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
Our foundational training on co-op development and the first in our Art and Science of Cooperative Development series, Building Blocks is back! We’ll be offering this virtual program from June 21st-July 21st, 2022.
Building Blocks Online 2022 Agenda
You can register for the program here. We’re offering a $100 early bird discount on registrations until Friday, May 13th!
Limited scholarships are available. If you require financial assistance, please fill out and submit this application by Friday, May 6th!
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.
While we’re optimistic, we don’t know what the COVID variants are going to do! To remain accessible to more people, we’re keeping Building Blocks online this year. We hope to gather in person by 2023! Check out the rough schedule below. Find the detailed agenda here.
Building Blocks 2022 Dates
- Tuesday, June 21st: Welcome, Networking, and Co-ops 101
- Thursday, June 23rd: Cooperative Movement Through History and Group Dynamic in a Cooperative Setting
- Tuesday, June 28th: Tax & Legal Environment for Cooperatives, Intro to Co-op Accounting, Group Work
- Thursday, June 30th: Cooperative Governance and Cooperative Business Basics
- Tuesday, July 5th: No session
- Thursday, July 7th: Intro to Feasibility for Start-up Cooperatives
- Tuesday, July 12th: Cooperative Sectors
- Thursday, July 14th: Cooperative Sectors, Continued
- Tuesday, July 19th: Cooperative Case Studies
- Thursday, July 21st: Assessing and Building Cooperative Ecosystems, Wrap-up
Building Blocks Online is coming to a computer near you from June 21st-July 21st, 2022!
We are always looking for new, innovative, and experienced trainers. Here are some of the folks who helped make our trainings world-class:
- Darnell Adams, Principal/Worker-Owner, Firebrand Cooperative
- Margaret Bau, Cooperative Development Specialist, USDA-Rural Development
- Maru Bautista, Independent Consultant
- 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
- Brel Hutton-Okpalaeke, Director of Development Services, NASCO
- Margaret Lund, Principal, Co-opera
- Nat Marineau Begej, Principal, Solanum
- Ojan Mobedshahi, Finance Director, East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative
- Luis Sierra, Cooperative Development Specialist, Northwest Cooperative Development Center
- Jason Wiener, President, Jason Wiener|p.c. a public benefit corporation
Building Blocks Online is $1200. We offer an early bird discount of $100 when you register and pay by May 13th. We also have limited scholarships available. Please see this application for more details.
Toolkit Implementation: Practical Application of Tools and Skills for Cooperative Developers
Thanks to participants and trainers for a wonderul 2021 session! We look forward to offering this program again in Fall 2022.
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 opportunties to practice your co-op develoment skills! Check out a sample Toolkit Implementation Online schedule:
- Day 1: Introductions and Networking
- Day 2: Intro to Case Studies, Business Planning and Launch
- Day 3: Governance
- Day 4: Funding Cooperative Development
- Day 5: Group Dynamics
- Day 6: Feasibility
- Day 7: Mapping Latinx Co-ops, Rethinking Sectors
- Day 8: Case Studies Revealed
- Day 9: Co-op Careers and Wrap
Toolkit Implementation will be offered in late Fall 2022!
Toolkit Implementation 2021 Trainers Included:
- Teia Evans, Associate Director, Carolina Common Enterprise
- Margaret Bau, Cooperative Development Specialist, US Department of Agriculture
- Courtney Berner, Executive Director, UW Center for Cooperatives
- Nat Marineau Begej, Cooperative Educator
- Alex Stone, Executve 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
- Stuart Reid, Executive Director, Food Co-op Initiative
- Myra Bryant, Retired Executive Director, Mississippi Association of Cooperatives
- E.G Nadeau, Co-Director, The Cooperative Society Project
Tuition for Toolkit Implementation Online program is $1200.
Finance Fundamentals: Financial Analysis for New Cooperatives
Finance Fundamentals will be offered March 15th-31st, 2022
Registration for Finance Fundamentals is FULL! You can add yourself to the waitlist here.
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 2022 will be offered on the following days from approximately 9am-2pm PT:
- Tuesday, March 15th
- Thursday, March 17th
- Tuesday, March 22nd
- Thursday, March 24th
- Tuesday, March 29th
- Thursday, March 31st (make-up day/office hours)
- Friday, April 8th: Final Project Due
Finance Fundamentals 2022 will be offered in late March:
- Tuesday, March 15th
- Thursday, March 17th
- Tuesday, March 22nd
- Thursday, March 24th
- Tuesday, March 29th
- Thursday, March 31st (make-up day/office hours)
- Friday, April 8th: Final Project Due
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 January 31st, 2022 receive a $100 early bird discount.
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