Run for the Board of Trustees and Nominating Committee

The Central Co-op Board is looking for current members who are passionate about food, community, leadership, and most of all, finding innovative ways to connect them to further Central Co-op.  

We're an organization that thrives on great governance and seeks to strengthen connections to our community. We're looking for engaged leaders to join us, and deeply value the diverse experiences and perspectives that you bring. 

All current, active members in good standing are eligible to apply to run for the Board or Nominating Committee.

Running for the Central Co-op Board or Nominating Committee is a multi-step process. 
A brief overview of the steps, with a general timeline, is below.

1. Application & Interview(s)
   July/August/September before October Election: If you elect to apply to run for the Board (or Nominating Committee), your application will be reviewed by the Central Co-op Nominating Committee, comprised of a worker-member, one consumer-member, and one representative from the Board who acts as chair. The NomCom will evaluate the applicant pool and go forward with interviews for candidates who they feel best exemplify the Co-op's mission and values, have a history of membership and engagement with the Co-op, and will provide unique, strategic perspectives to the Board of Trustees and/or Nominating Committee. 
    
2. Nominating Committee Slate & Board Approval
   September/October: Having interviewed Board Applicants, The Nominating Committee will narrow the field and choose the candidates that they feel would be the best matches for the Co-op Board or Nominating Committee. Typically, this is just two candidates per position (Worker-Member Board Trustee; Consumer-Member Board Trustee; Worker-Member NomCom Member; Consumer Owner NomCom Member). The Nominating Committee then presents their slate of candidates to the Board of Trustees, who then must vote to approve the slate and move to the Election stage.
    
3. Materials Preparation & Election
   October: Candidates chosen by NomCom to move forward to the Election will be notified, and asked to submit further statements, photos, and other information to the team preparing Election materials; the election will begin when all materials are prepared, usually toward the middle of October. Once the Election begins, all active members (those who have shopped at the Co-op at least once in the previous year) are eligible to vote to choose the candidate they feel is the best candidate to lead the Co-op as a Board or Nom-Com member. There will be opportunities during the Election process for candidates to meet members in-store and answer their questions. The election will end when we reach quorum, which our Bylaws/Articles define as 5% of the total membership of the Co-op; this number is typically between 500 and 600 votes. 
    
4. Informing Candidates and Next Steps
   November/December: Once the Election has been concluded and verified, and the membership of the Co-op has chosen new Board and Nominating Committee Members, Board leadership will reach out to the winning candidates to inform them. Next steps involve some administrative setup with materials, as well as attending an orientation session on Policy Governance and the Board's Role in Leadership prior to the first meeting (after the first of the year). 
    

The 2025 Candidate Application is here! 

A downloadable PDF file can be found here: 2025 Board/NomCom Application

In addition, the 2025 Candidate Application Packet, which includes more information about running for the Board and Nominating Committee, can be read or downloaded here: 2025 Board/NomCom Application Packet

The following must be sent to nominatingcomittee@centralboard.coop by August 22, 2025: 

1. Completed Board/Nom Com Application
2. An up-to-date professional resume
3. Candidate Statement (within Application, but may be attached separately)

If you have questions about the Board or are interested in having a introductory conversation with the Nominating Committee to begin the process of applying for the Board or Nominating Committee, please email nominatingcommittee@centralboard.coop. 

Looking for the 2024 Application to see what we've asked about in the past? Download one here. 
Additionally, the 2024 Candidate Application Packet has helpful information about general requirements and questions.

Learn more about the Board of Trustees and the Nominating Committee. 

Please contact us at nominatingcommittee@centralboard.coop with any questions at all.  
(Please let us know if there are any accommodations you might need.)