ZU Arts InitiativeZU Arts InitiativeMISTY HUFFMAN – Sustaining Shareholder
LAUREN RAGLAND – growing Community Shareholder
ERNIE RHEAUME – growing Community Shareholder
*growing = committed but not fully vested yet
You're not donating to a nonprofit. You're investing in community ownership. Join with money, time, or gifts—all valued equally. One shareholder = one vote, regardless of which currency you use.
Traditional nonprofits only accept cash. We recognize that wealth comes in many forms.
Financial contributions that fuel operations, artist compensation, and program costs.
How it converts:
Monthly or annual payments accepted. Cancel anytime.
Volunteer hours valued at $10/hour. Your labor builds the commons.
What counts as volunteer time:
48 hours/year = 1 share • 144 hours = 3 shares • 240 hours = 5 shares
Why $10/hour? We value volunteer time at $10/hour—deliberately lower than market rates for skilled work. This isn't because your time is worth less. It's because we want to make shareholder membership accessible through volunteering while keeping it financially sustainable. This rate lets you reach shareholder tiers through genuine contribution without breaking our budget.
Skills, goods, or services that support operations and programming.
What qualifies as gifts:
$120 value = 1 share • Committee evaluates quarterly
You can combine any currencies to reach your desired level. Examples:
$180 cash + 72 volunteer hours = 3 shares
$300 cash + $120 wine donation + 48 hours = 5 shares
Photography services ($400) + $200 cash = 5 shares
Choose your level based on your capacity and commitment. All shareholders get voting rights.
Decide which currencies you'll use and at what level:
Earn your shareholder journey! You'll receive:
Regardless of which currency you use or how many shares you hold, you get one vote on each decision you're eligible to vote on.
A person with 1 share purchased with volunteer hours has the same voting power as someone with 10 shares purchased with cash. This is ownership, not plutocracy.
Absolutely! You could pay $180 in cash + volunteer 72 hours to reach 3 shares. Or donate $300 worth of wine + contribute 60 volunteer hours. Any combination that adds up to your desired share level works. We're transparent about all valuations.
No. One shareholder = one vote on any given decision, regardless of share level. Higher shareholders get to vote on MORE TYPES of decisions (quarterly vs. annual), but never get multiple votes on a single decision. This prevents wealth from buying influence.
Volunteer time is valued at $10/hour, which means 1 share = 48 hours of volunteering. Gifts (wine, services, expertise) are valued at fair market value, evaluated quarterly by the membership committee. We document everything transparently.
Great question. We set the volunteer rate at $10/hour for two reasons:
First, accessibility. We want people to realistically reach shareholder status through volunteer work. At $10/hour, 48 hours gets you 1 share ($120 value). That's achievable—about 4 hours per month.
Second, sustainability. If we valued volunteer time at $50/hour (market rate for skilled work), our budget would be unsustainable. We'd have volunteers "earning" shares faster than we could generate actual revenue to sustain operations.
This isn't saying your time is worth $10/hour in the real world. It's saying this is the rate that makes the three-currency model work for everyone—accessible for volunteers, sustainable for ZAI.
No problem! You can start anytime and contribute at your own pace. Shares are calculated annually, but you can pay monthly, volunteer as you're able, or contribute gifts throughout the year. Your benefits activate when you reach each tier threshold.
Yes! Businesses can purchase shares for visibility and community support, but business shareholders do not receive voting rights. Governance stays in the hands of individuals who are part of the community. Business sponsorship starts at $200/month.
That's the vision. This model creates recurring revenue, builds genuine community ownership, and removes economic barriers to participation. Year 1 conservative estimate (100 shareholders): $65,000 total value. Year 3 optimistic (300 shareholders): $167,200 total value. We're building infrastructure, not running on fumes.
Fill out the form below and we'll reach out to you with shareholder options. No commitment required—just letting us know you're interested.
Prefer to email directly? Send your interest to grow@cortezarts.org