Cooperationworks

MEMBERS OF COOPERATIONWORKS, A NATIONAL NETWORK OF NEARLY 40 COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT CENTERS AND NEARLY 20 INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPERS, WORK TOGETHER TO REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES THROUGH EFFECTIVE COOPERATIVE ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT. MEMBERS PROVIDE EXPERTISE ACROSS ALL ASPECTS OF COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS, BUSINESS PLAN DEVELOPMENT, AND TRAINING AND EDUCATION. COOPERATIONWORKS PROVIDES THE NETWORK FOR DEVELOPERS TO CONNECT, ENGAGE IN PEER LEARNING, SHARING RESOURCES AND EXPERTISE, AND COLLABORATE. COOPERATIONWORKS ORGANIZED FOUR ONGOING COLLABORATIONS FOR COOPERATIONWORKS MEMBERS, INCLUDING INTAKE AND OUTREACH PIPELINE, RURAL FOOD SYSTEMS, WORKER COOPERATIVES, AND REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT COOPERATIVES. THESE COLLABORATIONS SUPPORT MEMBERS IN COMMUNITY-DRIVEN LEARNING, DEVELOPING TOOLS AND SHARED BEST PRACTICES, AND AS SPACES FOR PEER WORKSHOPS AND CASE STUDIES. COOPERATIONWORKS HELD AN ANNUAL MEETING IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA ATTENDED BY 24 INDIVIDUALS FROM 16 ORGANIZATIONS AND 16 STATES. THIS 3-DAY PROGRAM INCLUDED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING FOR BUILDING STRONG COOPERATIVE ECOSYSTEMS, WORKER COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT, AND MAPPING THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL IMPACT OF OUR WORK, AS WELL AS TWO DAY-LONG TOURS TO COOPERATIVES ACROSS IN PITTSBURGH AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS, INCLUDING MEADVILLE. COOPERATIONWORKS CONTINUED TO HOLD ITS FLAGSHIP TRAINING, THE ART AND SCIENCE OF COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT. WHILETOOLKIT IMPLEMENTATION AND FINANCE FUNDAMENTALS REMAINED ENTIRELY ONLINE, BUILDING BLOCKS WAS REINTRODUCED AS A HYBRID PROGRAM THAT INCLUDED A 4-WEEK VIRTUAL TRAINING AND A 2-DAY IN-PERSON TRAINING. 25 PEOPLE ATTENDED SESSION 1: BUILDING BLOCKS, 18 ATTENDED SESSION 2: TOOLKIT IMPLEMENTATION, AND 23 ATTENDED SESSION 3: FINANCE FUNDAMENTALS. THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE FOUNDATIONAL TRAINING FOR NEW COOPERATIVE DEVELOPERS, INCLUDING CO-OP BUSINESS 101, FEASIBILITY, GROUP DYNAMICS, COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE, INTRO TO CO-OP SECTORS, MARKET RESEARCH AND BUSINESS PLANNING, AND DEVELOPING COOPERATIVE ECOSYSTEMS. THE IN-PERSON COMPONENT OF BUILDING BLOCKS INCLUDED A TOUR OF FIVE COOPERATIVES AROUND THE BAY AREA WITH DIFFERENT MEMBERSHIP STRUCTURES AND OPERATING IN DIFFERENT SECTORS. ADDITIONALLY, PARTICIPANTS ENGAGED IN HANDS-ON SKILL-BUILDING, INCLUDING WORKING THROUGH CASE STUDIES AND PARTICIPATING IN PEER CLINICALS. IN 2023, COOPERATIONWORKS ALSO STARTED A 10-MONTH MENTORSHIP PROGRAM FOR HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED GROUPS, AS DEFINED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL COOPERATIVE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION THROUGH THEIR STRENGTHENING THE COOPERATIVE ECOSYSTEM PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM RAN FROM SEPTEMBER 2023-JUNE 2024 AND INCLUDED FIVE TWO-HOUR WORKSHOPS, BI-MONTHLY COMMUNITY-BUILDING NETWORKING EVENTS, AND FINAL PRESENTATION IN WHICH MENTEES EXPLORED A COOPERATIVE OR COOPERATIVE ISSUE IN DEPTH. THE PROGRAM SERVED EIGHT MENTEES AND HAD FOUR MENTORS.