Free education for housing cooperatives
Stronger boards. Better cooperatives.
Berendson Academy provides free courses, manuals, videos and 1,388 educational resources for housing cooperative board members, residents and community leaders. No cost and no membership.
- 3 free training courses
- 15 manuals available, 1 coming soon
- 32 video chapters
- 1,388 library resources
Manuals & handbooks
Practical guides, free to read and download
15 Berendson Academy manuals are available now, with 1 more coming soon, for boards, officers, committees and members.
Board LeadershipBoard Leadership: Taking a High-Performing Board to the Next Level (PDF, opens in a new tab)
Cooperative DictionaryCooperative Dictionary: Glossary of Housing Co-op Terminology, 2026 Edition (PDF, opens in a new tab)
High Performing BoardsHigh Performing Boards: A Practical Guide to Governance Excellence, Strategic Leadership, and Organizational Success (PDF, opens in a new tab)
Coming soonBoard OrientationBoard Orientation: An Overview for New and Current Cooperative Board Members, coming soon
The Cooperative Housing HandbookThe Cooperative Housing Handbook: A Practical Guide to Living in and Governing a Housing Cooperative (PDF, opens in a new tab)
Simplified Rules of Order for MeetingsSimplified Rules of Order for Meetings (PDF, opens in a new tab)
Cooperative LivingCooperative Living: A New Member Orientation Manual (PDF, opens in a new tab)
Annual Legal & Compliance CheckupAnnual Legal & Compliance Checkup (PDF, opens in a new tab)
New Board Member HandbookNew Board Member Handbook: A Practical Guide to Serving on a Cooperative Board (PDF, opens in a new tab)
Annual Legal & Compliance ChecklistAnnual Legal & Compliance Checklist: A Legal Check-Up for Housing Cooperatives (PDF, opens in a new tab)
The Board Committee Charge HandbookThe Board Committee Charge Handbook (PDF, opens in a new tab)
Committees and Governance That WorkCommittees and Governance That Work (PDF, opens in a new tab)
TreasurerTreasurer: Financial Leadership for a Strong Cooperative (PDF, opens in a new tab)
PresidentPresident, Housing Cooperative Leadership Series (PDF, opens in a new tab)
SecretarySecretary, Housing Cooperative Leadership Series (PDF, opens in a new tab)
Instructor’s Tool KitInstructor’s Tool Kit (PDF, opens in a new tab)
Start here
Where would you like to begin?
Choose the description that fits you. Each path lists the course, manuals and resources to read first.
New board member
Learn your role and legal duties, how a cooperative board makes decisions, and how to read the documents that govern your co-op.
Board officer
Lead as President, Treasurer or Secretary: run productive meetings, oversee finances and keep accurate records.
Committee member
Learn how committees are formed, given a clear charge, and report their work to the board.
Cooperative member or resident
Understand how cooperative living works, your rights and responsibilities as a member, and how to get involved.
Training
Three free courses, ready to teach
Built for group learning at your cooperative. Every course is free to download and teach.
Video Training Center
Watch all 32 course chapters, plus course overviews, a welcome to cooperative housing and a website tour.
6 hours · 20 video chapters
Governance, leadership, communication, financial oversight and cooperative law, for directors in their first term.
Includes the course manual, instructor manual, chapter quizzes, PowerPoint, videos and the New Board Member Handbook (2026).
4 hours · 12 video chapters
Building committees, leadership development, inclusion and collaboration.
Includes the course manual, instructor manual, chapter quizzes, PowerPoint, videos, an appendix manual and the updated 2026 edition.
2 hours
Helps boards conduct meetings fairly, smoothly and with confidence.
Includes the course manual, PowerPoint and the updated 2026 edition.
Resource Library
1,388 free resources, in seven topics
Articles, reports, cheat sheets, guides, books, journals and sample forms gathered from trusted cooperative organizations. Every resource is free to read and download.
Browse by topic
Or browse by type
Cooperative information
Beyond the boardroom
Connect with other cooperatives, conferences and the wider housing co-op movement.
Co-op Directory
Links to housing cooperatives, cooperative associations, universities, professionals and government agencies.
1300 Lafayette East Cooperative, Detroit, Michigan. Photo: Mikerussell, CC BY-SA 3.0
Conferences & Events
Annual conferences and board training from NAHC and MAHC, plus Certified Cooperative Specialist (CCS) training.
Shared Co-op Documents
RFPs, emergency plans, a code of ethics, and marketing and long-range plan templates shared by other co-ops.
Newsletters & FAQ
Past MAHC, NAHC and UHAB newsletters, and answers to common questions about cooperative living.
“We believe developing board leadership is the key to strong cooperatives—and to helping members grow in both their professional and personal lives.”
About Berendson Academy
Free cooperative education, grounded in experience
Berendson Academy helps housing cooperatives succeed through practical education, shared knowledge and stronger leadership. Every manual, course, video and resource is free, with no membership fees or unnecessary barriers, for board members, residents and anyone working to strengthen their community.
Our history
Richard Berendson served as President of the Midwest Association of Housing Cooperatives (MAHC) for 10 years before retiring from that position to establish Berendson Academy. He also served on the National Association of Housing Cooperatives (NAHC) Executive Board for several years and has taught classes for MAHC and NAHC for more than 20 years.
Our educational purpose
Training manuals, courses, videos and practical tools that address the challenges boards face every day: governing documents, financial management, property maintenance, member relations and long-term planning.
Our commitment
Richard serves as President of Cumberland Green Cooperative in St. Charles, Illinois, which keeps the Academy’s materials grounded in practical experience. The Academy is dedicated to his mentors, Bill Magee and Marlene Dau, who each spent over 30 years serving housing cooperatives.
Contact
Questions? We’re glad to help.
Contact Berendson Academy with questions about cooperative education, board training or any of the resources on this site.
Free online
Download and watch, free, on this website
Download the training manuals, PowerPoint presentations, instructor guides and quizzes, and watch the training videos directly on this website.
Everything is ready for group training at your cooperative, with no cost and no membership.
