Download Center
Welcome to our Cooperative Housing Download Center — your gateway to a vast collection of educational materials.
Use the search box to explore and filter downloads by book type (Articles, Guides, Books, Reports, and Journals) or by category to quickly find the information that best fits your needs.
Our Portal Library is a comprehensive resource curated from trusted cooperative and housing organizations. It brings together a wealth of articles, guides, books, reports, and journals focused on cooperative housing, governance, leadership, and community development. Each publication is selected for its relevance and practical value, helping cooperative board members and leaders strengthen their knowledge in areas such as:
Governance and Legal Frameworks –
Understand your duties, responsibilities, and ethical obligations.
Financial and Business Planning
Learn strategies to keep your cooperative strong and sustainable.
Operations and Maintenance
Gain insights into maintaining property value and community trust.
Marketing and Member Engagement –
Explore proven ways to build community participation and satisfaction.
Sector-Specific Studies
Dive into focused research on housing, agriculture, finance, and more.
Whether you’re seeking research-based insights or practical management tools, our Download Center serves as a one-stop hub for cooperative knowledge—supporting informed decisions and effective leadership across all cooperative communities.
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Board Meeting Preparation 10 Tips
The 2017 National Index of Nonprofit Board Practices, led by Intent, found that chief executives and board chairs agree that there is a relationship between board meeting preparation and board...
Board Meeting Tips 
Board Member Code of Conduct & Ethics
Are nonprofit board members required to conduct themselves in any particular manner? Yes! Under well-established principles of nonprofit corporation law, a board member must meet certain standards of conduct and...
Board Member Orientation Checklist
This checklist is a general outline to guide the orientation of new board members. Your organization should modify it as needed to ensure that all new board members are provided...
Board Member Responsibilities 
Board of Directors Evaluation Check List
The following table can be used by all board members and the chief executive to gauge the board's performance. The table is a rather basic form for board evaluation. However,...
Board of Directors Evaluation-
The board of directors is central in a co-operative business. The directors need to be able to make informed decisions to ensure the co-op remains healthy, and they should strive...
Board of excellence
Techniques to improve the governance and management of associations, chambers, and nonprofit organizations.
board orientation
Some have gained governance knowledge by educating themselves and serving on other boards. where they have successfully applied their specific expertise to their governance duties_ But no potential board member...
Board Orientation Manual 
Board Passages Stages-Lifecycle
What follows are brief descriptions of the three nonprofit board types identified by Mathiasen. We present them as a point of consideration only — not as necessarily the best board...
Board responsibilities
Serving on the Board of Directors is a rewarding and important responsibility. This guide informs leaders about the unique aspects of governing a volunteer membership organization.
Board Roles and Responsibilities
Whether you’re on the board of a large nonprofit or an all-volunteer board, you may have asked what your role is as a board member in contributing to your nonprofit’s...
Board Size
Is there a sweet spot for your board’s size? Yes, there is likely to be, but the details differ for each board. One size does not fit all. How to...
Board-Member-Roles
It is essential to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the board as a corporate entity, as well as the individual responsibilities of its members.
Board-Orientation
A lack of orientation can lead to confusion, frustration, and wasted opportunities. This is key to supporting the goal of “acting with one voice” as a Board.
Board-Recruitment-Tips
Two primary ways for selecting directors are appointments and elections. They can be used individually or in combination, depending on your bylaws.
Boards-Role-in-Advocacy
Advocacy is a powerful way to leverage the important work that your organization does. Board members — as influential community leaders — can help increase the likelihood of your nonprofit’s...
Build-a-Cooperative
Co-operatives are businesses democratically governed by their members, who have committed to success, and their establishment requires more steps than a regular business.
Business Meeting Etiquette Rules 
Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation Key Similarities and Differences
When starting a nonprofit, founders must be careful that their excitement for the organization’s work does not overshadow careful attention to legal requirements.
Bylaws and Operating Agreements
After consulting with professionals to determine the right entity type for your worker cooperative, the next step is to work with them to develop your governing documents.
Characteristics Financially Healthy Nonprofits
Unfortunately, most of us realize that this might be a dream rather than a reality. Without these tangible signs of financial strength, how can you know if your organization is...
Check the Boxes-Director Evaluation
Directors know whether or not they are fulfilling their governance responsibilities. Given a board self-evaluation form, how would they select the appropriate boxes?