Comprehensive Training
For Cooperative Developers
This intensive, outcome-based curriculum is focused exclusively on cooperative applications and real-world elements such as site visits and interactive case studies. The training provides critical lessons in cooperative business model, group facilitation and start-up issues while incorporating challenges cooperatives face today. Upon completion of the program participants will be able to:
Understand the unique attributes of the cooperative business model
Lead groups through the key steps of cooperative business development process
Set up effective governance models for start-up cooperatives
Apply strong group facilitation and communication skills
Assess cooperative finance and capitalization strategies towards business success
Advise groups on the process of completing a feasibility study
Prepare a cooperative business plan
Educate groups on the legal structure and the tax environment for cooperatives
Build successful cooperative development ecosystems
Building Blocks
The first session of The Art and Science of Cooperative Development lays out the basics of the cooperative model, including governance, feasibility, business basics, and memberships. Additionally, we’ll cover topics ranging from cooperative history to building your cooperative ecosystem.
Toolkit Implementation
This session will dive deeper into topics like feasibility, explore a wider array of business planning tools, include more information and resources for later stages of business development, and put more emphasis on the field of cooperative development and the participants’ role in it.
Building Blocks: Cooperative Basics, Building Capacity, and Developing Leadership
For 2023, CW is excited to offer Building Blocks as a Hybrid Program. There will be virtual sessions throughout July and a live, in-person 2-day session in Oakland, CA September 19-20. Register for the full both, or just the hybrid or in-person sessions! Learn more below. Early bird registration discounts apply until Monday, June 5th.
Building Blocks (formerly Session 1) provides a thorough but introductory overview into the field of cooperative development. This session lays out the basics of the cooperative model, including governance, feasibility, business basics, and memberships. We’ll cover topics ranging from cooperative history to building your cooperative ecosystem. Participants will learn from case studies that delve into particular topics in co-op development, such as investment cooperatives, conversions, and assisting groups in low-resource communities. Additionally, tours to local co-ops and ample networking opportunities this intensive, productive, and meaningful training.
Participants can register for the full program, the virtual program, or the in-person program of Building Blocks Hybrid 2023. The virtual portion includes a 4-week program running from July 6th-27th, 2023 that will be held over Zoom. Please see the agenda for this here. The in-person portion includes a 2-day intensive held in Oakland, CA from September 19-20th that will include a day of site visits to co-ops around the Bay Area.
Participants registering for the Full and/or In-person programs canbook a room with our room block here. The Courtyard Marriott in centrally located in Downtown Oakland, close to our meeting space, and easily accessible by public transit. Single and double rooms are available. Participants should plan to arrive in Oakland on Monday, September 18th and depart on Thursday, September 21st. Rooms must be booked by August 28th.
Please note that the cost of tuition does not cover airfare or lodging. It does include food throughout the two days of the program.
Virtual Programming will be held as follows:
- Thursday, July 6th: 12pm-3pm PT
- Tuesday, July 11th: 12pm-2:30pm PT
- Thursday, July 13th: 12pm-2pm PT
- Tuesday, July 18th: 12pm-2pmPT
- Thursday, July 20th: 12pm-2pm PT
- Tuesday, July 25th: 12-3pm PT
- Thursday, July 27th: 12-3pm PT
We have limited scholarships available for participants with financial need. Please fill out and return this form to Alex by Wednesday, May 31st. Scholarships for this program are made possible by the generosity of CoBank, the Ralph K. Morris Foundation, Cooperative Development Foundation, and National Cooperative Bank.
Tuition for Building Blocks 2023 is as follows:
- Full Program: $1500
- Virtual Only: $1000
- In-person Only: $800
Register by Monday, June 5th to access early bird discounts. These are $100 for the full program and $50 for the in-person and virtual-only components.
Tuition does not include the cost of transit or lodging.
Building Blocks Hybrid 2023 will be offered via Zoom from July 6th-27th and in-person in Oakland, CA September 19-20th.
