Additional Resources

National Advocacy (USA)

 

National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) is the only national membership association of cooperative businesses across all sectors.

US Federation of Worker Co-ops is the national membership organization for worker cooperatives.

Platform Co-op Consortium is a community focused on advancing cooperative tech platforms owned by their users and workers.

The Cooperative Resource Ecosystem (U of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives) is a map of national, and regional cooperative development organizations, cooperative associations, and co-op friendly capital.

Global Advocacy

 

CLUSA is the global development arm of NCBA, providing cooperative development work and “technical assistance” in multiple countries.

International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) is the global co-op membership association representing co-op associations and developers in every sector, across countries.

National Co-op Development and Technical Assistance

 

Cooperation Works Network is a network of cooperative developers. If you are looking to get started, look to see if you have a cooperative developer near you (search under start ups).

Democracy At Work Institute (DAWI) is a national organization dedicated to advancing worker cooperatives. DAWI provides consulting, research, and training, check out their resources page.

Columinate is a worker owned consulting group that offer co-ops, and co-ops in planning, skills, consulting and expertise on a variety of topics

The ICA Group is a consulting and research non-profit that offers technical assistance, business planning and feasibility studies.

Food Co-op Initiative is only for food co-op development but they do a great job.

Project Equity is a non profit focused on helping convert existing businesses to worker ownership.

USFWC Startup Clinics and Guides offer worker co-ops free videos and mini guides on startup topics plus pay-for-service technical assistance.

Guide to Indigenous Community Cooperative Development from Cooperative Development Services and Minnesota Indigenous Business Alliance.

Regional Co-op Development and Technical Assistance (East to West)

 

Financing

 

Equitable Economy Fund is an equity fund designed to provide capital that can accelerate cooperatively-owned and shared ownership companies, while also providing a financial return to investors.

Shared Capital is a national CDFI loan fund, and cooperative itself, that provides financing for cooperatives across a wide variety of sectors.

Local Enterprise Assistance Fund (LEAF) is a loan fund that provides financing with a primary focus on food, housing and worker ownership.

Working World is a loan fund that provides financing primarily to worker owned and employee focused cooperatives.

Seed Commons is a national network of geographically focused loan funds (including the Working World) mostly focused on worker ownership.

Cooperative Fund of the Northeast is a CDFI loan fund that provides financing for many cooperatives across the New England states.

Momentus Capital is a large business lender, equity fund, and impact fund with over 3 billion in combined assets that provides financial services to underserved markets in the United States.

General Startup Resources