Proposed Phases of Development

In order to organize and communicate the plan of action necessary to open our cooperative grocery store, we’ve written our Phases of Development documents. One is a diagram (click here for the large version). The other is a written explanation (included below). Both describe the same efforts.

These efforts are grouped into phases to help us focus on significant development goals and decisions. The diagram is divided vertically into categories so that individuals and committees can have a clear idea of what tasks are before them.

You’ll notice that we’re currently pretty much through the first two phases: Organizing and Feasibility. (We’ve made a lot of progress over the past year and a half!) Our next two meetings will be good tests of community support and will help us decide whether to continue.

Here is the explanation of our Phases of Development. Please have a look through them and post any comments you have below.




Phases of Development: Explained

1) Organizing
Here we did preliminary research and attempted to judge the community’s support. Other cooperatives were studied so that we could learn from their experiences. We found people with the same enthusiasm to join our Founding Team. We began to build credibility by explaining our goals to community leaders. A web site was launched as a means to publicize our learning to those already involved and for others to catch up with our progress. We listened to feedback. The goal was for the Founding Team to become the local experts on food co-ops.

2) Feasibility
Here we created our preliminary business plan to pull together what we’ve learned, to describe our shared vision and to project a financial future. We recruited individuals with specialized skills to help refine the business plan. Public meetings will be held to better judge the enthusiasm and commitment of the community. The end goal is to allow the Founding Team to make a decision: Is a food cooperative feasible for Altadena? If the answer is “yes”, then we continue.

3) Planning & Fundraising (possibly starting 10/10/09)
Here we do everything necessary to allow us to commit to a particular location: we incorporate, hire accounting services, open bank accounts, develop materials necessary for the membership drive and seek out volunteers to help us get the word out and bring memberships in. Through a series of proposals on our web site we systematically explain the details of our vision. Through a series of community meetings we explain our vision personally. The goal is to work with and support the green cultural phenomenon; to secure enough members, capital and loans to be able to commit to a location. Along the way we identify professionals necessary to actually construct the store. We may also decide to commission a professional market study. Assuming we raise enough funds, then we continue to the next step.

4) Construction & Preparation
At this point we commit. We sign a lease or purchase agreement. We select an architect, store planner, construction contractor and other professionals necessary to bring our store into being. We still actively seek more members and member loans, but we carry forward with construction with what funds we have. We hold back on some features until we obtain additional funding to build them. The general manager and employees will be hired, product sources will be chosen and the new store will be stocked then opened. The goal is to create an appealing store in a way that we can set it up for long-term success.

5) Sustaining
For the first few years we adjust the details of the operation to make it more efficient. We concentrate on the financials to make sure we can begin paying back loans on schedule. If all goes well we may add to the operation in a very limited way. The goal is to establish the long-term viability of the business.

6) Expansion
As our finances stabilize and we prove the success of the store, we can begin to pursue other areas that align with the core principles of the co-op. These efforts will be undertaken with due consideration - never seriously risking the future of the already-established enterprise. The goal will be to broaden the effectiveness of the business: to offer more sustainable goods and services to our community, to further support our local economy and to continue to empower our members to embrace green principles.

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