Member Governance · Annual Vote · Community Voice
Community Investment
A portion of BlackSpace’s annual net revenue is directed toward organizations advancing financial literacy and economic empowerment in Black communities — allocated each year by the vote of active Seller Members in good standing.
First Annual Community Investment Vote — forthcoming
The inaugural vote will open to eligible Seller Members following the close of the Network’s first full operating year. All active Seller Members in good standing will be notified by email no fewer than 7 days before the voting window opens.
First vote anticipated
Following Dec 31, 2026
How it Works
The Annual Community Investment Vote
The vote is a governance right of all active Seller Members — not a suggestion box, but a structured mechanism of associational governance built into the BlackSpace Network from day one.
BlackSpace selects candidates
Between three and six organizations are evaluated against the published Curatorial Rubric and placed on the ballot. All candidates must meet the criteria for mission alignment, legal status, and community focus published below.
Seller Members cast one vote each
Active Seller Members in good standing as of the vote eligibility date each receive one vote. The voting window is open for no fewer than 14 calendar days and is accessible through the Seller Member dashboard.
Plurality wins
The organization receiving the most votes receives the annual allocation. Vote percentages, participation rates, and the allocation amount are published on this page within 30 days of vote close.
Mechanics & Governance Details — Per Seller Member Policy, Section 5A
Eligibility
Active Seller Members in good standing as of the vote eligibility date. Members whose accounts are suspended or under review are not eligible during the affected period.
Votes Per Member
One (1) vote per active Seller Member account. Votes are not transferable.
Candidates on Ballot
No fewer than 3 and no more than 6 organizations per cycle, selected by BlackSpace against the published Curatorial Rubric.
Voting Window
Minimum 14 calendar days. Dates are announced at least 7 days before the window opens.
How to Vote
Through the Seller Member dashboard. Members will receive email notice when the voting window opens.
Result Determination
Plurality wins. In the event of a tie, BlackSpace retains final determination authority as described in Section 5A of the Seller Member Policy.
BlackSpace’s Retained Discretion
BlackSpace retains final determination authority and may disqualify candidates or suspend the vote under extraordinary circumstances. Such circumstances, if invoked, will be disclosed publicly on this page within 14 days.
Results Disclosure
Vote percentages, allocation amount, and participation rate will be published on this page within 30 days of vote close and incorporated into the annual Impact Report.
2026 Vote Status
Current Vote Status
Forthcoming — Not Yet Open
Inaugural vote opens following the close of the first operating year
The first Annual Community Investment Vote will open to eligible Seller Members after December 31, 2026. BlackSpace will notify all active Seller Members by email no fewer than 7 days before the voting window opens.
When the vote opens, the candidate organizations, their mission descriptions, and the voting window dates will be published here. The vote will remain open for a minimum of 14 calendar days.
Results — including the winning organization, vote percentages, allocation amount, and participation rate — will be published on this page within 30 days of vote close and incorporated into the inaugural annual Impact Report.
Operating Year Closes
December 31, 2026
Vote Opens
Early 2027
Results Published
Within 30 days of close
Candidate Evaluation Criteria
How candidate organizations are selected
BlackSpace evaluates all candidate organizations against this publicly published rubric before placing them on the ballot. Publishing the rubric now — before the first vote has been held — establishes that the criteria are real and designed in advance, not invented after the fact. BlackSpace retains sole discretion in applying these criteria and disqualifying candidates that do not meet them.
Primary Mission Alignment
The organization’s primary mission must focus on financial literacy, Black entrepreneurship, or economic empowerment within communities of color. Organizations whose community focus is secondary or incidental to a broader mission do not qualify.
Network Values Alignment
The organization’s values and public communications must be consistent with BlackSpace’s Unapologetically Black Forward mission. Organizations whose stated purpose or public conduct is inconsistent with this mission will not be placed on the ballot.
U.S.-Based Nonprofit Status
The organization must be a U.S.-based nonprofit in good standing at the time of nomination and throughout the vote period, including 501(c)(3) organizations and equivalent designations.
No Conflicts of Interest
The organization must have no material conflict of interest with BlackSpace, its Seller Members, or its leadership. Organizations with financial relationships, shared principals, or other conflicts will be disqualified.
Sole discretion retained: BlackSpace retains sole discretion to disqualify candidate organizations that no longer meet these criteria, even after placement on the ballot. Any such disqualification will be disclosed publicly on this page within 14 days, along with the reason.
Member Governance
Additional governance rights
The Community Investment Vote is one of three governance features available to active Seller Members. Together they establish the associational relationship at the core of the BlackSpace Network.
Policy Input — Section 5B
Policy change comment period
Seller Members have the right to submit feedback on proposed material policy changes during a minimum 7-day comment period prior to implementation.
When a material policy change is proposed, BlackSpace will notify all active Seller Members by email with the proposed change and a deadline for written submissions. Submissions may be made by email or through the Seller Member dashboard.
BlackSpace will consider all submitted feedback before finalizing any material change. Responses to feedback are provided in aggregate, not individually, and do not constitute a right to veto proposed changes.
Advisory Council — Section 5C
Seller Member Advisory Council
The Seller Member Advisory Council is a standing body of active Seller Members who advise BlackSpace leadership on Network operations, platform development priorities, and community concerns.
Current Council members: The Council will be established following the Network’s first full operating year. Active Seller Members in good standing may express interest in serving now.
Council members serve one-year terms and are selected annually in connection with the Community Investment Vote cycle.
Vote Archive
Prior years' vote results
Every vote result will be permanently archived here. The longitudinal record demonstrates that the governance feature has operated consistently over time — a key element of the genuine association argument.
2026
The inaugural vote results, covering the first Annual Community Investment Vote, will be archived here following the close of the vote and the publication of results.
First vote anticipated: Early 2027
Legal Notice
The Annual Community Investment Vote is a governance right of all active Seller Members in good standing, as established in Section 5 of the BlackSpace Seller Member Policy. Participation in the vote is one expression of the associational relationship between BlackSpace and its Seller Members. Vote outcomes are advisory and subject to BlackSpace LLC’s final determination as described in the Seller Member Policy.