On the Commons

What it reported doing in 2014

Organization's highlights 1) building and bringing visibility to the commons movement.our times call for a renewal of values such as sharing, cooperation and reciprocity that had served as the foundation of human life and a regeneration of our relationships to each other and the earth. Our communications strategies aim to tell stories of how this is happening and a different take on current events that illustrate that different choices and different ways of thinking about what we share and how we relate are possible. A) onthecommons.org: our website features the largest amount and variety of commons content on the internet it features thousands of original articles, profiles and stories about local commons leaders, commons analysis on timely topics and commons solutions to society's challenges. Our first published e-book, celebrating the commons, was a very popular outreach and education tool. The book featured over 40 articles, stories and profiles. Our second e-book how to design our world for happiness: the commons guide to placemaking and a convivial life was published in july 2013. This e-book focuses on the relationship between the commons and placemaking and how communities are successfully creating inclusive, thriving, place-based neighborhoods. B.) commons ambassadors and commons events relationships and direct connection are central to a commons-based approach, thus convenings and speaking engagements continue to be central to our strategy. Over the past year, we have organized two larger gatherings: the great lakes commons summit at notre dame university and the commons solutions lab at blue mountain center. In addition to these larger gatherings, otc leadership also spoke at over 20 campus and community events across the country. * acting as both catalyst and incubator for commons solution making, creating space and opportunity for work that illuminate new pathways and patterns for social change. 2) expanding the practice of the commons: a) developing and linking commons leaders and leadershipcreating peer connection, a pause for shared reflection and ways to explore working in a co-creative, shared ownership environment are central to growing the commons movement. Our gatherings at notre dame, blue mountain center and other events created venues for commons leaders to connect, exchange and learn. The end result was deeper connection to the potential of the commons as a transformational path personally and culturally and documentation of our commons practices and tools.all of our work involves intentionally instilling practices of co-creation and co-leadership. For example, in the great lakes commons initiative the nucleus of this initiative's leadership has grown to over one hundred active individuals and groups, encompassing scholars and students, artists and cultural workers, activists, scientists, business executives, attorneys, first nations and tribal community members and officials, recreationalists and more. Central to this is the first meaningful and equitable alliance of indigenous and non-indigenous communities in the great lakes bioregion. B) building shared knowledge, tools and materials for the commons movementcreating and lifting up how commons work. The new online resource center (part of the expanded onthecommons.org website) highlights practices resources including the commons framework and many articles focusing on how to animate co-creation, shared power and a commons orientation in one's own community based on fieldwork from the growing commons network. The commons work newletter featuring stories from the field, case studies and highlighting key themes from the commons framework is created monthly newsletter and delivered to over 10,000 subscribers. 3) incubating commons initiativesotc designs our work and organizational capacity in a way that shares leadership, distributes power and helps animate promising commons solutions. Part of our strategy involves initiating and incubating projects in

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 95.2%; rating input score 95
• Fundraising efficiency: $35.31 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 74; 74th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 4 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -128.2%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.32; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 17.4%; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -16.3% per year; rating input score 0; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -21.6% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -29.5% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings