Membership in the Association

What “membership” means here

Globcal International does not operate a tiered “membership association” model. Participation is defined by cooperative ownership and contribution: stakeholders invest in the platform’s infrastructure and help govern it, while associates and volunteers contribute to the mission without voting rights.

At a glance

• Structure: Autonomous cooperative publishing platform
• Total cooperative shares: 1,000 stakeholder shares
• Minimum buy-in for stakeholder status: $1,000
• Maximum ownership per person: up to 10 shares
• Voting: one person, one vote (regardless of shares owned)
• Associates: under $1,000 invested or volunteers (non-voting)

What stakeholders own

Stakeholder ownership is ownership in the platform’s domain infrastructure, operational capacity, editorial systems, and publishing assets: the digital property and working environment that allow Globcal to publish, distribute, and preserve public-facing work over time.

This model exists to keep the platform independent, professionally governed, and accountable to the people who materially support its infrastructure.

Stakeholder requirements

• Buy-in threshold: A person must invest at least $1,000 to qualify as a cooperative stakeholder.
• Ownership limit: A person may hold up to 10 shares.
• Voting: Regardless of how many shares are held (up to the limit), each stakeholder has one vote in the cooperative system.
• Purpose: The system protects democratic governance and prevents “pay-to-control” outcomes.

Governance principle

Cooperative decisions are made using one-person / one-vote governance among qualifying stakeholders. Share ownership supports infrastructure; voting supports accountable stewardship.

Who is an associate?

Associates are supporters who have invested less than $1,000 and/or contribute through volunteer effort. Associates are part of our community and may be publicly recognized for their contributions, but they are not entitled to vote in cooperative governance.

If an associate later meets the stakeholder buy-in threshold, they may transition to stakeholder status under the cooperative’s rules.

Professional pathway (recommended)

If you want to join Globcal International as an author or editor, we recommend starting with a professional submission: a CV and a writing sample that demonstrates your capability to publish responsibly in our genre.

We also recommend a $1,000–$2,500 donation through one of our programs to support platform infrastructure and editorial development. Donations support capacity; they are not automatically the same thing as cooperative share ownership unless explicitly subscribed as shares.

Submission checklist

1. CV / résumé (PDF preferred)
2. Sample article (one complete, publish-ready piece)
3. Short cover note describing your intended beat/topic focus
4. Donation (recommended): $1,000–$2,500 through one of our programs (include the receipt or reference)

Clarity, safety, and public trust

• No tiered “membership benefits”: Globcal is cooperative ownership in platform infrastructure, not a dues-based association.
• No sale of government authority: Globcal does not sell diplomatic status, immunity, passports, or government credentials.
• Editorial integrity: Authors and editors are expected to follow our policies and standards, including sourcing and corrections.
• Transparency: Claims of role, status, or affiliation must be documentable and presented accurately.

Get in touch

For submissions, stakeholder inquiries, or program questions, use our Contact page. To share this page, use: https://blog.globcal.net/p/membership.html