What is mutualism?
Mutualism is a way to build our next safety net in America through the local organizations we know and trust. Mutualism exists in 4 principal areas: unions, cooperatives, mutual aid groups and faith based institutions.
What defines a mutualist organization?
Mutualist organizations are defined by 3 criteria:
1.
Social Purpose
Mutualist organizations have a social purpose: to solve a social problem for a community. A mutualist organization exists to serve its members, not to make a profit.
2.
Economic Mechanism
Mutualist organizations must have an independent, sustainable economic mechanism. Revenues must exceed expenses. In other words: a mutualist organization must have a way of making money.
3.
Long-term Focus
Mutualist organizations have a long-term focus. They are intergenerational institutions with leadership infrastructure and capital strategies that equip them to serve future generations. They are built to outlast their members.
