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Ownership

NFE is owned by the community of people contributing to NFE's mission. 

Owners or Members

Owner-member is the term we use to refer to people NFE recognizes as owners or members of the NFE co-operative.

  • Each ownership category elects at least 1 and a maximum of 2 representatives on the NFE board. Each board member serves a 2 year term, they serve for a maximum of 2 terms. 
  • Owner-members take on 3 main categories. Some members can be recognized within more than one category. 

Workers

  • Workers contribute by investing time and skills to NFE activities they are hired to complete.
  • They make most decisions about the day to day operations of NFE but their board representatives vote on the major decisions
  • Becoming a Worker-Owner requires 3 things 
    • Work and report at least 240 hours or 6 months, whichever comes first. This work needs to be regular ie at least 5 hours per month. 
    • Agreement to the NFE ByLaws
    • Approval of at least 2/3 our current worker-owners 

Funders 

  • Funders contribute money to an NFE microgrid project. 
  • Their board representatives vote on major decisions 
  • Becoming a Funder-Owner requires 3 things 
    • Fund at least 10% of the cost Phase 1 of a given microgrid
    • Agreement to the NFE ByLaws
    • Approval of at least 2/3 our current funder-owners 

Customers

  • Customers contribute by using and paying for energy via NFE's microgrids 
  • Their board representatives vote on major decisions 
  • Becoming a Customer-Owner requires 3 things 
    • Contributing for at least 12 consecutive months 
    • Agreement to the NFE ByLaws
    • Approval of at least 2/3 our current customer-owners 

Please note that NFE membership voluntary. Individuals or organizations can be funders, workers or customers and chose not to apply for member/ownership. 

Responsibilities of Owner-Members

  • Active participation in NFE activities as prescribed by their membership category
  • Voting on admission of new members 

Benefits of Owner-Members 

  • Influencing Major NFE and NFE microgrid decision
  • Annual Surplus sharing 
    • Workers -  equal share of NFE's surplus (NFE is a worker-member of every microgrid we operate)
    • Customers - proportional share of respective microgrid's surplus, proportional to their contribution
    • Funders - proportional share of funded entity's surplus, proportional to their contribution. 
  • Existing owners get right of refusal to opportunities for new membership as workers, customers or funders. 

Suspending Membership 

  • Ownership is suspended if an owner-member stops contributing and is given at least one warning. 
  • Ownership is suspended if an owner-member dies or is dissolved or closed in the case of an organization owner. 
  • The Board otherwise expels an Owner foron cause,grounds of actions contrary to the mission and values, as long as the Board uses a consistent, fair, and reasonable procedure for expulsion (provided in writing to the Owners) that gives an Owner a reasonable period of time in which to explain or correct a problem. 

Non Owner Community Members 

Not all our stakeholders are currently eligible for becoming members but are still part of the community so theoretically could be owners in the future. 

  • Suppliers - NFE partners with organizations like UEDCL (Macrogrid operator in Uganda), Calinmeter Co a metering supplier and Linux and EnAccess foundations are key software partners. We would like to include them as members but are get to craft a model to that effect. 
  • Regulators - Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) and Uganda National Beurou of Standards (UNBS) are also key stakeholders and part of our community but are currently not eligible for membership.  
  • Advisors - We have a board of advisors who provide guidance on our business, technology and people model. We may compensate these advisors for their time but they are currently not eligible for membership. 


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