Core Group Compensation

Sarah Milstein (milstein@nyc.pipeline.com)
Sat, 13 Jul 1996 19:36:31 GMT

On May 20, 1996 11:46:26, 'jrhall@iastate.edu' wrote:


>In a somewhat related area, is anyone doing or thinking of writing core
>group functions into your budget (ie paying both garden and coordination
>work in food, paid for by other members)?

The Roxbury Farm CSA has three communities, each with it's own core group.
While I can't speak for the arrangements of the other two groups, I can
report that the NYC core group includes in its budget (which is split
amongst the 230 local sharers in NYC) money to compensate those who fill
core group positions that require a lot of work (site coordinators,
volunteer coordinators, treasurer, etc.). Our most active core group
members all have specific roles and are compensated with free shares.

We have, however, taken into account the possibility that in the future, we
may need to set aside money to pay somebody to do the job of primary site
coordination, which involves a lot of hours and fairly high degree of
responsibility and organizition. So we've worked into our buget enough $$
to pay that person $7/hour for fives hours per week, over 33 weeks. I'm
doing the job now on a volunteer basis and am comped with a double share
(which costs $526), so the extra money is rolled back into our local
administrative funds.

Since we split the local budget amongst 230 sharers, we have a good deal of
latitude in adding on high-ticket budget items (like comp shares for 6
people). I don't take this for granted, and I do think it's important to
consider not only keeping costs down for members, but the ways in which a
farm's system can be made sustainable for the people doing the work (not
just the growers).

Sarah Milstein