisations or DAOS.

DisCO has also been strongly influenced by 15 M and Occupy, the Zapatista Movement, David Bollier and Silke Helfrich's Free Fair and Alive, Decoloniality, Decolonial and Intersectional Feminisms, our past work at the P2P Foundation ^[16], Telekommunisten's work on the Venture Commune; Kevin Carson's work on peer to peer post-capitalism, Silvia Federici's work on commons and feminism, the work of Donna Haraway, Parecon, Ursula Huws, and the P2P Lab Research Collective, Punk Rock and Discorniadism, among many others.

To access all these influences and more, check out the following entries:

DisCO in Seven Principles and Eleven Values

As mentioned in the section on Open Coops above, DisCO evolves on the initial premises of Open Cooperativism by re-conceptualizing Open Coop's four original principles and adding new, explicit principles on Feminist Economics, Open Value Accounting and Federation.

This evolution is codified in the 7 DisCO Principles and 11 Values. Starting with the 7 Principles, the following infographic and PDF text on the DisCO Principles are extracted from The DisCO Elements.

Click here to download an illustrated PDF on the 7 DisCO Principles. The texts on the PDF, as well as the DisCO in 7 Principles and 11 Values wiki entry, expand on the extract below with fuller explanations and practical examples.

DisCO adds seven additional principles to the original seven cooperative principles in order to reunite cooperativism with its commons origins and better prepare it for technological futures. Apart from the OG principles, the Seven DisCO Principles also intersect with other radical patterns of organization, such as Elinor Ostrom’s 8 design principles for successful commons and the 12 Permaculture principles. The uniqueness of the DisCO Principles is that they serve as guidelines for tech-savvy (but not techno deterministic or tech-dependent), highly efficient and socially and environmentally oriented organizations.

The 7 DisCO Principles

Building on the groundwork laid by movements such as Platform and Open Cooperativism], the DisCO LABS follow these principles. The principles are guidelines and each DisCO is tasked with interpreting them through Worldmaking. This means that the principles are pattern solutions to recurring problems. DisCO LABS need to adapt them to fit their own specific circumstances. Each principle title will take you to a fuller explanation of the principle:^[17]

1: Put your effort where your heart is: values-based accountability

In DisCOs, production is guided not by profit but by social and environmental priorities.

2: Building whole-community governance

DisCO extends decision making and ownership to all contributors whether present in all value chains or affected by the coop’s actions.

3: Active creators of commons

New digital (code, design, documentation and best practices) and physical (productive and deliberation spaces, machinery) commons are created through various types of work.

4: Rebalancing the scale: rethinking global/local economics

Physical production is kept local while knowledge, resources and values are shared globally with other DisCOs.

5: Care work is the core

DisCOs are living entities reflecting the values of their members who need care and attention to maintain their health and the well-being of the persons working there.

6: Reimagining the origin and flows of value

Three types of value — market value, commons-creating value, and care work value — are tracked through complementary metrics.

7: Primed for federation

DisCOs replicate through a standard federation protocol that allows critical mass without regimenting all parts.

The 11 DisCO Values

The following section is, again, extracted from chapter 3 of the DisCO Elements: Principles and Values: DisCO 7-11. For more details on the 11 Values, please visit our entry on the 11 Values.

Complementary to the 7 principles, DisCOs also introduce 11 key values which, taken together, provide the framework to tackle the present challenges posed by the Covid crisis. Based on our experience, DisCOs are:
‍Balanced in culture and structure: Striking a balance between the off-chain (human) and on-chain (technological) dimensions.

‍Inclusive, relatable and educational: Prioritizing accessibility and ongoing self-development and mutual support.

‍Non-speculative or deterministic: Creating an emergent roadmap, determined by the communities that form the federation and focused on well-being and socio-environmental priorities.

‍Multilayered/holonic: Interdependent and transparent value flows. Exchanges are geared toward consensual solidarity, network resilience and mutual support.

‍Modular — but not prescriptive: Designing for economic interoperability with complementary frameworks, such as traditional and Platform Coops or the Social Solidarity Economy.

‍DLT-enabled, but not dependent: Distributed ledger and blockchain tech facilitates human to human interactions, but never pre-determine them.

‍Online or offline? Onlife! Maximizing trust, holding space for the affective dimension and putting life at the center of our economics in both digital and corporeal spaces.

‍Copyfair-Licensed: Allowing cooperatives and solidarity-based collectives (but not shareholder-profit oriented entities) to capitalize on our commons.

‍Have viable, ethical business models: Creating frameworks for economic counterpower with a strict loyalty to our pro-social guidelines.

‍Political: Prototyping post-capitalist practice-based alternatives that challenge the patriarchy, colonialism and the status quo.

Fun or bust! Offering engaging and enjoyable spaces to fulfill a social mission, but never disregarding humor.

The DisCO Applications Program

This Governance Model is part of the DisCO Applications Program.^[18] This is the umbrella term for forks of the original cooperative and Social Solidarity Economy (SSE) oriented version of the DisCO Governance Model.

The DisCO Applications Program includes DisCO Governance Model templates for:

DisCO4Coops: This is the original DisCO Governance model developed through Guerrilla Media Collective Worker-Owned Coops, Social and Solidarity Economy enterprises and mission-oriented SMEs
DiSCO.NPs for Non Profits in general and Worker Self-Directed Nonprofits in particular.
DisCO.Phi for Philanthropic Organizations
DisCO.ground for Housing Cooperatives and Community Land Trusts
DisCO.Makes for Maker Spaces and Community Centers
DisCO.Unbundle for Non-cooperatives and corporations to transition to the DisCO Model.

As mentioned before, the model you are reading is version 3.5, aimed at Non-profits.

Distributed Cooperative Organization (DisCO) Governance Model V 3.5 TL - DR

IMPORTANT. MOST OF THE POINTS IN THE TL/DR NEED TO BE LINKED TO AS-YET UNWRITTEN OR ADAPTED SECTIONS OF THE GOV MODEL. IN-DOCUMENT LINKS WILL NEED TO BE ADDED TO THIS TLDR. The present links need to be reviewed and modified once the bulk of the text is consented upon

This TLDR is a bare-bones version of the main characteristics of this governance model. It is also applicable to other DisCO Applications.

The only difference is the main source of capital for value distribution: When capital is mainly sourced from the provision of goods and services, we are talking about a DisCO Cooperative, Social Solidarity Economy entity or SME ( DisCO4coops). When capital is mainly sourced from philanthropic, public or crypto grants and agreements, we are talking about a DisCO NonProfit (DisCO.NP).^[19]

In any case, the only divergences are limited to points 4.1 and 4.2 below. Otherwise the TLDRs for DisCO4Coops and DisCO.NPs are identical.

Here are the model's main characteristics, which can be applied as a bare-bones formula for other feminist and commons-oriented non-profits:

All DisCOs exist to fulfill a well-defined social-environmental vision and care for its members and surrounding communities. A DisCO.NP has also a non-profit nature and the role of steward of their chosen mission.
The DisCO.NP attracts, receives and manages Fluid Funding to perform its work and achieve its socially-oriented mission.
There are four levels of participation: Casual (unpaid community contributions), DisCOlarships (partial onboarding), Dating (exhaustive onboarding, partly paid) and Committed (fully paid)
In a DisCO.NP three types of work are performed to fulfill this mission
1. Funded non-profit work and deliverables: set in collaboration with funders/donors and extended community members. AKA " Livelihood work"
2. Unfunded non-profit work and objectives: set by the DisCO.NP members (DisCONauts). AKA " Lovework"
3. The work of caring for the health of collective: procedures to fulfill the socio-environmental mission (including administrative work) and care for its members (including mutual support, well-being and celebration). Both facets are known as Care or "Reproductive" work
The three types of work are value tracked to reward contributions accordingly. This value is paid out on a monthly basis as members' salaries, and is based on predetermined monthly liquidity ^[20], derived from Fluid Funding, Community Contributions and other potential sources of income. The following ratios are orientative and may vary based on member agreements:
1. Livelihood work represents 75% of each member's monthly share.
2. Lovework represents 25% of each member's monthly share.
3. Carework acts as a dynamic modifier for the final monthly allocation. When members each do the same overall amount of carework, the Live and Love ratios remain unvaried. When there are imbalances they are compensated, with the members who've done the least care work compensating those who've done the most.
All DisCO.NPs are living systems, shaped by their members' values and need to care for each other. Their development is based on ongoing dialogue, consent and the feminist, cooperative, peer to peer and commons-oriented ethos reflected in the Seven DisCO Principles and Eleven Values

There is a slightly longer DisCO NP Pattern Process complementary to this at the end of the document. The Pattern Process is a more thorough specification or protocol of the main adaptive patterns of a DisCO.NP. Jump to the DisCO.NP Pattern Process here.

Roles and Responsibilities

There are various levels of engagements within a DisCO Non-Profit. These correspond to the reality of our practical example for illustrating the model, the DisCO Mothership.

DisCO.NPs and DisCOs, in general, have been designed to be as porous as possible with the main distinction being "casual" and "committed" relationships (think of dating).

