1. Have a minimum of 5 active members. Active members are those who participate in the organization’s decisions by participating in meetings, responding to email or other online decision-related discussions, performing administrative work, and leading programmatic activities. People who only attend events are not counted as active members.

2. Be a collective: a non-hierarchical group (5 members) with a participatory decision making process.

3. Fulfill requirements to delegate a board member, and to send members to serve on Omni working groups:

1. Each member collective should have a minimum of 2 members active in working groups. Collectives should make an effort to send 1 additional WG participant for every 10 active members.

2. (Previously: Each Member Group of the Omni will be required to populate at least 3 seats in at least 3 committees. Member Groups with more than 12 members will be required to populate at least 5 seats in at least 3 committees. (Passed 2014/08/28 Delegates Assembly))

4. Endorse the Omni Commons statement of solidarity, statement of purpose, and safer space policy, and demonstrate how the activities of the collective contribute to them. Also, this song.

5. Be either a tenant or a fiscally sponsored project of Omni Commons.

6. Contribute materially to the Commons via rent, fiscal sponsorship fee, or other resources. If a collective fails to uphold their material commitments for more than 2 months, they are considered “inactive” and forfeit any benefits provided by their membership (such as use of common space and a vote at Delegates Council meetings) until previous commitments are met.

(Note 1: If an existing member collective's meeting schedule doesn't fit into the delegates meeting schedule for a new member application, it MUST hold a special meeting/consultation to deal with the application, out of respect for the new applicant group.)

(Note 2: Groups using space at Omni Commons can also be just tenants or fiscally sponsored projects without having the additional benefits and responsibilities of being a member collective. However, it benefits OC to have as many groups as possible contributing to the work and decision-making, and we should set a maximum ratio of non-member resident groups to member collectives, perhaps 1:4.)

(What follows is more or less what would appear on the wiki and in the handbook as instructions to new potential MCs. It would be presented in a more graphically clear format.)

Decide if your group meets our basic requirements.

• Please read about our vision / governing principles, to determine if your collective is willing and able to collaborate within the structure and culture we have co-created so far.

• Review our criteria for becoming and remaining a member collective.

• If you don’t think you meet the Member Collective criteria, there are other ways your group can participate in the Omni. Talk to the Finance Working Group. ----->

Let us know you are interested in joining Omni Commons by talking to a delegate or the finance  working group.

• A process guide will be assigned to you to help you navigate the member collective application process.

• They will give you the information you need and answer your questions.

Write your application using the questions below. Keep it as brief as possible while still answering the questions:

• What do you do that makes a difference in the world?

• Briefly recap your history as an organization.

• What is your incorporation status? (501c3? Unincorporated Association? etc)

• How do you make decisions?

• State your goals for becoming an Omni member collective.

• How would your presence in the Omni contribute to its purpose and Statement of Solidarity?

• Explain how you will finance your Omni membership dues/rent.

• Describe what dedicated physical space (if any) you need. What will you do in the dedicated space? What can you do in shared space? Will you need to make any modifications of the building? Include floor plans if that makes your proposal clearer.

Application review process:

1. Submit your application to the Omni Delegates in writing at consensus@omnicommons.org and discuss@omnicommons.org

2. Present your application proposal at the next Delegates meeting (First and Third Thursdays at 7pm). Delegates will ask questions and give you preliminary feedback about the proposal. In the 2 weeks following the meeting, delegates will discuss your proposal with their collectives.

3. Attend collective meetings if invited to further explain your proposal. Incorporate feedback into your application proposal.

4. Legal and financial review

1. The Omni Finance Working Group will review your financials (Budget, balance sheet, P & L), size, incorporation status, space needs, and reach an agreement with you about your financial contribution and legal relationship to Omni Commons.

2. If you need to make modifications to the building, Finance may ask you to get preliminary inspections, consult with the Building Working Group, or provide other information to determine if the changes are possible and advisable.

3. If necessary, the Omni legal advisor will advise about your legal relationship to the Omni.

4. Update your proposal with this agreement.

5. Attend a 2nd Delegates meeting to discuss your updated proposal. Ideally this would be the next Delegates meeting, but if the delegates and you agree, it may be scheduled for the 2nd  meeting following. Delegates will report on and discuss the feedback they received from their collectives, and if there are any blocking or serious concerns that can’t be resolved at the meeting, contact information will be shared so that further discussion can happen between you and the groups or persons with the concern.

6. Before the next Delegates meeting, attend collective meetings, and/or communicate with Omni members as needed to discuss any remaining issues.

7. Attend the next (3rd) Delegates meeting and present your updated application proposal for a final discussion. You will be asked to leave the building and the delegates will reach a decision. The process guide will notify you of the decision.

If approved, finalize your membership

1. Sign a contract with Omni Commons, either a lease or fiscal sponsorship agreement.

2. Obtain insurance coverage as described in your contract

3. Read Member Collective Handbook. (Sign document stating that the collective members read the Handbook?)

4. Select a delegate to the Delegates Assembly (Board of Directors)

5. Pay deposit/rent/fiscal sponsorship fee, per agreement

6. Move in!

7. Have at least two collective members join an Omni Working Group.

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Internal Considerations for Deciding upon New Resident or MC Organizations

• Does the group meet the member collective requirements?

• Groups consisting of affected people doing liberatory organizing should be recruited and given priority.

• The ratio of Member Collectives to non-member collective resident organizations should stay above 4:1.

• Does the group understand the way OC works, especially the concept of the commons, space sharing, limitations on locked space, and consensus process?

• A new collective is more likely to succeed at Omni if they have previously existed, are well established, have experience with consensus/participatory decision making, have spent time at OC (eg by holding events or meetings), and/or the members have worked together previously.

• Consider if a new tenant or member collective should have a trial period and get settled before doing any construction.