The booklets are aimed primarily at ‘flat’, democratically managed co-operatives, whether small or large. However, they will be useful for any group working democratically.

A guide for housing providers

Key aspects of the project cycle seem to recur during the development process. The information obtained in the evaluation stage provides the impetus for the idea pursued in the next...

This guide elaborates on the fourth of the 12-step event sequence: conduct a feasibility study. A feasibility study is an integral part of cooperative business development.

Today’s economic climate is marked by growing insecurity in the face of structural changes to work, benefits, and business ownership. Small business start-ups are at their all-time lows, and entrepreneurship...

Management has greatly improved as cooperatives have become larger, more diversified, and integrated to match similar advances in the marketplace and on the farm.

Meaning and Definition of Cooperatives

In a housing cooperative, people join to form a cooperative corporation that owns the buildings in which they live. Purchasing a share in the cooperative entitles each member to lease...

A survey of Economic Development Professionals in Minnesota and Wisconsin

Applies to Co-operative Corporations, Business Corporations and Not-For-Profit Corporations. Generally, directors, officers, and members/shareholders are not liable for the actions or wrongs committed by a corporation.

A neglect of governance weakens the framework of accountability and carries multiple risks to the business and its strategy over time. Conversely, good governance supports the board of the co-operative...

This tool is not a complete handbook for your cooperative. Rather, it serves as a framework for you to create a handbook for the members of your cooperative staff who work...

Sample Guide

Members of a cooperative typically have diverse economic interests. These may encompass the size, type, and location of farm enterprises, as well as the length of membership. Maintaining cohesiveness to...

There will be presentations included that describe the financing process in detail, and describe the information that will be required for the application process, to help streamline the process

An example role profile for a director of a co-operative board

This module is one of nine modules prepared by INTERWORKS for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies' Disaster Preparedness office in Geneva.

We typically think of disasters as cataclysmic events such as floods, hurricanes, or earthquakes. Although we all like to think, “It will never happen to me,” disasters can strike anyone at...

For more than 200 years, Americans have collaborated in business cooperatives to address critical challenges and solve problems that were too large for them to overcome as individuals.

Guidance questions for a due diligence process for a new co-operative director

This resource explains why it is essential for boards to maintain accurate records and provides practical suggestions on how to achieve this effectively.

While cooking fires are typically the most common type of fire in the community housing sector, electrical fires appear to be increasing in frequency due to aging infrastructure. These fires...

A Guide for People with Disabilities and Other Activity Limitations

Some say that “they don’t make ‘me like they used to.” When it comes to the efficiency of buildings, this can be beneficial. In recent decades, buildings were designed with...