# Commons Contribution

Equal Care has adopted a “Commons Contribution” model: a shared approach where part of the fee paid for care goes towards maintaining the cooperative itself and supporting the resources we all rely on.

In practical terms, the **Commons Contribution** is everything in the hourly rate that *doesn’t* go directly to the worker. At Equal Care, this typically amounts to around **25%** of the total hourly fee. This percentage reflects what the co-operative needs to function but may vary depending on the needs of the organisation and what members agree is fair and sustainable.

## What does the Commons Contribution pay for?

The contribution helps cover the costs of:

* **Team “hat” work** – the time workers spend supporting and managing their teams
* **Local Circle participation** – time spent building local community infrastructure
* **Coach salaries** – supporting teams and facilitating care relationships
* **Our technology platform** – building, maintaining and improving the tools we use to coordinate care
* **Admin and core operations** – finance, payroll, HR, invoicing, renting workspaces
* **Care-related goods** – such as PPE and shared equipment
* **Membership activities** – including the AGM, member communications and events

In short: this is what allows the care system to function as a commons; not just a set of private exchanges, but a shared ecosystem with responsibilities and resources held in common.

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## How it’s applied

* **For employed care workers**, the Commons Contribution is already built into the rate the co-op charges the person receiving care.
* **For independent (self-employed) care workers**, the contribution is deducted from their advertised hourly rate and directed back into the co-operative.

This distinction helps ensure everyone involved contributes fairly to sustaining the model while remaining transparent about where the money goes.

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To find out more about how Equal Care's prices and rates for different contracts see ['Care and Support Rates'](https://play.equal.care/resources/care-and-support-rates) in our [Resources Section](https://play.equal.care/resources).
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