This revised process was developed during 2024, and consensed at the Oct TLC Spokescouncil meeting. It was lightly updated by the Spokescouncil at its meeting on 7/27/2026. It is based on the original Grievance process, for which a proposed procedure description was generally consensed at the Social Ecology working group meeting on March 25, 2008; then further revised and consensed at a Spokescouncil on April 23, 2008, and forwarded to the board.

Conflict tender

One person from each active working group, selected by that working group according to its procedures, will be the designated conflict tender for that group. Anyone may raise a concern or grievance with any conflict tender; in general, it will make most sense to go the tender for the group most closely connected to the person or situation in question. If this is difficult to determine, the tenders as a group will decide who is the point person. (If there is not currently an active designated tender, the working group spoke will act in that capacity.)

Emails to tending at tryonfarm.org will go to all current conflict tenders; anyone may reach out that way as first point of contact.

The selected conflict tender will be the point of contact between TLC Farm and the person filing the grievance in the following process. They will ensure that appropriate investigation is made and documented at all stages of the process.

Process steps

• When a conflict or complaint is brought to the TLC Farm community, the conflict tender will fill out a Grievance & Incident Report Form (saved in farm docs under social ecology) and will first attempt to solve the issue directly with the person filing the complaint. This may involve direct conversations with specific individuals, limited mediation, etc.
• If an agreement cannot be reached, the issue will then be brought to the working group most directly involved with the matter (ex. a complaint about wheelchair accessibility will be discussed by land tending, a complaint about an education volunteer will be discussed by the Education working group). When a grievance is brought to a working group there should be an update at Spokes Council about the issue at hand.
• If a resolution does not result between the working group and the person filing the grievance, then the Spokescouncil will address the issue. The council will complete any additional investigation and documentation necessary, and then will make a decision about whether to refer the matter to the Board.
• For grievances referred to the Board, the conflict tender will send a summary of the investigation to the Board. The Board may choose to address the matter at its next scheduled meeting, or at the President's discretion may convene a special meeting. Additionally, the Board may decline to take up the grievance. The decision of the Board will be communicated to the grievant in a timely manner.

Implementation Notes

• If people addressed in the conflict or grievance complaint are part of a group tasked to help resolve it, those people may recuse themselves from the process. This is something that will be considered in consultation with the conflict tender, with recognition that volunteer labor is limited. Different situations will require different responses.
• On some occasions, external people may be brought in (as volunteers, or in extreme cases as paid consultants) to help us address conflicts or grievances. This is not automatically required, and will be decided on a case by case basis by the conflict tender, Spokescouncil, and/or Board.