Co-op Community Forum
Member ideas that became real MTE programs
The Co-op Community Forum is an online advisory board made up of randomly selected members who serve one-year terms. The forum opens for one week each quarter. During that week, members answer a few survey questions and engage with one another on a discussion board at their own pace and convenience. What members share has a real impact on MTE. The Electric Griddle, our mobile food trailer that serves free grilled cheese at community events, started as a member’s idea in the forum. The forum is one of several ways members can share ideas and feedback with us directly. We also send surveys, and our community relations team, our member support team, and our six local offices are always ready to hear your ideas.
How the forum works
Members serve a one-year term. The forum opens for a week each quarter. Members complete short survey activities and comment on a discussion board whenever it fits their schedule. MTE team members monitor responses as they come in and join the discussion to answer questions or add context.
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We invite 75 members at random and balance the group across geography, age, income, and how long someone has been with the co-op. Building it that way means the conversation reflects our full membership — every county we serve, every stage of life, longtime members, and brand-new ones. Each year, we invite a new group to hear from as many voices as possible.
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Past sessions have focused on member communications, outage updates, and myEnergyPlan. What members tell us is shared with our leadership and program teams to help shape decisions. The group is small, so we treat what we hear as member input that informs our work — not as a measurement of the full membership.
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More about the forum
We send surveys, too, and they’re a good way to answer a specific question quickly. The forum adds conversation. Members react to each other’s ideas across a full week, and we can ask follow-up questions in the moment. This approach gives us a fuller picture of what members are thinking.
Forum members receive MTE service at their home. Everyone in the invitation pool is screened in advance and has said they’re interested in taking part.
Send us your ideas
Good ideas come from members every day. Tell our community relations team what you’d like to see from your co-op.
More ways to be heard
Community events and programs are another way to engage and provide feedback.
Contact MTE's Community Relations Team
MTE’s Community Relations team works to strengthen connections between MTE and the communities we serve. Whether you're looking for information about community involvement, SharingChange, educational opportunities, events, partnerships, or outreach programs, our team is here to help.
We're here to serve MTE members and community partners through community engagement efforts and programs.
Email: communityrelations@mte.com
Phone: 877-777-9020
Online: mte.com/Community
