For us, running a business is about reaching our goals and successfully providing programming and services that have a positive impact on the communities in which we work. Our incorporation, organizational structure, and way we focus on community relationships, reflect our values.

What does it mean to be mission-based? For us, it's a legal requirement. As an L3C we are required to uphold our mission (L3C on Wikipedia). In our Operating Agreement we state: "In particular, the Company is organized to conduct musical programs, activities, education and other services, including the provision of musical recording services, to build local communities to bring together diverse populations and address the needs of and expose youth and adult populations in Washtenaw County, Michigan and surrounding communities through collaborative participation in the musical arts."

We've specifically structured our organization to be open to community leadership. Our Board of Managers is independent, protected from extensive owner pressures. The Board is responsible for the organization and self-determines its composition. Any individual, approved by the Board, can help lead the organization. Each member of the Board recieves one vote, no matter what the level of ownership in the company. In developing our Operating Agreement we worked hard to balance the benefits seen in the nonprofit and for-profit worlds. Additionally, we've written a space for an Artist Advisory Board which maintains a voting representative on our Board. We are excited to develop this in the future.

Michigan's L3C Amendment
Inacted 1/16/2009
M.C.L. § 450.4102(m): “’Low-profit limited liability company’ means a limited liability company that has included in its articles of organization a purpose that meets, and that at all times conducts its activities to meet all of the following requirements:
(i) The limited liability company significantly furthers the accomplishment of 1 or more charitable or educational purposes described in section 170(c)(2)(B) of the internal revenue code, 26 USC 170, and would not have been formed except to accomplish those charitable or educational purposes.
(ii) The production of income or appreciation of property is not a significant purpose of the limited liability company. However, in the absence of other factors, the fact that a limited liability company produces significant income or capital appreciation is not conclusive evidence of a significant purpose involving the production of income or the appreciation of property.
(iii) The purposes of the limited liability company do not include accomplishing 1 or more political or legislative purposes described in section 170(c)(2)(D) of the internal revenue code, 26 USC 170.”