§ Frequently asked
Plain answers,
without the spectacle.
If something here is unclear or feels evasive, that is a bug. Tell us. The whole point of the platform is to refuse the kind of language that obscures structure.
On this page ↓6 sections · 19 questions
On this page6 sections · 19 questions
Part 1 of 6
The basics
What GROUNDWORK actually is, in plain words.
- Is GROUNDWORK a fundraising platform?
- No. No money ever moves through GROUNDWORK — we never custody, broker, or route funds. We're a public register where initiatives prove their structure and support, so real fundraising can happen later, externally, through their own legal entity.
- What is GROUNDWORK, then?
- A place where people can propose a co-op or project they want to start, and where anyone who'd actually back it can say so with a non-binding pledge — before any money is on the table. Our job is making structure legible and proving support, not collecting money.
- Why pledges instead of payments?
- Because most ideas die before they exist, simply because the people behind them can't tell whether anyone would show up. Non-binding pledges let an idea prove it has support before the organizers spend months on paperwork, banking, and legal setup.
Part 2 of 6
Pledging & money
What happens when you back a co-op, and where the money sits.
- What does a non-binding pledge actually mean?
- You're saying: "If this co-op launches the way it's described here, I'd support it." You're not charged. You're not legally committed. You can change your mind. The pledge is a public signal that helps organizers see whether their idea has real backing.
- When does money come into the picture?
- Only after a co-op has disclosed its governance, passed an independent audit, and reached the financial activation stage. At that point the co-op itself collects funds — directly, under its own legal entity. GROUNDWORK never holds, brokers, or routes money.
- Why doesn't GROUNDWORK handle the money?
- The moment a platform custodies funds, it becomes a financial intermediary — with regulators, conflicts of interest, and incentives that pull it away from its job. Keeping money external lets GROUNDWORK focus on one thing: making sure the co-op you're considering is actually what it says it is.
- Will I get equity or ownership for pledging?
- Not from the pledge itself. Ownership, membership shares, or any return depends entirely on the co-op's own structure, which is published on its page before you pledge.
Part 3 of 6
Audits & transparency
What "required to be transparent and audited" actually means.
- What is checked before a co-op can ask for money?
- Three things: the organizers' identities are verified, the co-op's governance and ownership structure is fully disclosed, and an independent reviewer audits the disclosed structure for honesty, coherence, and gaps between what's promised and how power is actually distributed.
- Who does the audits?
- Independent reviewers who apply through the platform and are publicly accountable for their decisions. Reviewer applications, approvals, and revocations are all listed openly.
- Does GROUNDWORK pick winners or endorse co-ops?
- No. Audits don't certify a co-op as good, smart, or worth your support — that's your call. They only make the co-op's real shape visible, so your decision is based on the actual thing instead of the marketing.
- What if a co-op changes after it's been audited?
- Material changes to governance, ownership, or structure are tracked and shown on the co-op's page. Supporters can see how an idea evolved between the pledge and the launch.
Part 4 of 6
Starting a co-op
What it looks like from the organizer's side.
- Who can propose a co-op?
- Anyone. You start at the unverified stage — which is clearly labeled so supporters know what they're looking at. To collect pledges with weight, and eventually fundraise, you progress through identity verification, governance disclosure, and audit.
- Does GROUNDWORK require a specific governance model?
- No. Founder-led, fully cooperative, hybrid, investor-backed — all are allowed, as long as the structure is disclosed honestly and stays visible as it changes. The platform refuses the gap between branding and reality, not the diversity of real structures.
- How long does this take?
- Posting a proposal takes minutes. Reaching the stage where you can ask for money takes as long as it takes you to actually set up a real co-op — verify identity, write governance, pass audit. GROUNDWORK doesn't speed up the legal work; it just makes sure none of it is hidden.
Part 5 of 6
Activist initiatives & anonymity
Why some organizers are allowed to seek support without publicly disclosing their identity.
- Why are initiatives labeled as activist allowed to seek support anonymously?
- GROUNDWORK recognizes that public political organizing, labor advocacy and activist work can sometimes expose people to personal, professional or legal risks. In some cases, requiring full public identification would make collective organizing effectively impossible. For that reason, certain activist initiatives may be permitted to organize and seek support without publicly disclosing the identities of organizers, while still being required to comply with the platform's governance, transparency and review standards. GROUNDWORK believes people should be able to participate in collective action and public advocacy without automatic exposure of their personal identity.
Part 6 of 6
About the platform itself
How GROUNDWORK is run, and what stops it from drifting.
- Who runs GROUNDWORK?
- Right now, one person — and the site says so openly on every relevant page. It's an early-stage project. The co-ops you see listed today are placeholders illustrating how a real entry would look.
- How is GROUNDWORK itself governed?
- Under the same rules it asks of others: disclosed structure, visible authority, public appeals, and anti-capture safeguards. The platform's constitution and any amendments are public.
- What stops the platform from becoming the thing it criticizes?
- Nothing permanently — and we don't pretend otherwise. The defenses are: reviewer accountability, a public self-audit, open critique, and structural visibility. Institutional drift is treated as ongoing risk, not a solved problem.
- Is GROUNDWORK politically neutral?
- Not toward racism, dehumanization, or attacks on democratic participation. Within those limits, broad political and ideological diversity is welcome. The goal is people running real institutions together, not ideological conformity.
Still curious
The documentation is layered on purpose. Start with the overview, follow how it works, then read the principles for the reasoning underneath.