These terms illustrate two poles for any given person wishing to engage with a DisCO. They signify the start and endpoints on a spectrum of Relationality with casual being the least involved and committed the most. This spectrum also includes increasing levels of responsibility. Responsibility in a DisCO is understood as the inherent "Gift and Responsibility" of any mature Commons. Read more about Gift and Responsibility in DisCOs.

There are two additional "bridging states" between the Casual/Committed poles, which we will also discuss.

Here is a basic overview of what these terms mean and how they relate in a DisCO.NP. These will be outlined in more detail further on:

Casual vs Committed DisCO Relationships at a Glance

Casual Relationships

Casual Relationships function more like commons-based peer production projects, such as Wikipedia, Firefox, GIMP or the VLC video player. Contributors add value to the DisCO.NP through permissionless contributions, which are validated after the fact (post-hoc). In the case of the DisCO Mothership, those contributions involve creating accessible cultural, legal and technological resources to build more DisCOs.

Everybody is welcome to become a contributor, but contributions will only be incorporated into the DisCO.NP's knowledge base through committed team members' approval.

Additionally, paid work in the non-profit is not offered to casual contributors, and pro-bono work doesn't yield payments. The latter is always accounted for, as casual members may choose to become committed members in time.

Beyond Contributors, there is another type of casual relationship with a lesser level of responsibility: Supporters.

Committed Relationships

Committed Relationships work more like a traditional Commons, with clearly established boundaries, governance protocols and accountability mechanisms.

A committed relationship is also akin to a worker-owned cooperative: an initial investment is expected, the members look after each other, and depend on shared trust among themselves.

Committed members are de facto worker-owners and main stakeholders of a DisCO.NP (full-time) while assuming the responsibility of maintaining the pro-bono/commons-producing side. In the DisCO Mothership, the committed members are called "DisCONAUTs". ^[21]

DisCOLarships and DisCO Dating (moving from Casual to Committed)

There are two ways a potential DisCONaut can move from Casual to Committed:

1 DisCOLarships: Where individuals regularly "visit" the DisCO.NP to learn about DisCO culture and structure in the real world, get to know the people, etc. There are minimal responsibilities and the DisCOLar is free to start their own DisCO afterward or join the same DisCO they have trained in.

2 The DisCO Dating Phase: Where potential members make a firm commitment to go through the DisCO.NP's mentoring and training program in order to become committed members or DisCONauts. There are considerable, consented-upon responsibilities on the part of the DisCO Dating Member and the DisCO-NP itself during this process.

These are not necessarily separate processes: A DisCOLarship may evolve into a DisCO Dating Phase. This will depend on the DisCO.NP's needs and its members' availability. ^[22]

Likewise, persons who haven't gone through a DisCOLarship may be invited to undertake the DisCO Dating Phase directly. Of course, someone who has been through a DisCOLarship will then find the Dating Phase easier and faster to complete successfully, but it is not a requirement.

AMU EDITED UP TO HERE

The DisCO Journey

To recap:

We have distinguished two main states: Casual and Committed.
"Casual" means little responsibility. These are no-strings-attached relationships for mutual benefit.
- There are two types of Casual Relationship: Supporters (Very casual interactions) and Contributors (More active interactions and actual contributions to the DisCO.NP and its mission).
"Committed" signifies a stated commitment of responsibility to the DisCO.NP and its members.
Those wanting to progress from Casual to Committed have two options:
- DisCOLarships (practical DisCO training with no firm expectation of joining the DisCO).
- DisCO Dating: Intense mentoring program for applicants to join the DisCO in which they are being mentored.

This one possible DisCO Journey. In others people may remain in one circle, or go through a DisCOlarship and start their own separate DisCO, etc.

As mentioned before, these types of membership reflect increasing stages of relationality and responsibility.

The further along the path to committed membership, the closer the relationality within, and care work towards, the DisCO and its members. Responsibilities increase, as do rewards.

Let's take a closer look at each stage in this journey.

Supporters

Supporters involve casual relationships with minimal responsibilities

People who want to engage with the DisCO but are not interested or suited for its Livelihood, Love or Care work value streams are referred to as “Supporters”. A Supporter helps ensure that the DisCO succeeds in accomplishing its mission while remaining true to its values.

What do supporters do?

Supporter contributions can include, but are not limited to:

Evangelizing about the DisCO.NP (e.g., sharing its work on social media, word-of-mouth awareness-raising, etc.)
Providing feedback: informing the collective of strengths and weaknesses from a new perspective. This can help keep the DisCO.NP accountable to its mission and values.
Providing moral support, including simple acknowledgment (a little ‘thank you / nice work’ goes a long way).
Participating in open discussions: commenting on ongoing work and in forums.
Help the DisCO:NP secure Fluid Funding or for paid consultancy work: Supporters could identify potential funding sources coherent with the DisCO:NP's values and provide introductions.
Providing earned income: Any individual or entity who contracts the DisCO.NP for paid consulting work is also considered a supporter.
Supporting the DisCO.NP monetarily: This includes all non-funded or consultancy income which could include donations, subscriptions (eg. Open Collective, Web Monetization) material support, etc.

Supporters can, for example, engage with the DisCO Mothership through email or social media, but preferably through an open Loomio group or Community Calls for that purpose. In time, strategies can be studied to use Loomio groups for polls, etc.

This follows a general pattern of ensuring that the Committed/Commons-stewardship side has sufficient momentum and resiliency. Once achieved, more resources could be allocated to the Casual/Commons-based peer production side.

What are a Supporter's responsibilities to the DisCO.NP and vice versa?

Supporters have no real responsibilities toward the DisCO, with the exception of avoiding misattribution or misrepresentation of DisCO's materials. If you are a DisCO supporter and have any doubts about misattribution or misrepresentation, please contact us.

What do Supporters get out of their relationship with the DisCO.NP?

Honestly, that is for the supporters to decide. Having been supporters of other initiatives ourselves, we'd say that these could include the sense of contributing to a cool project, passing on valuable information, intellectual and/or emotional engagement, building a community or network, etc.

What does a DisCO.NP or, in this case, the DisCO Mothership get out of this support? We don't view this as transactional, we deeply value and honor this support as gifted towards our mission. It also provides us with additional perspectives and valuable relationships.

Contributors

Contributors are people who devote part of their time to create shared resources (or commons) in line with the DisCO.NP's mission.

All DisCOs are interconnected as part of THE DisCO. This is the network created by all existing DisCOs planet-wide, whether they relate economically or not. Individual DisCOs can connect directly with each other as part of DisCOVerses, which are specific DisCO Federations working together.

This level of interconnection means that anyone who's part of any individual DisCO, no matter the type of DisCO Application, is contributing to the overall DisCO mission, and these contributions may be direct or indirect. From this point on, we will discuss direct contributions to an individual DisCO.NP

What do Contributors do?

Following our example of the DisCO Mothership, a contributor assists any of the DisCO.NP's Working Circles to fulfill their mission.^[23] For example, imagine an artist who decides to create some artwork for DisCO.coop's Stories section. Or, after a call for contributions, a group of persons decide to help with coding the DisCO Deck.

Another example: Someone within the DisCO Mothership writes an article for DisCO.coop. The article needs academic references and copyediting, but the Research and Storytelling and Documentation Circles are not available to carry out these tasks. Colleague researchers and copyeditors are contacted and they carry out these tasks which, again, add to DisCO.coop's commons.

All of these are considered Casual Contributions. These help fulfill the DisCO NP's mission, but they are not undertaken by its members (whether Committed, Dating, etc) but by outside peers.

The key here is that the people in question are qualified professionals or people with demonstrable skills to contribute in any of these areas (Artwork, code, research, copyediting). As care work is the core, we'd also want these individuals to have an existing, ongoing relationship with the DisCO.NP.

Using the DisCO Mothership as an example, its also possible that Contributors may not have any interest in joining the Mothership (or the Mothership cannot host them as DisCOlars or DisCO Dating Members at the time). Every relationship is not only unique, but constantly evolving.

What are a contributor's responsibilities to the DisCO.NP and vice versa?

Not many. In fact they are the same as the minimal responsibilities asked of Supporters: to avoid misattribution and misrepresentation of the DisCO.NPs and its materials.

The DisCO.NP, however, is not in any way obliged to accept the contribution. Using two of the examples above, if the contributed artwork or code isn't up to standard, the DisCO.NP will not use it. Quality Control and Post-Hoc evaluation is very important in DisCO — if we are to provide viable alternatives to the mainstream economy, we need to ensure we do stuff right, according to the individual criteria of each DisCO LAB.^[24]

Applying the dating metaphor, if "we’re really not made for each other", we'll move on with no hard feelings. Casual relationships are consent-based and depend on clear communication.

A casual contributor doesn't really have to do anything for the DisCO.NP, in terms of building our support structure and using the DisCO's workflow tools, for instance. Contributors can get in touch whenever they feel like it and vice versa. The bulk of the carework for the collective, including all admin and project management tasks, is undertaken by the DisCONauts.

Contributors and Credits

Contributors must know that they don't have priority over Committed or Dating members of the DisCO.NP, and that they won't be compensated (whether immediately or ever) for any of their contributions.

