About GRACC
Founded October 11, 2012
Our Vision
We envision a thriving, interconnected system of cooperatively owned housing in Grand Rapids Michigan that prioritizes low-income households, fosters community, and empowers individuals. We are committed to improving and expanding opportunities for cooperative housing in the Greater Grand Rapids area.
Our Mission
The Grand Rapids Alliance of Cooperative Communities is an intentional cooperative promoting community and sustainability while providing inclusive and affordable housing.
Our Focus
CAUSE:
Affordable Housing
NICHE:
in Co-operative Community
Our Core Values
We endeavor to CONNECT upon a shared vision of intentional cooperative living, GROW in character and capacity, and CREATE an enhanced quality of life for our members and our community, by...
. . . being
-
Radically Inclusive
-
Proactively Accountable
-
Mindfully Relating
-
Intentionally Collaborative
-
Conscientiously Empowering
-
Responsibly Contributing
-
Socially Impacting
Principles of
Cooperation
-
Working Together - At its core, cooperation involves multiple individuals, groups, or organisms acting in concert on the same page.
-
Common Purpose - Our effort is directed toward shared objectives that benefit the whole.
-
Joint Action - To achieve those objectives, the group utilizes active assistance, partnership, collaboration, and coordinated efforts.
-
Voluntary Participation - Cooperation is a voluntary act. By choosing to join GRACC, a member chooses to commit to live in an intentional community, with shared expectations of each member, for collective mutual benefit.
Community Agreements
Be curious. Be generous.No one knows everything. Together, we know a lot. Try it on. It’s important to try something in a new time and context before dismissing it.Q-TIP Quit Taking It Personally.Don’t Give Up. Speak Up! Sometimes it is easier to withdraw, but if you’re passionate about something, speak up!It’s ok to disagree.It’s not okay to Blame, Shame, or Attack others or ourselves.Even if you mess up, it doesn’t mean you suck.You are 100% responsible for yourself and your needs. Know your limits.Respond to behavior, not character.Practice BOTH/AND thinking instead of EITHER/OR.Pay attention to PROCESS & CONTENT. During meetings, be sensitive to the sociocratic process, and aware of what should be said vs. what is actually being said at any stage of the process.If everyone gives a little, everyone gets a lot.No one is good at everything, but everyone is good at something
