Resources

Files for Download

Download "Your Community Co-ops", a list of food co-ops in New England

Resources for Cooperatives and Nonprofits

Invest in Cooperation
Pioneer Valley Solidarity Economy
Co-op Grocers Information Network
Co-op America
Grassroots Economic Organizing Newsletter
National Cooperative Business Association
National Cooperative Housing Association
Social Investment Forum
Regional Index of Cooperation (find coop)
Coop Development Institute
National Co-op Directory
Cooperative Services, Inc.
Cooperative Development Services.
University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension
US Worker Co-op Federation

Other Cooperatives & Nonprofit Organizations

Cabot Creamery Cooperative
Berkshire Co-op Market
Hanover Foods Consumer Cooperative Society
Hunger Mountain Co-op
Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation/Cooperative Community Fund
Maine Business Works
Opportunity Finance Network

Board Documents

Documents are available with a password via the Web File Manager.

Learn About Coops

What's a co-op?
How do co-ops work?
Different kinds of co-ops
International Principles of Cooperation
Where else can I learn about cooperatives?

What's a co-op?
Cooperatives are businesses-be it food, housing, or agriculture-that exist to benefit the people that work, live, or shop in them. Profits from business or housing cooperatives aren't siphoned off to a single outside owner, but reinvested in the community they came from, serving their own members economically, socially, and educationally.

Cooperatives are community-builders. People often shop at, live in, or work for cooperatives because co-ops make a special effort to be active participants in improving the lives of neighborhood families.

Cooperatives are democracies. All co-op members have a voice in making decisions about what direction the enterprise takes. In this way, members gain valuable skills in governance, finance, management, and more.

How do co-ops work?
Cooperatives are usually made up of the general membership, committees, and the board of directors.

The General Membership makes the biggest decisions, such as electing the Board, setting the rules and bylaws for the cooperative, and authorizing large expenditures.

The Board of Directors makes daily operational decisions, manages the budget, handles emergencies-the Board cannot make big decisions without approval from the General Membership.

The Board can establish Committees to research and handle specific issues that arise within the co-op.

Different kinds of co-ops
There are many different types of cooperatives with roughly this structure, and each benefit their members and communities in unique ways:

Housing co-ops give people with low to moderate income the opportunity to own their own homes and exert influence over their living conditions, building skills in governance, management and finance.

Producer co-ops provide income opportunities for small farmers and help increase their leverage in the marketplace. Many of these farmers grow and market organic products that promote a healthier work environment for farm workers. In addition, they practice a more sustainable approach to land use and create more options for consumers.

Consumer co-ops sell a wide variety of affordably-priced products and services with all profits shared equitably among consumer members. In New England there are many natural foods co-ops that sell fresh, wholesome, minimally-processed and certified organic foods. Download our "Community Food Co-ops" brochure here.

Worker co-ops create or maintain employment and provide workers with ownership and governance opportunities seldom available in conventional business settings. Worker-owners of CFNE co-ops include printers, food warehouse workers, car repairers, bakers, and coffee importers.

Land co-ops and land trusts allow rural residents the opportunity to share scarce resources through the shared ownership of land. CFNE has made loans to land trusts that have purchased and preserved vital woodlands and farmlands, maintaining these resources for the benefit of future generations.

International Principles of Cooperation
These principles are defined by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) as qualities that every cooperative should have. The following is a revised list of the Intenational Principles of Cooperation:

1. Voluntary and Open Membership

Everyone who is able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership can join a co-op--no one is excluded, and one can leave the co-op without consequences. Co-ops don't discriminate based on gender, social, racial, political or religious factors.

2. Democratic Member Control

Members set policies and make decisions, and men and women serving as elected representatives are always accountable to the membership.

3. Member Economic Participation

Members contribute to the cooperative financially--even if it's a small amount. Members also democratically control what happens to the money in the budget.

4. Autonomy and Independence

Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their members.

5. Education, Training & Information

Cooperatives educate and train their members, elected representatives, managers and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their cooperatives.

6. Cooperation Among Cooperatives

Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, regional, national and international structures.

7. Concern for the Community

Cooperatives try to improve their communities by setting policies that benefit the neighborhood at large.

Revised from the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA)

Where else can I learn about cooperatives?
There are many cooperative organizations and cooperative education programs in the country:

Cooperative Support Organizations
University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives

National Cooperative Business Association

University of California at Davis Center for Cooperatives

Madison Community Cooperatives

International Cooperative Alliance

Cooperative Development Services

Cooperative Housing
National Association of Housing Cooperatives

The Cooperative Housing Coalition
WeOwn Network (Boston, MA)

Credit Unions
Natl. Federation of Community Development Credit Unions

Credit Union National Association

Student Cooperatives
North American Students of Cooperation

Inter-Cooperative Council (Ann Arbor, MI)

Riverton Community Housing (Minneapolis, MN)

Cooperatives and Community Development Lending
Opportunity Finance Network

Community Development Financial Institutions Fund

NCB (National Cooperative Bank)

North Country Development Fund. visit their site to order NCDF's toolbox information on cooperatives.

LEAF

Natural Foods Cooperatives
Cooperative Grocers' Information Network

Cooperative Grocer Magazine

Newsletter Archives

Below you will find our newsletter archives. Click on any of the links to download the newsletters in PDF format.

(note: use the free version of Acrobat Reader to view these files)