This is important: contributors are not paid, they are value tracked. The DisCO.NP may contract services when lacking the capacity - See Undercapacity and contracting outside the DisCO.NP. The DisCO.NP may also choose to engange with other DisCOs in work relationships and value transactions - see DisCOverses and Intra-DisCO Value Flows.

A casual relationship is based on a respectful coincidence of wants and needs. The DisCO.NP will, however, ask the contributor to roughly value their contribution. (If you want to know why straight away, jump to this subsection).

For casual relationships, we don't expect the level of value-tracking explained in the Value Tracking section below. In a worker-owned DisCO cooperative, such as Guerrilla Translation^[25] or, indeed, any DisCO coop providing goods and services, it is much easier to record contributions according to grade and measure. If you're not familiar with those terms, it basically means "quantity and quality". These factors are often determined by the DisCO Cooperative's pricing structure. In the Guerrilla Translation/Media Collective model, for example, grade and measure are determined through wordcount.

DisCO.NPs however are different animals. Non-profit work is not as easy to quantify as cooperative or SME work. With the exception of consultancy work, there are no prices or goods and services to be offered. DisCO.NPs like the DisCO Mothership use Time Tracking. This is an involved procedure necessarily requiring extensive Mentoring and a level of involvement beyond what is expected out of a casual relationship. This is why casual contributions are measured roughly in conjunction with the contributors.

Based on the four examples given above, this is what this could look like:

Asking the artist how much they would charge a client for such an artwork, or the time it took to produce.
Asking the coders how many lines of code they contributed and how long it took them
Similar criteria applies to researchers and copyeditors.

All these inquiries are based on simple conversations and common sense. Once we agree on the rough value, the members of the DisCO.NP track casual contributions in the DisCO DECK, our value tracking program.

Why do we track the value of casual contributions?

It has to do with DisCO Principle 5: Care work is the core. This reflects our commitment to making invisible work tangible and an integral part of our conversations about how we use our time and productive energies. This information,even in rough form, can serve several purposes:

If the Casual Contributor is selected for a DisCOLarship or invited to join the DisCO.NP through a Dating Phase, their credits will be accounted for and, in the case of becoming a Committed Member, divested (these terms are further explained in this section: Ways to Account for Work).
If the Casual Contributor decides to start their own DisCO, their tracked contributions can be transferred via DisCO Ley Lines and converted into invested historical credits.
This information helps us track the size and share of THE DisCO's economic dimensions.

In general, casual contributions can be seen as roughly latent value which can be articulated at a later date (or not), all individual case dependent.

How are casual contributions tracked?

It is important to highlight that all work offered by contributors, will be valued as Invested Love Credits. These terms are thoroughly explained in the Value Tracking section. For now you may directly jump to the sections on ways to account for work and types of credit for full definitions of these terms. Simply put:

No work is paid, although shares are accrued
All value-tracked contributions are considered Lovework and tallied in Love Credits by default
All value-tracked contributions are considered as Historical and Invested credits by default

What do Contributors get out of their relationship with the DisCO.NP?

If the contribution is up to the DisCO.NP's quality standards and keeps to the DisCO Principles it will be included as part of its commons.

Coming back to the example of the artwork contribution shared earlier,the following things could happen:

The art is now included in DisCO.coop's stories section and featured in its social media channels.
Contributors don’t have to worry about learning the DisCO's practices as a Commons or undertaking any of its ongoing requirements.
If a Contributor is offered a DisCOlarship, or to go through the Dating Phase to become a committed DisCONaut, both parties will be ready to take the next steps. In the case of the DisCO Mothership, the members will have already determined whether the Contributor's art and/or design work is up to standards, so no further testing will be necessary, although a call should be set up to explain what a DisCOlarship and Dating Phase entails (please jump to those specific sections for more details). Any published work is already valued for eventual Love Credit compensation, once (or if) the contributor has joined.
After an honest conversation about what it means to be in a DisCOlarship or committed relationship role, if there isn't an agreement, there's no relationship. As stated above, casual relationships (like any others) must be based on consent, and obviously you can’t force anyone into a relationship. Contributors clearly have the same right to tell the DisCO.NP that they’re not interested, too.

In other DisCOs, contributors can help with whatever productive work is taken by the particular DisCO. So, for example, in a worker-owned DisCO community garden, contributors could drop in to help with the gardening when convenient and that value will be tracked for future inclusion, should they want to become dating members and, eventually, committed.

In a DisCO.NP dedicated to creating mesh networks for community WiFi, the contributors can help set up the infrastructure for their own Internet connections and, having learned in the process, can apply that knowledge (and attendant credits) toward future work in that particular DisCO.NP.

DisCOLarships

DisCOlarship are a practical way to learn DisCO culture and DisCO structure by doing.

A DisCOlarship involves regular "visits" to a DisCO to learn its practices and get to know DisCONauts in the real world.

Responsibilities are very basic and DisCOLars are free to start their own DisCO afterward, join an existing DisCO or the same DisCO they have trained in.

DisCOlarships can also be an opportunity for researchers to undertake Participatory Action Research or PAR on DisCO, as well as apractical showcase of the DisCO methodology to anyone interested in community and alternative economies.

Much like Contributors, DisCOlarships are based on explicit mutual agreements and clear expectations. In many cases, the DisCOlar will finish the agreed period of the DisCOlarship taking those learnings to create other DisCOs. In other cases DisCOlarships can be used as a temperature check when there is a desire and need from both parts to work together or go through the more involved DisCO Dating Phase.

Whether the destination is the hosting DisCO or a separate DisCO altogether, the DisCOLar will already be substantially more familiar with DisCO cultures and structures, allowing them to progress through a Dating Phase much more rapidly.

Like other Casual DisCO relationships, DisCOLarships are exclusively value tracked in Invested Love credits which can then be ported over to other DisCOs. If you are reading the model sequentially, you may want to visit the sections below on Ways to Account for Work, Types of Work and Types of Credits and DisCO Ley Lines for more detailed information about each of these three aspects.

DisCOlarships are one way to advanced from a Casual to Committed DisCO relation. As such, they are considered a Casual Relationship leaning towards committed relationships with DisCOs in general (if not to the particular DisCO hosting the DisCOlarship).

The next step up in the DisCO Journey is DisCO Dating. DisCO Dating is a commitment unto itself with the explicit expectation of achieving Committed Relationships.

What happens in the DisCOlarship?

Whether it's a DisCO worker-coop, DisCO.NP or any other type of DisCO application, DisCOlarships are announced by the hosting DisCO through its social media channels, newsletters or community calls. Before entering into DisCOlarship, the hosting DisCO needs to ensure it has the human and conceptual capacity.^[26]

A DisCOlarship program needs to be carefully designed by the hosting DisCO and shared with the candidate in order to reach clear agreements and a supporting Commitment Statement. This program could include:

The total length of the DisCOlarship
Its Community Rhythms (and weekly commitment in hours)
Areas of work to be developed and its attendant Working Circles
Value Tracking
Specific DisCO Blocks the DisCOlar will be mentored on
Ratio of mentoring vs. Lovework undertaken
Practical, measurable milestones
Next steps once the DisCOlarship is concluded

To give a practical example: The DisCO.NP puts a call for a DisCOLarship, principally hosted by the TECH Working Circle. Given that it's a tech position, candidates will need to have demonstrable experience and skill in this area. The public call will detail many of the points described above. Several persons express interest, sending résumés and work samples. The DisCO NP will then interview and evaluate candidates before making selection(s). ^[27].

The participating DisCONauts and the DisCOLar then work out the details about hours, focus, credits etc., which are documented through a specific DisCOLarship Commitment Statement signed by both parties. This will serve as a informal contract to clarify shared expectations and workflow.

Once this is clarified, the DisCOlarship begins. Likely scenarios can include:

The DisCOlar learning the tools and methodologies of the DisCO (AKA: The DisCO Blocks)
Sitting in on mentoring and community calls
The DisCOlar helping complete an existing project, or carrying out a project of their own
The DisCOLar learning protocols for specific tasks and carrying them out
The DisCOLar developing a Proto DisCO with the help of the DisCONAuts
Personalized weekly calls for specific mentoring, follow through and assistance

Ultimately all of these aspects need to be agreed on by DisCOlar and DisCONauts. Note that, unlike a DisCO Dating Phase, a DisCOlarship is not an intensive educational program.

What are a DisCOlar's responsibilities to the collective and vice versa?

As noted above, the most important responsibility is clarity: of intention, expectations and commitment. Both DisCOLars and hosting DisCO need to be very clear from the beginning and continually evaluate progress.

The rest is common sense: DisCOlars are expected to show up, be punctual and follow through with whatever work has been agreed to. This also applies to the DisCONauts taking care of the DisCOLar.

As DisCOLarships are only initiated after a program has been co-developed, it is then a matter of following the program within the expected timeline. These programs are expected to evolve and diverge in the field, but all deviations from the original agreement need to be consented on and documented.

DisCOlars will be encouraged to document their progress and add to the DisCO.NP's resources and outputs^[28] but, as with Contributors, if the DisCOLar's work is not up to the standards of the DisCO.NP, the latter is in no way obliged to accept it.

