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.

To find out more about how Equal Care's prices and rates for different contracts see 'Care and Support Rates' in our Resources Section.