We are always looking for new, innovative, and experienced trainers. Here are some of the folks who helped make our trainings world-class:
- Margaret Bau, Cooperative Development Specialist, USDA-Rural Development
- Courtney Berner, Executive Director, University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives
- Jamie Duong, Bookkeeper/Principal, Resolve Cooperative
- Jessica Gordon Nembhard, Professor of Community Justice and Social Economic Development, John Jay College, City University of NY
- Margaret Lund, Principal, Co-opera
- Ojan Mobedshahi, Finance Director, East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative
- Cherrelle Gardner, Program Director, Co-op Dayton
- Jason Wiener, President, Jason Wiener|p.c. a public benefit corporation
Toolkit Implementation: Practical Application of Tools and Skills for Cooperative Developers
Toolkit Implementation will return in Fall 2023.
Toolkit Implementation (formerly Session 2) builds upon the concepts and skills developed in Building Blocks and prompts participants to use these in interactive, hands-on, case studies. This session will dive deeper into topics like feasibility, explore a wider array of business planning tools, include more information and resources for later stages of business development, and put more emphasis on the field of cooperative development and the participants’ role in it. Toolkit Implementation includes hands-on case studies, peer clinicals, and plenty of opportunities to practice your co-op development skills! Check out this sample Toolkit Implementation Online agenda.
Toolkit Implementation will be offered Tuesdays and Thursdays from November 1st-December 1st, 2022.
Toolkit Implementation 2021 Trainers Included:
- Margaret Bau, Cooperative Development Specialist, US Department of Agriculture
- Courtney Berner, Executive Director, UW Center for Cooperatives
- Nat Marineau Begej, Cooperative Educator
- Mavery Davis, CPA
- Alex Stone, Executive Director, CooperationWorks!
- Ricardo Nuñez, Director of Economic Democracy, Sustainable Economies Law Center
- Christina Jennings, Executive Director, Shared Capital Cooperative
- Esther West, Cooperative Development Specialist, UW Center for Cooperatives
- Margaret Lund, Principal, Co-opera
- John McNamara, Senior Cooperative Developer, Northwest Cooperative Development Center
- Stuart Reid, Executive Director, Food Co-op Initiative
- Diane Gasaway, Executive Director, Northwest Cooperative Development Center
Stay tuned for Toolkit Implementation tuition info!
Finance Fundamentals: Financial Analysis for New Cooperatives
The Next Finance Fundamentals will be offered online March 16-30th, 2023
Finance Fundamentals (formerly Session 3) is a five-day, webinar-based training that gives participants hands-on experience building their own Excel workbook to determine the feasibility of a start-up co-op. This training requires some knowledge of Excel and will build participants’ knowledge of the program. Finance Fundamentals requires daily homework assignments as well as a final project that must be passed to be considered as having passed the course. This intensive session demands participants learn and utilize practical skills for assessing feasibility and determining success factors for new cooperatives. Check out a sample agenda. Corrigan Nadon Nichols, Certified Management Accountant and co-op consultant, leads the course. Finance Fundamentals 2023 will be offered on the following days from approximately 9am-2pm PT:
- Thursday, March 16th
- Tuesday, March 21st
- Thursday, March 23rd
- Tuesday, March 28th
- Thursday, March 30th
- Office Hours: TBD based on participant availability
- Friday, April 7th: Final Project Due
March 16-30, 2023 via Zoom.
Lead Trainer: Corrigan Nadon Nichols
Corrigan Nadon-Nichols has been consulting for non-profits, small businesses, cooperatives, and condominium associations for over ten years. He has assisted dozens of groups through initial formation, start-up, expansion, and recovering from crises. Corrigan has managed staff teams as well as boards of directors and has experience bridging the divides between different groups of stakeholders in an organization or business. Corrigan is also an experienced trainer and educator, who focuses on building the capacity of his clients.
Tuition for Finance Fundamentals is $1000. Participants who register by February 11, 2023 receive a $50 early bird discount.
Sponsored By