DisCOLars will gain an overview of the hosting DisCO.NP's tools and methodologies. DisCOLars are not expected to self-manage their work and practice mutual coordination, as DisCONauts do. Instead, they are accompanied by their DisCOlarship mentors. All DisCOlarship-related project management is managed by DisCONauts, leaving the DisCOrlars free to learn what they're interested in and carry out the work they've agreed to.

Finally, DisCOlars and mentoring DisCONauts, need to agree on a Minimum Viable Toolset, this is basically being very clear about how, where and when to communicate most effectively.

Evaluation and feedback will be shared weekly. Like all DisCO relationships, if a DisCOlarship is not going well and doesn't show rapid signs of improving, DisCOlarship credits will be accounted for and the DisCOlarship will be terminated.

DisCOlarship Credits

Like contributors, DisCOlars have their work value tracked. Similarly, this work is initially considered to be Invested Lovework. You can read more about those terms in this section. For now "invested" means "unpaid" and "Lovework" means "voluntary work".

This however does not have to be the case, as we will see below. Unlike contributors, DisCOlars will perform the bulk of their value tracking themselves, with the assistance of their mentors. While relationships with contributors are mainly no strings attached, DisCOlarships are specifically designed to lead to further DisCO work, whether in the hosting DisCO or another DisCO Application. This means that DisCOlarship value tracking will most likely have a specific "place to go" and, unlike value tracking for contributors, it's not expected to be either latent or unfulfilled.

Value tracking in DisCOlarships follows the same criteria as general DisCO Value Tracking: rules on invested/divested allocation, credit rates and amounts, as well as the love, livelihood care ratios^[29] will be identical to those used by the DisCONauts in the hosting DisCO.NP.

The credits accumulated by a DisCOlar will follow whichever level of time investment and rhythms have been agreed to. For example, in a DisCOlarship with a five hour weekly commitment:

The DisCOlar would value track the hours weekly (always with the help of their mentor). At a rate of 30 credits per hour, five hours a week would accrue 150 credits a week.
Assuming the DisCOlarship lasts approximately three months, at the end of that period, the DisCOlar would have accrued a total of 1800 credits. (20 hours a month, times 3, for a total of 60 hours).
- With the exception of fully sponsored DisCOlarships, these credits are considered Lovework and invested.
On the DisCO NP's side, the person or persons mentoring the DisCOlar would also accrue credits corresponding to the expected 80 hours.
- As mentors may overlap or rotate, value tracking on the DisCO.NP side will reflect this.
- For DisCONauts, mentoring DisCOlars can either be Love (voluntary) or Livelihood (budgeted) work, again depending on whether it's a sponsored scholarship or not.
The DisCOlar learns value tracking week by week. Their mentor will initially perform value tracking on behalf of the DisCOlar, with the latter taking responsibility for their own value tacking as soon as possible. The mentor will oversee the DisCOlars's weekly Value tracking reports.
The DisCOlarship invested credits can then stay in the hosting DisCO or be transferred through DisCO Ley Lines, as we'll see in the next section.

What happens when the DisCOlarship is finished?

Several things can happen at the end of a successfully completed DisCOlarship, which will likely reflect the agreement made at the beginning of the process.

The three scenarios are:

The DisCOlar moves on from the hosting DisCO.NP to join another existing DisCO
The DisCOlar moves on from the hosting DisCO.NP to create a new DisCO
The DisCOlar stays in the hosting DisCO, with their relationship and commitment evolving into a DisCO Dating Phase.

In scenarios 1 and 2, the DisCOlar's credits will be transferred out of the hosting DisCO through DisCO Ley Lines. A DisCO Ley Line is, basically, an agreed-on transfer of invested credits between one DisCO and another.

Using our running example:

In Scenario 1 (joining an existing DisCO which is not the hosting DisCO.NP), the DisCOlar would take their 1800 invested love credits and add them as their shares in the recipient DisCO. The recipient DisCO would then discuss with them what value stream they'd like to receive these credits in (Love/Live/Care) and the rate of divestment.^[30]
In Scenario 2 (creating a new DisCO), the DisCOlar will make explicit agreements on the use and categorization (Love/Live/Care) of those 1800 credits.^[31]

Regarding the 3rd scenario (the DisCOlar starts to "Date" the hosting DisCO), the DisCOlar will already have a considerable jump start into the Dating Phase, and may wish to undertake an evaluation straight away. A post-DisCOlarship Dating Phase is generally expected to take less time than a direct Dating Phase. See the Dating Phase section below for more details. In this scenario, the accrued 1800 credits will be added a) to the person's historical credits and b) to their invested love or care value streams, to be divested in accordance to the DisCO's Dating Phase rules.

The scenarios above assume that all credits accrued during the DisCOlarship are considered to be invested. However, if the DisCOlarship is partially or fully sponsored (see next section), only the historical and invested credits will be transferred, as the divested credits have already been paid out within the hosting DisCO.

The DisCO Dating Phase

The next step up within the organization is becoming a full fledged DisCONaut or DisCO.NP "staff".

Engaging as a DisCOnaut reveals the porous membrane between casual and committed relationships with the collective.

This is very similar to the differences between Commons-based peer production interactions (the proto-mode of production found in Wikipedia and Free Software projects, which is characterized by permissionless contributions and lack of direct compensation) to those of a concrete commons or cooperative (where more face to face or close relationships prevail and rewards and benefits are more directly related to work or shared inputs).^[33]

To become a fully committed DisCO.NP member, with full rights and privileges, prospective members need to go through a process known as “dating”. Divided into three progressive stages, the Dating Phase is characterized by supportive mentoring and increasing levels of engagement, responsibility and reward.

Full-fledged, committed DisCONauts are entrusted with caring for the health of the collective, as well as the health of its members. The Dating Phase ensures that all these considerations are met, allowing prospective DisCOnauts to receive the best hands-on training for the hosting DisCO's areas of work and focus.

As in all DisCOs, remuneration is proportional to the work and sweat equity investment in the collective, and not based on status or unjustified income differentials.^[34] Jump here for a short reminder of what we mean when we speak of Committed Relationships.

Qualifying for the DisCO Dating Phase

Each DisCO.NP will have its own evaluation criteria for proespective dating members, which will vary depending on the NP's mission, values, needs, budget and team composition.

DisCO Dating members can either be:

Proven contributors who have shown commitment to the continued development of the collective
Individuals who have gone through a DisCOlarship
Newcomers who would like to apply directly for membership without going through a "casual" or DisCOlarship phase

In each of these cases it is essential that prospective members have the necessary experience and skillset to cover an existing "gap" or need in the DisCO.NP.

In the DisCO Mothership, for example, onboarding decisions are based on the health of each Working Circle. If any of the working circles are in poor health, or if work in any of these is being outsourced rather than performed in-house, these issues can be addressed through a DisCOlarship or DisCO Dating Phase with a prospective member. Those who do not possess a specific skillset should apply for a DisCOlarship first, and not go straight into a Dating Phase.

The DisCO Mothership, like any DisCO.NP, will not discriminate based on gender, race, sexual orientation, age, ability status and/or neurodivergence. It is important to establish an ideological common ground and "vibe", or feeling that there is a mutually good fit, to avoid misunderstandings or friction in the workplace. DisCOs are co-dependent entities: each committed member shapes the DNA of the DisCO so committed personnel criteria, while fully inclusive, is also necessarily quite selective, as we'll explore below.

Other considerations may include:

Availability
Timezone
Previous relation with THE DisCO (whether through DisCOlarships, work in other DisCO or work in value-aligned cooperatives, non-profits or activist projects).

Ultimately it is up to each DisCO or DisCO.NP to determine what its personnel needs are and convey these as unequivocally as possible to all prospective members.

Before the Dating Phase Starts

Prior to entering into a Dating Phase, the prospective members are required to:

Go through the DisCO.NP's [[#DisCO.NP._Applicant_Evaluation_Criteria_and_Procedures | Applicant Evaluation Criteria and Procedures].]
Write a statement of intent, covering the applicant's interest in DisCO and the hosting DisCO.NP in particular. This statement can include direct references to the aforementioned evaluation criteria, and serve to signal familiarity with the Dating Phase and expectations therein. It's a bit like having some "about me" texts exchanged before meeting for coffee (and to see whether there's chemistry).
Undergo initial tests to determine their capacity to meet the DisCO.NP's productive work requirements ^[35] as well as their suitability for care work.
Have an interview with several Committed DisCOnauts to check suitability and vibe^[36]
Agree to ongoing evaluation and feedback. This is the essence of DisCO dating. The Dating Phase is divided into three time-variable stages where participants need to meet basic responsibilities, as described below.

All these steps are detailed in Joining the DisCO Mothership, a complete guide, detailing the Mothership's applicant evaluation process.

DisCO.NP. Applicant Evaluation Criteria and Procedures

The DisCO Mothership has very direct and explicit requirements, which have been honed through our experiences, both good and bad. We want to convey that Dating is a big investment, both for the Dating member and the DisCO.NP itself.

