memberrun

Memberrun is a governance and operational model in which members of an organization collectively plan, manage, and execute activities, rather than relying on a single executive leader. The approach emphasizes distributed responsibility, transparency, and participatory decision-making across the member base.

Core mechanisms include rotating leadership roles, member councils or assemblies, and rules for decision-making such as consensus or majority votes. Work is organized into committees or working groups that coordinate on specific domains like finance, projects, or events, reporting to the broader membership.

Members typically have rights to propose initiatives, vote on budgets, and approve major policies. Public minutes, budgets, and roadmaps support accountability, while formal conflict-resolution processes help maintain trust. Some organizations also employ staff or facilitators to sustain operations alongside member input.

Benefits include increased legitimacy, engagement, and resilience through distributed knowledge. Challenges can include slower decision-making, potential for deadlock, and the need for clear governance to prevent drift or factionalism.

Applications vary from cooperatives and community associations to open-source projects and student groups. Related governance concepts include sociocracy, holacracy, and participatory decision-making.

See also: cooperative, consensus decision-making, sociocracy, holacracy, participatory governance.