The Art And Science of
Cooperative Development

The next offering of Building blocks will be May 20-23rd in Madison, WI.  The training will be held in Memorial Union. We’ve reserved a room block with the Hampton Inn and Suites, about a 10-15 minute walk from the training site. Rooms are $149/night for either a king or double queen room.  The link to reserve your room will be uploaded soon.

More trainers and bios coming soon!

Margaret Bau has been a Cooperative Development Specialist with USDA Rural Development for nearly 20 years assisting in the formation of over two dozen Wisconsin cooperatives in a variety of industries from health care, local foods to senior housing, nonprofits and forest management. Ms. Bau developed an interest in cooperatives while organizing a rural women’s income generating project as a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica. Ms. Bau earned a master’s degree in economic & community development from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Carroll College.

Margaret Lund is an independent consultant specializing in community development finance and shared ownership strategies.  Ms. Lund spent 16 years as the Executive Director of the Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund, a CDFI lending to cooperatives of all sectors. Ms. Lund is a past board member of the National Cooperative Business Association where she chaired the Cooperative Development and the International Development committees as well as a national task force on cooperative capital formation.  Ms. Lund has been featured as a speaker, trainer, and panelist for a wide range of organizations including the Opportunity Finance Network, the National Credit Union Administration, the National Association of Housing Cooperatives, the Consumer Cooperative Managers Association, and the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives.

Courtney Berner joined the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives in 2011 and served as a cooperative development specialist until assuming the role of executive director in January 2018. As the executive director, she develops courses, conferences, and other educational programs and works closely with the Center’s faculty director on the Center’s strategic direction. Courtney teaches a course on cooperatives at the University of Wisconsin-Madison that focuses on the role and management of cooperatives, cooperative groups, and collective action. Courtney holds an M.S. in agroecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and bachelor’s degrees in biology, French, and environmental studies from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington.

$1400, includes tuition and food*. Transit and lodging are not included.

Scholarships

Thanks to CoBank, there is some funding available to assist participants with the cost of tuition. Participants in need of financial assistance can apply for a scholarship by Friday, March 8th.

Scholarships may also be available through the Ralph K. Morris Foundation Cooperative Leadership Fund.  Please visit their website at www.ralphkmorrisfoundation.org for more information.

*Food will be provided for breakfast and lunch Monday-Thursday, as well as dinner Monday-Wednesday.

Toolkit Implementation will be held October 29th – November 1st in Madison, WI! You can register for this training here. 

CooperationWorks has set up a room block with The Graduate.  Participants can reserve a room October 28th -November 1st for $149/night.  Use this link to book your room today!

We also have a room block with the Lowell Center across the street from the Graduate for $115/night.  A link for those rooms is coming soon.

Anne Reynolds
Anne Reynolds is the former Executive Director of the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives. She develops courses, conferences and educational programs at the Center, and has led numerous workshops on board leadership, board roles and responsibilities and strategic planning. Her areas of interest include governance, member loyalty, business structure and innovative uses of the cooperative model. She has worked with cooperatives in all sectors, including agriculture, food, energy, purchasing and worker-owned. Anne serves on several boards, including The Cooperative Foundation and Shared Capital Cooperative. Before joining the Center for Cooperatives, she worked at the Credit Union National Association (CUNA).

Courtney Berner
Courtney Berner is the Executive Director of the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives where she provides technical assistance and counsel to existing and start-up cooperatives and to business owners interested in exploring conversion to cooperative ownership. Courtney writes and speaks frequently on the co-op business model and recently co-authored Successful Cooperative Ownership Transitions: Case Studies and Key Factors for Success in the Conversion of Privately Held Businesses to Worker Cooperatives with the Democracy At Work Institute.

Courtney has research, development, and outreach experience in a range of issues related to food systems, community economic development, and the cooperative business model. Prior to earning an M.S. in agroecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she spent five years at the Worldwatch.

Margaret Bau
Margaret Bau has been a Cooperative Development Specialist with USDA Rural Development for nearly 20 years assisting in the formation of over two dozen Wisconsin cooperatives in a variety of industries from health care, local foods to senior housing, nonprofits and forest management. Ms. Bau developed an interest in cooperatives while organizing a rural women’s income generating project as a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica. Ms. Bau earned a master’s degree in economic & community development from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Carroll College. In her quest to examine how other cultures implement co-op development strategies, she traveled to Italy, Argentina, Spain, and Quebec, Canada. Ms. Bau was recognized for “outstanding contribution to cooperative education and training” by the Association of Cooperative Educators and by the Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund who awarded Ms. Bau the Cooperative Service Award in recognition for her tireless efforts towards co-op development.

Margaret Lund
Margaret Lund is an independent consultant specializing in community development finance and shared ownership strategies. Her clients includes dozens of cooperative development organizations, co-ops and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). Prior to launching her consulting practice in 2008, Ms. Lund spent 16 years as the Executive Director of the Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund, a CDFI lending to cooperatives of all sectors. Ms. Lund is a past board member of the National Cooperative Business Association where she chaired the Cooperative Development and the International Development committees as well as a national task force on cooperative capital formation. She also served on the board of Health Partners, the largest consumer-governed healthcare organization in the U.S. Ms. Lund has been featured as a speaker, trainer and panelist for a wide range of organizations including the Opportunity Finance Network, the National Credit Union Administration, the National Association of Housing Cooperatives, the Consumer Cooperative Managers Association, and the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives.

Nat Locke
Nat has been an educator for over a decade, working with diverse groups of all ages in outdoor education, traveling education, and cooperative education programs. They have been spreading the good word about cooperatives for nearly four years, through trips, trainings, and the USA Cooperative Youth Council board. Nat is currently working as a paraprofessional in Minneapolis Public Schools and pursuing their teaching licensure. In their work, as in their life, Nat emphasizes democratic group process, youth empowerment, and play. When they’re not educating, Nat can be found working with their partner on their shared home, riding a bike, or playing fetch with their puppy, Granger.

Ricardo Nuñez
Ricardo coordinates Sustainable Economies Law Center’s education, research, advocacy, and advice for equitable, democratic enterprises as the center’s Cooperatives Program Director. Programs and projects include the Worker Coop Academy, Co-opLaw.org, policy advocacy at the regional and state level, building a cooperative support ecosystem, and much more! Previously, Ricardo worked for the Peace Corps in Zambia and then with Our Place Housing Solutions coordinating homeless rehousing and eviction prevention services in southern Los Angeles county. Ricardo enjoys bodyboarding, cycling, traveling, and the ocean breeze. He is deeply committed to family, friends, and community.

Christina Jennings
Christina is the Executive Director of Shared Capital.

$1400, includes tuition and food. Transit and lodging are not included.