Like in any relationship, we recommend that you don't date time wasters. A DisCO can be a delicate endeavour and it is essential that you keep yourselves safe to ensure that care work continues apace. You can find the DisCO Motherships requirements in the following Wiki entry:

DisCOnaut Qualifications Requirements and Vibe

Here are some highlights:

Required reading of all introductory DisCO materials
Availability for Love and Care work (not just livelihood/productive-paid work) and a working grasp of this governance model
Signing of Commitment Statement and agreement to enter the Dating Phase
Explicit shared values (anti-racism, feminism, etc.)
The typical stuff you'd be asked for in any normal job (punctuality, accountability, quick learning skills, etc.)
Explicit time and availability commitments
Clarity on payments and compensation
Clarity that vibe trumps all other considerations, meaning, if there's a bad fit evident from things like poor or indirect communication, or evident discomfort with the style and rhythms of the existing group, that usually signals a weird vibe. Weird vibe = no DisCO Dating ^[37].

MODEL CURRENTLY REVISED BY GOV MODEL CREW (AMU) UP TO HERE

Like all of the DisCO Blocks there's no one size fits all solution. All DisCO NPs need to develop, discuss and experiment with their membership criteria to see what works best.

Once a DisCO.NP is clear on its applicant evaluation criteria, it can put out a call for candidates. Prior work in other DisCOs can certainly make certain candidates more attractive than others, but this shouldn't be an impediment for people who are already familiar with and sympathetic to DisCO to learn by working in one. ^[38]

Final Pre-Dating Phase Interview and Q&A

Following from the preceding steps, once the candidate is deemed suitable, it is time to have a follow-up discussion on expectations, the timeline of the Dating Phase and basic, ongoing requirements. These requirements aren't limited to the Dating Phase: they are identical for all DisCONauts and are encoded into the the Commitment Statement all members, whether Dating or fully onboarded, need to sign, as we'll see below.

It is advisable to have a second, more thorough interview prior to signing the Commitment Statement. This "final" interview will fully explore the shape of the dating phase in collaboration with the applicant, while addressing any outstanding questions or doubts. During such a meeting, the applicant and their Mentors would cover the following topics:

Prior self-evaluation of the DisCOnaut Qualifications Requirements and Vibe. The preceding link leads to the specific requirements of the DisCO Mothership, but any DisCO.NP will have their own requirements based on their particular needs. An honest self-evaluation during the call is essential to better prepare the mentors, address the applicant's needs and, ultimately, tailor the program to their strong and weak points. Each of the requirements listed can be scored on a scale of one to ten, recorded, and used used ongoing to evaluate the progress of the Dating Phase
A thorough discussion of applicants' ongoing requirements as a DisCOnaut
The approximate length of each of the three stages of the dating phase, ensuring a full understanding of what each stage requires and the compensation available at each stage
A discussion of the commitment statement, including weekly hours and availability
Questions and concerns

The aim of this final interview is to clear up any doubts and ascertain that there is a mutual understanding. As mentioned earlier, DisCO Dating is a very involved process where both incoming Dating members, their mentors and the DisCO.NP must ensure fair conditions for all, as well as mutually realistic expectations. Once this meeting (and any necessary follow up meeting/s) is over, it is time for the new dating member to sign the Commitment Statement.

The Commitment Statement

All the prior steps are the building blocks of a sustainable, mutually fair Dating Phase. But the Dating Phase only begins with the signing of the DisCO Commitment Statement.

We've mentioned the Commitment State before, in the context of DisCOlarships. It is one of the essential DisCO BLOCKS.

The following is extracted from The DisCO Glossary:

The DisCO Commitment Statement is a document of goals and expectations signed by all Committed Members every three months as part of the collective's quarterly evaluations. Failing to uphold the commitment statement results in graduated sanctions. The document can also serve as a quarterly self-evaluation template members can review to evaluate whether or not they have fulfilled their commitment to the collective.

Highlights of the DisCO Mothership's Commitment Statement include:

Upkeep of the DisCO.NP's accorded Community Rhythms
Clear direct communication and observation of the DisCO.NP's [[Norms_and_Boundaries | norms and boundaries
A focus on continued learning, teaching and helping other member's self-development
Commitment towards several Working Circles in various capacities
Specific requirements on Love and Care work amounts
Balancing self-reliability with asking for help and emotional support when needed

As with the Applicant Evaluation Criteria listed above, each DisCO or DisCO.NP will craft its own Commitment Statement based on its particular needs and circumstances. Commitment Statements are not static, rote documents, made to be signed blindly and filed away. They will organically evolve with each DisCO's experience. They are specifically designed to be revised every three months where, as noted above, they form the basis of each DisCONaut's Quarterly self-evaluation.

Once signed, the Commitment Statements are uploaded to a common folder and form the basis of work for the current quarter.

DisCO Dating Stages

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING. BULLETS BELOW ARE FOR GUIDANCE

Make coincide with Quaterly

Intensive Mentoring

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.BULLETS BELOW ARE FOR GUIDANCE

Kick off with a week of various hours a day
If budget allows and the distances are feasible, invite for in person mentoring
Preferably at Spacecamp

Stage One

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

Stage Two

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

Stage Three

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

Being a DisCONaut

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

The DisCONauts are persons who have successfully completed all stages of the DisCO Dating Phase and have been voted in by all existing Committed Members.

A fully committed relationship with the DisCO.NP balances commons-based responsibilities towards the organization with abundant personal flexibility.

What do DisCONauts do?

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

What are a DisCONaut's responsibilities to the DisCO.NP and vice versa?

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

DisCONaut Ongoing Requirements

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

What do DisCONauts get out of a committed relationship?

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

As this section doesn't go into DisCOnaut credits, link to the section on value tracking etc.

Working in a DisCO.NP

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

DisCO.NP board and Community Algorithmic Trust

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

Care Work

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

Caring for the health of the DisCO.NP

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

Caring for the health of the DisCO.NP's members

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

Mentoring

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

Mutual Support

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

Working Circles

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

Community Rhythms

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

Sabbaticals, Holidays. Sick Leave and Strikes

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

Graduated Sanctions

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

Non Competition Clause

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

Undercapacity and contracting outside the DisCO.NP

When possible, DisCO.NP's can seek to be self sufficient in with the 20 or less person team in attaining their specific missions. When certain tasks, goods or services fall outside the scope of what a particular DisCO.NP is able to do, several options are made available.

In order of preference:

The DisCO.NP will value exchange with another DisCO (in this case most likely a DisCO4Coops) to provide the service. See DisCOverses and Intra-DisCO Value Flows for more
The DisCO.NP may incorporate a DisCOlar who is willing to learn DisCO practices and, at the same time, has the necessary skills to provide that service
The DisCO.NP may put out a call through its community channels for contributors to step forward and offer the service
The DisCO.NP may subcontract the service from: (in order of preference)
- Non DisCO cooperatives and/or Platform Coops or Social Solidarity Economy entities with a social mission similar to that of the DisCO.NP's
- Value aligned freelancers.

In these last two cases, the rates and rewards will not include the "perks" available in Intra-DisCO Value Flows . This will be a simple service provision. In any case, DisCO.NP's ought to direct their budgets toward freelancers doing good work elsewhere and, of course, encourage them to start their own DisCO or network with existing ones.^[39] Hiring freelance labour perpetuates some of the problems DisCO was created to address, so we feel it's important to contact freelancers who are as close to the DisCO spirit as possible.

There are also important "freelancer labour mutuals" which are de-facto cooperatives, such as Smart.coop, whose mission includes upholding the rights of the precariat to attain dignified livelihoods and social protections. Whenever possible, DisCO.NP's should draw services from such mutuals, rather than "solo agents". Arguments against hiring freelancers are also listed in the prior version of this Governance Model in the context of Guerrilla Media Collective.

One way to determine which regular coops or freelancers to work with is by evaluating or directly asking how many of the DisCO principles they fulfill, even if only partly. You'll be surprised how commonplace some of the principles are.

If there are ongoing relationships with freelancers, the DisCO.NP may choose to highlight their work. In the DisCO Mothership we feature some of the people we've worked with but aren't part of the Mothership Crew in the DisCO Satellites of Love Page. More info about the Satellites of Love in the section below.

DisCO Satellites of Love

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

DisCOverses Intra-DisCO Value Flows

"DisCOverses" are specific DisCO Federations working together. From our glossary definition of DisCOVerses:

Within the overarching concept of THE DisCO, individual DisCOs can network together into DisCO Federations. We call these "DisCOverses", following from the concept of "Pluriverses" - see here for the origin of the term.
DisCOverses can be stable (long-established interactions and alliances) or more punctual and transactional. The former will require more care work and real-world trust-building, the latter will rely more heavily on DisCO Decks and value-tracking tools. Click here for our thoughts on Federation.

Valueflows is...

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

Creating a DisCOverse

* DisCOverse Commitment Statement * " Community Rhythms * Value tracking and Value Flow equations * Minimum Viable tool kit (link below)

Minimum Viable Toolset

All DisCOs use convivial tools and agreed on methodologies, whether these are physical or communication tools (especially important for online DisCOs). To this end, the DisCO Mothership is developing the DisCO Stack: a suite of Open Source collaborative tools especially designed and adapted to DisCO needs.

