Cooperative Development Institute: Northeast Center for Cooperative Business

The Republican Journal posted a good article giving a brief history of cooperatives and a fair bit of information about the results of the Wisconsin study on the economic impact of cooperatives. Here is a quote from the article:

For those of you interested in building the cooperative economy, this is a nice call to arms -- or rather call to thinking/dreaming-caps -- by Melissa Hoover, Executive Director of the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives.

Fifteen artists who are members of the Union Cab of Madison worker cooperative are showing their paintings, sculptures, glass blown art, drawings, and photography at the Yahara Bay Gallery (3118 Kingsley Way, Madison, WI). Some of the artists presenting include, but are not limited to: Angela Braun, Jeremy Parker, Andy Konrath, Nino Rodriguez, Diane Sing, Ron Esser, Ingrid Frances Stark, Fred Schepartz, and Dave Jacobitz.

A recent episode of On the Money featured the Center for Family Life, which has helped recent immigrants start four worker cooperatives, the Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York, which started the COLORS worker-owned restaurant, and the Urban Justice Center, which provided legal advice to both.

The launch of the Keep Local Farms program in New England, developed by the Vermont Dairy Promotion Council, New England Dairy Promotion Board, and the New England Family Dairy Farm Cooperative (NEFDFC) with support from CDI, was featured in a recent news release by the Massachusetts Dept. of Agricultural Resources.

CNN Money came out with an article recently about worker-owned businesses surviving the recession, "When Workers Take Charge". Two members of the Valley Alliance of Worker Cooperatives, Pelham Auto and Ronin Tech Collective, were featured among the six businesses. CDI is a proud ally of VAWC and works with both Pelham and Ronin.

The Sonoma County GoLocal organization has reinvented itself as a cooperative owned by its individual, business, and organization members. Individual members get cards that track and reward spending at local member businesses and giving to local member organizations. This is a new and exciting way for "buy local" campaigns to reap the benefits of cooperative organization -- such as transparency, accountability, and equity.

The Domestic Fair Trade Association (DFTA) is holding its annual meeting this December 4-6 in La Farge, Wisconsin, hosted by Organic Valley. Both members and non-members are encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Kerstin Lindgren at dftassociation@gmail.com or 617-680-9862.

NCBA is holding a series of webinars on the different co-op sectors. They are free for NCBA members and $20 otherwise. Coming up soon: Forestry Co-ops on September 24 and Worker Co-ops on October 1. The webinars become available for viewing on the NCBA website a day or so after they occur, so if you missed one you can go back to hear it.

The Center for Cooperatives and CED at SNHU is also holding a series of webinars, "Cooperatives in Troubled Times". The first speaker was Paul Hazen of NCBA, and the second was Howard Brodsky of CCA Global. Coming up on October 14 and October 21 are webinars on Credit Unions and Housing Co-ops in the economic downturn. The cost is $25 for all 4, and if you missed one it can be emailed to you.