Cooperative benefits - Great River Energy

Cooperative benefits

Electric Cooperative benefits
Serving people’s best interests

Our cooperative is owned and operated by the 27 member-owner cooperatives we serve—not by investors. Which means we’re motivated by people and their needs, not by profit. And every day, we work together toward our common goal: to continue supporting our member-owners and their members’ lives by providing affordable, reliable, cleaner power.

Our member-owner cooperatives

The benefits

What makes cooperatives different from other power companies:

Our members have a voice. They help shape our programs, policies and initiatives.

As a not-for-profit, our bottom line isn’t our #1 priority—people are.

We’re a local business that’s invested in our local communities.

Cooperative principles

Following these seven principles to put our values into practice:

  • Voluntary and open
    membership

    Cooperatives are voluntary organizations, open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination.
  • Democratic member
    control

    Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions. Men and women serving as elected representatives are accountable to the membership.
  • Member economic
    participation

    Members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of their cooperative. At least part of that capital is usually the common property of the cooperative. Members allocate surpluses for any or all of the following purposes: developing their cooperative, possibly by setting up reserves; benefiting members in proportion to their transactions with the cooperative; and supporting other activities approved by the membership.
  • Autonomy and
    independence

    Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their members. If they enter into agreements with other organizations, including governments, or raise capital from external sources, they do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their cooperative autonomy.
  • Education, training
    and information

    Cooperatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers and employees, so they can contribute effectively to the development of their cooperatives. They inform the general public – particularly young people and opinion leaders – about the nature and benefits of cooperation.
  • Cooperation among
    cooperatives

    Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional and international structures.
  • Concern for community

    Cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies approved by their members.