The DisCO Stack is a work in progress. It will prioritize access and ease of use, but at present, working in a DisCO may involve a steep learning curve. While we will encourage DisCOs to use existing DisCO concepts and tools, as long as they follow the Seven DisCO Principles, each DisCO is free to use whichever tools works best for them.

For this reason, the creation of a DisCOverse Federation must include explicit agreements on:

How and when to communicate, and with what frequency
Boundaries and red lines
Preferred communication and collaboration tools
Mutual evaluation

These "DisCOversal collaborations" can help highlight shortcoming on existing DisCO methodologies and tools while pointing the way to better solutions. Ultimately creating a DisCOverse is about learning together and making DisCO more resilient through peer learning and shared experiences.

Conscious Growth vs. Rapid Scaling

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

Federation Protocol

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING. Federation Protocol in GMC

Leaving the DisCO.NP

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING.

DisCO Ley Lines

PLACEHOLDER/PENDING. MAYBE SHOULD BE UNDER VALUE TRACKING

Value Tracking

Discussion and text in progress

Ways to Account for Work

SECTION NEEDS TO BE CREATED

Total/Historical Credits

SECTION NEEDS TO BE CREATED

Invested Credits

SECTION NEEDS TO BE CREATED

Divested Credits

SECTION NEEDS TO BE CREATED

Types of Work and Types of Credits

SECTION NEEDS TO BE CREATED

RED FLAG: In a DisCO.NP lovework is not tied to a specific set of deliverables, but to variables, such as when the deliverable is funded or not, or who is doing the deliverable (Dating member etc) We need to diagram this.

Lovework and Love Credits

SECTION NEEDS TO BE CREATED

Livelihood Credits

SECTION NEEDS TO BE CREATED

Accelerating Love Credit Payment

Love credit payment can be accelerated by:

Consultancy work sliding scale surpluses (see section below)
Funds not obtained through grants or consultancy work. These can include:
- Crowdfunding for specific projects or for the DisCO.NP itself
- Non-specific Philanthropic or project funding overflows^[40]
- Project specific microdonations, until these projects are “value fulfilled”
- Regular subscription-type donations. We recommend:
  - Web Monetization (Web monetization streams micropayments from subscribers to content creators. Subscribers pay a flat monthly fee. All DisCO online materials have Web Monetization enabled)
  - Open Collective. (Open Collective is a community-oriented, transparent and Open Source alternative to the likes of Patreon.
- Value may be fulfilled through means other than money, such as barter, time banking, alternative currencies or gifts.
- Gifting Love credits: All DisCONauts have the option of gifting their work away. They can also "burn" accumulated Love credits, considering the value as already fulfilled.
- Additionally, in case any love work later resulting from republishing in paying media, any funds received will be used to pay Love credits.
- DisCOnsulting work.
- Another source of income could be book format compilations (paper or electronic) of previously published material on a particular theme and including new, exclusive introductory text. Exclusive videos, etc

Whenever any income (or gift) is derived from these possibilities, it can be paid off 100% according to each DisCONauts's invested Love shares as a lump, or staggered over several months and considered a bonus.

As these extra funds are exclusively directed towards Love Credit fulfillment, these bonus payments effectively alter the standard 75/25% Livelihood/Love ratio, with the Love ratio increasing proportionally in function of the extra funds. ^[41]

Fluid Funding

SECTION NEEDS TO BE CREATED BASED ON FLUID FUNDING PROTOCOL. SECTION MAY BE RENAMED OR MOVED AROUND IN THE DOCUMENT

Determining Net Available Liquidity

SECTION NEEDS TO BE CREATED

"Available Liquidity" means whatever the DisCO.NP has determined as a monthly allocation based on its fungible budget.

The Monthly Payment Pipeline

SECTION NEEDS TO BE CREATED

Decision Making

Discussion and text in progress

Pattern Process and Conclusion

Thanks for bearing with us! To close out the governance model, we present a more thorough version of the TLDR, as well as a conclusion. If you have any questions or are inspired to create your own DisCO, please contact us. We'd love to hear from you!

DisCO.NP Pattern Process

This list complements and expands on the TLDR in the Overview section. We use the name "Pattern Process" because:

Each individual DisCO is a Commons, defined as "Living Systems to Meet Shared Needs" ^[42]
Specific federations of DisCOs and all DisCOs worldwide are extended, complex living systems. They are Commons-Based Peer Production (CBPP) processes made up of individual commons (the individual DisCOs) in collaboration with each other.
Both dimensions (Individual "DisCO Commons" and CBPP-BASED DisCO Federations use patterns, not blueprints. For a deeper overview into this differentiation, read the following footnote: ^[43].
As with the TLDR, these patterns will vary among individual DisCOs and DisCO Federations. What they'll have in common lies in each DisCO's fulfillment of the Seven DisCO Principles. The more the merrier, we say!

Pattern Process

IMPORTANT. AS WITH THE TLDR, MOST OF THE POINTS IN THE PATTERN PROCESS TO BE LINKED TO AS-YET UNWRITTEN OR ADAPTED SECTIONS OF THE GOV MODEL. IN-DOCUMENT LINKS WILL NEED TO BE ADDED TO THIS SECTION.

The DisCO Non-Profit (or DisCO.NP) receives Fluid Funding to perform socially-oriented, pro-bono and paid work.
Pro-bono work (aka "Lovework") creates relationships and social capital which (can) lead to funded work.
Funded work (aka "Livelihood Work") allows the DisCO.NP to fulfill its social mission, which is specified in DisCO Principle 1: Values-based Accountability and carried out according to the full 7 DisCO Principles. ^[44].
Both forms of work are tallied into credits.
Net Available Liquidity is distributed to fulfill members' shares, allocated as: Paid (75%) and Pro-bono (25%), which can be adapted to a specific DisCO's needs and idiosyncrasies.
Care and reproductive work is valued as highly as productive work and, in case of imbalance, even more highly. "Care" means caring for the health of the collective and also caring for its individual members.
Liquidity derived from Fluid Funding may vary greatly according to consented Fluid Funding Relationships but members’ credits accrued are stable.
Donations and additional liquidity beyond Fluid Funding economic predictions are used to accelerate pro-bono credit payment.
There are four levels of participation:
1. Casual/unpaid (commons-based peer production);
2. DisCOlarships (Partial onboarding process with very few strings attached);
3. Dating/partly paid (Commons/DisCO.NP onboarding process); and
4. Committed/paid (Commons and DisCO.NP full membership and rights).
Casual members have no responsibilities and Committed members review their work for inclusion, or not.
DisCOlarship members have very basic responsibilities and Committed members review their work for inclusion, or not.
Dating members have ongoing responsibilities (Live and care work) during a flexible trial period before mutual decisions are made about becoming Committed. They are peer mentored by the collective and continually evaluated.
Committed members have ongoing responsibilities (pro-bono and care work), evaluated quarterly. Members unable to maintain these are downgraded from the DisCO.NP.
All 3 types of value are valued in time and entrusted selectively by committed members.
Decision making is made by consent. Committed members' votes are binding.
Reproductive care work and productive pro-bono and paid work affect each member's standing and payout in the DisCO.NP as seen in their total credits over time.

Conclusion

xxxxx

Links and Resources

Discussion and text in progress

↑ Click here to meet the humans involved.
↑ You can read more about Guerrilla Media Collective's History and how it morphed into DisCO in chapter 4 of the DisCO Manifesto: Punk Elegance: The Story of Guerrilla Translation and the Guerrilla Media Collective. The DisCO Manifesto is currently only available as a PDF download but, in due time, each chapter will be presented as stand-alone blog posts. GMC's version of the model (3.0).
↑ The DisCO Foundation is currently being created in collaboration with Mondragon University and the Platform Cooperativism Consortium.
↑ We consider DisCO Non-Profits to be Worker Self-Directed Non-Profits applying the DisCO Principles.
↑ Suffering from acronym exhaustion already? Check out NASA's!. This link is limited to the ones beginning with "a". Seriously though, the DAP contains DisCO Governance solutions for all types of organizations.
↑ Guerrilla Translation is a DisCO Node of Guerrilla Media Collective.
↑ These three terms are further explained below.
↑ If, after clicking on a page-jump link, you want to return to the previous section, simply press the back key in your browser.
↑ This wiki is constantly being updated, so all of the content of these links will evolve over time.
↑ The next version of the Governance model 4.0 will be organized with drop-down sections, making it much easier to enjoy your reading experience and eliminate unnecessary sections for your group's own DisCO Experience.
↑ The DisCO glossary both complements and expands upon David Bollier and Silke Helfrich's excellent chapter on "Language and the Creation of Commons" from their 2019 book Free, Fair and Alive: the insurgent Power of the Commons". You can read the full chapter online here
↑ Read What are P2P and the Commons, and how do they relate? For more info.
↑ More information in [More information in What is Open Cooperativism?. What is Open Cooperativism?].
↑ More information in the P2P Foundation Wiki’s entry on P2P Accounting.
↑ For a layperson’s introduction to Feminist Economics, see the Women’s Budget Group’s excellent resources.
↑ DisCO is not currently affiliated in any way with the current P2P Foundation.
↑ For a fuller breakdown of these principles, either download the PDF, read the DisCO Elements or visit the DisCO in 7 Principles and 11 Values entry.
↑ The name is based on the Apollo Applications Program. Nixon decided to cancel the last three moon missions to divert funds to the Vietnam War but the hardware was used for Low Earth Orbit science and Skylab, the US's colossal first space station.
↑ We use "mainly" here, as DisCO Coops may also receive philanthropic grants. Similarly, DisCOs.NPs can also offer consultancy services to accrue additional capital for the DisCO.NP social mission and its contributors.
↑ "Liquidity" refers to the income at the DisCO.NP's disposal at any given time
↑ In fact, any committed member of any type of DisCO (whether 4coops, NP, Earth etc.) can refer to themselves as DisCONauts. The name is currently being used by the DisCO.NP committed members, but anyone in a DisCO is welcome to use it.
↑ As described below, DisCOLarships shouldn't carry an expectation of joining the DisCO hosting the DisCOLar, instead they're designed so people can familiarize themselves with the model and go on to create their own separate DisCOs. (remember that committed membership is always determined by committed members and the Federation Protocol).
↑ Working Circles are DisCO’s way of dividing up tasks and focusing efforts on thematic areas, each with its own membership and team stewards. You can read more about Working Circles here or in the sections below.
↑ Both QC and Post-Hoc validation are essential features of Commons Based Peer Production or CBPP. For more on CBPP read this introductory article: What does a P2P Economy look like?.
↑ Guerrilla Translation is a node of Guerrilla Media Collective
↑ This basically means a) having enough people committed to attend to the DisCOlar and b) having a clear program of the DisCOLarship's general characteristics. This capacity assessment is essential, otherwise the process will be unsatisfactory for both the DisCOlar and the DisCO itself.
↑ DisCOlarship may involve one or more candidates. This is for each DisCO to determine
↑ As all DisCOs document and share their progress, any contribution to any particular DisCO's commons are effectively contributions to all DisCO Commons. See The DisCO Floor for more
↑ For references on these terms, jump to this section or search in the DisCO Glossary
↑ Each DisCO, no matter the application, may have radically different Love/Live/Care ratios and rates of divestment. This is the reason each DisCO Ley Line needs to be clearly agreed on before any transfers are made
↑ More often than not, these will be considered as Care-credits, as the DisCOlarship is basically training, but this depends on each DisCO.
↑ While DisCOLarships credit can be tracked the same way as a Dating or Committed relationships, fully sponsored DisCOlarships may only earmark a fraction of the budgeted credits to be paid out to the DisCOlar. I.e., in our earlier scenario of a total budget of 1800 credits to be accrued by the DisCOlar during their three months apprenticeship, the sponsor may only allocate 800 EU/USD etc (usually one DisCO credit, equals an easily understandable unit of fiat currency). In this case, 800 credits would be divested/paid out to the DisCOlar from this budget, with the remaining 1000 credits remaining invested and subject to transfer via DisCO Ley Line
↑ For a worker-coop DisCO based example of casual vs. committed relationships, read Guerrilla Translation's article To be or not be a Guerrilla Translator.
↑ In the Mondragón Cooperative Group for example, the pay ratio between lowest salary worker and a director is 1:6, which is substantially better than the standard. In DisCO the pay ratio for all members who have completed the Dating Phase is 1:1.
↑ In the case of the DisCO Mothership this would be developing the needs of the DisCO Project
↑ It is preferable to have more than one DisCOnaut engage with prospective Dating Members to get as much of the team present in these initial conversations. This is healthy for both DisCONauts and prospective Dating members.
↑ This not exclusionary from a systemic point of view. There are plenty of workplaces catering to other, perhaps more traditional or, in our view, truly exclusionary or damaging values. What we cannot have is forced relationships which can be damaging to either part
↑ Given the complex, self-organized nature of DisCO, people who "get" DisCO will always be easier to onboard than people who haven't had the chance. As the DisCO Project progresses a greater abundance of inclusive materials will be available, facilitating familiarity with the model and its possibilities.
↑ Given the small number of current DisCOs, the last two scenarios will be more prevalent in the short term, with the first, more preferred option becoming more commonplace as more DisCOs emerge and stabilize
↑ Of course, when project funding is matched to specific deliverables these are considered Livelihood work and must be met. This scenario needs to be discussed on a per case basis.
↑ For example: in a given month, the DisCO Mothership has accumulated 10,000 eu from grants and projects and an additional 2,500 euros through a combination of donations, external funding for the pro-bono side and the publication of an DisCO paper book (accelerating Love Credit payment). In this case, instead of the standard 75% Livelihood/25% Love redistribution of the 10,000, the monthly distribution would be xxxx% (750 eu) for Livelihood and xxxx% for Love (500 eu)
↑ There are many complementary and non-excuslive definitions of the commons. This one was inspired by Chapter One of David Bollier and Silke Helfrich's Free Fair and Alive.
↑ The following text is extracted from chapter One of David Bollier and Silke Helfrich's Free Fair and Alive:
Explaining the commons with the vocabulary of capital, business, and standard economics cannot work. It is like using the metaphors of clockworks and machines to explain complex living systems. To learn how commons actually work, we need to escape deeply rooted habits of thought and cultivate some fresh perspectives.
This task becomes easier once we realize that there is no single, universal template for assessing a commons. Each bears the distinctive marks of its own special origins, culture, people, and context. Yet there are also many deep, recurrent patterns of commoning that allow us to make some careful generalizations. Commons that superficially appear quite different often have remarkable similarities in how they govern themselves, divide up resources, protect themselves against enclosure, and cultivate shared intentionality. In other words, commons are not standardized machines that can be built from the same blueprint. They are living systems that evolve, adapt over time, and surprise us with their creativity and scope.
The word “patterns” as we use it here deserves a bit of explanation. Our usage derives from the ideas developed by architect and philosopher Christopher Alexander in his celebrated 1977 book A Pattern Language — ideas that are further elaborated on in his four-volume masterwork, The Nature of Order, the result of twenty-seven years of research and original thinking. Alexander and his co-authors brilliantly blend an empirical scientific perspective with ideas about the formative role of beauty and grace in everyday life and design, resulting in what we would call “enlivenment.”17
In Alexander’s view, a pattern describes “a problem that occurs over and over again in our environment, and then describes the core of the solution to that problem, in such a way that you can use this solution a million times over, without ever doing it the same way twice.”18 In other words, patterns-thinking and solutions based on it are never decontextualized, nor disconnected from what we think and feel. We suggest looking closely at the underlying patterns of thriving social processes for inspiration while keeping in mind that a successful commons cannot be copied and pasted. Each must develop its own appropriate localized, context-specific solutions. Each must satisfy practical needs and deeper human aspirations and interests.
↑ Although highly recommended, the 11 DisCO Values are more subjective and less critical to the basic DisCO Framework

[1] Click here to meet the humans involved.

[2] You can read more about Guerrilla Media Collective's History and how it morphed into DisCO in chapter 4 of the DisCO Manifesto: Punk Elegance: The Story of Guerrilla Translation and the Guerrilla Media Collective. The DisCO Manifesto is currently only available as a PDF download but, in due time, each chapter will be presented as stand-alone blog posts. GMC's version of the model (3.0).

[3] The DisCO Foundation is currently being created in collaboration with Mondragon University and the Platform Cooperativism Consortium.

[4] We consider DisCO Non-Profits to be Worker Self-Directed Non-Profits applying the DisCO Principles.

[5] Suffering from acronym exhaustion already? Check out NASA's!. This link is limited to the ones beginning with "a". Seriously though, the DAP contains DisCO Governance solutions for all types of organizations.

[6] Guerrilla Translation is a DisCO Node of Guerrilla Media Collective.

[7] These three terms are further explained below.

[8] If, after clicking on a page-jump link, you want to return to the previous section, simply press the back key in your browser.

[9] This wiki is constantly being updated, so all of the content of these links will evolve over time.

[10] The next version of the Governance model 4.0 will be organized with drop-down sections, making it much easier to enjoy your reading experience and eliminate unnecessary sections for your group's own DisCO Experience.

[11] The DisCO glossary both complements and expands upon David Bollier and Silke Helfrich's excellent chapter on "Language and the Creation of Commons" from their 2019 book Free, Fair and Alive: the insurgent Power of the Commons". You can read the full chapter online here

[12] Read What are P2P and the Commons, and how do they relate? For more info.

[13] More information in [More information in What is Open Cooperativism?. What is Open Cooperativism?].

[14] More information in the P2P Foundation Wiki’s entry on P2P Accounting.

[15] For a layperson’s introduction to Feminist Economics, see the Women’s Budget Group’s excellent resources.

[16] DisCO is not currently affiliated in any way with the current P2P Foundation.

[17] For a fuller breakdown of these principles, either download the PDF, read the DisCO Elements or visit the DisCO in 7 Principles and 11 Values entry.

[18] The name is based on the Apollo Applications Program. Nixon decided to cancel the last three moon missions to divert funds to the Vietnam War but the hardware was used for Low Earth Orbit science and Skylab, the US's colossal first space station.

[19] We use "mainly" here, as DisCO Coops may also receive philanthropic grants. Similarly, DisCOs.NPs can also offer consultancy services to accrue additional capital for the DisCO.NP social mission and its contributors.

[20] "Liquidity" refers to the income at the DisCO.NP's disposal at any given time

[21] In fact, any committed member of any type of DisCO (whether 4coops, NP, Earth etc.) can refer to themselves as DisCONauts. The name is currently being used by the DisCO.NP committed members, but anyone in a DisCO is welcome to use it.

[22] As described below, DisCOLarships shouldn't carry an expectation of joining the DisCO hosting the DisCOLar, instead they're designed so people can familiarize themselves with the model and go on to create their own separate DisCOs. (remember that committed membership is always determined by committed members and the Federation Protocol).

[23] Working Circles are DisCO’s way of dividing up tasks and focusing efforts on thematic areas, each with its own membership and team stewards. You can read more about Working Circles here or in the sections below.

[24] Both QC and Post-Hoc validation are essential features of Commons Based Peer Production or CBPP. For more on CBPP read this introductory article: What does a P2P Economy look like?.

[25] Guerrilla Translation is a node of Guerrilla Media Collective

[26] This basically means a) having enough people committed to attend to the DisCOlar and b) having a clear program of the DisCOLarship's general characteristics. This capacity assessment is essential, otherwise the process will be unsatisfactory for both the DisCOlar and the DisCO itself.

[27] DisCOlarship may involve one or more candidates. This is for each DisCO to determine

[28] As all DisCOs document and share their progress, any contribution to any particular DisCO's commons are effectively contributions to all DisCO Commons. See The DisCO Floor for more

[29] For references on these terms, jump to this section or search in the DisCO Glossary

[30] Each DisCO, no matter the application, may have radically different Love/Live/Care ratios and rates of divestment. This is the reason each DisCO Ley Line needs to be clearly agreed on before any transfers are made

[31] More often than not, these will be considered as Care-credits, as the DisCOlarship is basically training, but this depends on each DisCO.

[32] While DisCOLarships credit can be tracked the same way as a Dating or Committed relationships, fully sponsored DisCOlarships may only earmark a fraction of the budgeted credits to be paid out to the DisCOlar. I.e., in our earlier scenario of a total budget of 1800 credits to be accrued by the DisCOlar during their three months apprenticeship, the sponsor may only allocate 800 EU/USD etc (usually one DisCO credit, equals an easily understandable unit of fiat currency). In this case, 800 credits would be divested/paid out to the DisCOlar from this budget, with the remaining 1000 credits remaining invested and subject to transfer via DisCO Ley Line

[33] For a worker-coop DisCO based example of casual vs. committed relationships, read Guerrilla Translation's article To be or not be a Guerrilla Translator.

[34] In the Mondragón Cooperative Group for example, the pay ratio between lowest salary worker and a director is 1:6, which is substantially better than the standard. In DisCO the pay ratio for all members who have completed the Dating Phase is 1:1.

[35] In the case of the DisCO Mothership this would be developing the needs of the DisCO Project

[36] It is preferable to have more than one DisCOnaut engage with prospective Dating Members to get as much of the team present in these initial conversations. This is healthy for both DisCONauts and prospective Dating members.

[37] This not exclusionary from a systemic point of view. There are plenty of workplaces catering to other, perhaps more traditional or, in our view, truly exclusionary or damaging values. What we cannot have is forced relationships which can be damaging to either part

[38] Given the complex, self-organized nature of DisCO, people who "get" DisCO will always be easier to onboard than people who haven't had the chance. As the DisCO Project progresses a greater abundance of inclusive materials will be available, facilitating familiarity with the model and its possibilities.

[39] Given the small number of current DisCOs, the last two scenarios will be more prevalent in the short term, with the first, more preferred option becoming more commonplace as more DisCOs emerge and stabilize

[40] Of course, when project funding is matched to specific deliverables these are considered Livelihood work and must be met. This scenario needs to be discussed on a per case basis.

[41] For example: in a given month, the DisCO Mothership has accumulated 10,000 eu from grants and projects and an additional 2,500 euros through a combination of donations, external funding for the pro-bono side and the publication of an DisCO paper book (accelerating Love Credit payment). In this case, instead of the standard 75% Livelihood/25% Love redistribution of the 10,000, the monthly distribution would be xxxx% (750 eu) for Livelihood and xxxx% for Love (500 eu)

[42] There are many complementary and non-excuslive definitions of the commons. This one was inspired by Chapter One of David Bollier and Silke Helfrich's Free Fair and Alive.

[43] The following text is extracted from chapter One of David Bollier and Silke Helfrich's Free Fair and Alive:
Explaining the commons with the vocabulary of capital, business, and standard economics cannot work. It is like using the metaphors of clockworks and machines to explain complex living systems. To learn how commons actually work, we need to escape deeply rooted habits of thought and cultivate some fresh perspectives.
This task becomes easier once we realize that there is no single, universal template for assessing a commons. Each bears the distinctive marks of its own special origins, culture, people, and context. Yet there are also many deep, recurrent patterns of commoning that allow us to make some careful generalizations. Commons that superficially appear quite different often have remarkable similarities in how they govern themselves, divide up resources, protect themselves against enclosure, and cultivate shared intentionality. In other words, commons are not standardized machines that can be built from the same blueprint. They are living systems that evolve, adapt over time, and surprise us with their creativity and scope.
The word “patterns” as we use it here deserves a bit of explanation. Our usage derives from the ideas developed by architect and philosopher Christopher Alexander in his celebrated 1977 book A Pattern Language — ideas that are further elaborated on in his four-volume masterwork, The Nature of Order, the result of twenty-seven years of research and original thinking. Alexander and his co-authors brilliantly blend an empirical scientific perspective with ideas about the formative role of beauty and grace in everyday life and design, resulting in what we would call “enlivenment.”17
In Alexander’s view, a pattern describes “a problem that occurs over and over again in our environment, and then describes the core of the solution to that problem, in such a way that you can use this solution a million times over, without ever doing it the same way twice.”18 In other words, patterns-thinking and solutions based on it are never decontextualized, nor disconnected from what we think and feel. We suggest looking closely at the underlying patterns of thriving social processes for inspiration while keeping in mind that a successful commons cannot be copied and pasted. Each must develop its own appropriate localized, context-specific solutions. Each must satisfy practical needs and deeper human aspirations and interests.

[44] Although highly recommended, the 11 DisCO Values are more subjective and less critical to the basic DisCO Framework

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DisCO Mothership Governance Model

Welcome to the DisCO Mothership Governance Model

About the DisCO Mothership Governance Model

Overview

How to read this governance model

Introductory Articles, Infographics and Other DisCO Governance Resources

DisCO intro articles and short videos

DisCO Governance Model Infographic

The DisCO Trilogy

If I Only Had a Heart: The DisCO Manifesto

Care Before Code: The DisCO Elements

The DisCO PinkPaper

Other DisCO Links and Resources

Basic DisCO Terminology

The DisCO Glossary

The DisCO.coop Terminology Lowdown

DisCO

DisCO.coop

DisCO Mothership

DisCONauts

DisCO LABS

DisCO Nodes

The DisCO Project

The DisCO CAT

Precedents to the DisCO Governance Model

The Open Enterprise Governance Model

From Platform to Open Cooperativism to DisCO

Cooperatives

Platform Cooperatives

Open Cooperativism

From Guerrilla Translation/Media Collective to DisCO

Other Notable Influences in the DisCO DNA

DisCO in Seven Principles and Eleven Values

The 7 DisCO Principles

1: Put your effort where your heart is: values-based accountability

2: Building whole-community governance

3: Active creators of commons

4: Rebalancing the scale: rethinking global/local economics

5: Care work is the core

6: Reimagining the origin and flows of value

7: Primed for federation

The 11 DisCO Values

The DisCO Applications Program

Distributed Cooperative Organization (DisCO) Governance Model V 3.5 TL - DR

Roles and Responsibilities

Casual vs Committed DisCO Relationships at a Glance

Casual Relationships

Committed Relationships

DisCOLarships and DisCO Dating (moving from Casual to Committed)

The DisCO Journey

Supporters

What do supporters do?

What are a Supporter's responsibilities to the DisCO.NP and vice versa?

What do Supporters get out of their relationship with the DisCO.NP?

Contributors

What do Contributors do?

What are a contributor's responsibilities to the DisCO.NP and vice versa?

Contributors and Credits

Why do we track the value of casual contributions?

How are casual contributions tracked?

What do Contributors get out of their relationship with the DisCO.NP?

DisCOLarships

What happens in the DisCOlarship?

What are a DisCOlar's responsibilities to the collective and vice versa?

DisCOlarship Credits

What happens when the DisCOlarship is finished?

Sponsored DisCOlarships

The DisCO Dating Phase

Qualifying for the DisCO Dating Phase

Before the Dating Phase Starts

DisCO.NP. Applicant Evaluation Criteria and Procedures

Final Pre-Dating Phase Interview and Q&A

The Commitment Statement

DisCO Dating Stages

Intensive Mentoring

Stage One

Stage Two

Stage Three

Being a DisCONaut

What do DisCONauts do?