the emergence of co-operative business associations, ncba conference, 2013

2013 Annual Cooperatives Conference

The Emergence of Coopera0ve Business

Associa0ons Moderator: Tom Decker, Director, Coopera0ve Development, NCBA CLUSA Panelists: •  Brian Donovan, Aus0n Coopera0ve Business Associa0on •  Erbin Crowell, NCBA CLUSA Board Member, Valley Coopera0ve

Business Associa0on •  Bob Noble, Philadelphia Area Coopera0ve Alliance •  Holly Fearing, CUNA Mutual Group


Aus0n Coopera0ve Business Associa0on

Brian Donovan


l Aus0n Coopera0ve Business Associa0on How we got started

l  Started in 2010 as the Aus0n Co-‐op Think Tank

l  Planning retreat August 2011

l  Panel at NCBA Conference 2011 and 2012

l  Aus0n Co-‐op Summit January 2013

l  Fundraising and Planning first half of 2013

l  ACBA started in June 2013 as a subsidiary of NCBA


l Aus0n Coopera0ve Business Associa0on

l  Raised $90k for staffing and programing through December 2014

l  $50k from NCBA, $40k from local sources so far

l  S0ll looking for a credit union and electric co-‐op to become founding members

l  Working on bylaws, policies, and dues structure for ongoing independent opera0ons


l Aus0n Coopera0ve Business Associa0on

l  Challenges:

l  Establishing ACBA as a sustainable business associa0on

l  Developing a public campaign to raise the profile of the coopera0ve business model

l  Educa0ng economic development community including local government to get them to encourage coopera0ve business development


Valley Co-‐opera0ve Business Associa0on

Erbin Crowell


The Importance of Networks

“Co-‐opera0ves serve their members most effec0vely and strengthen the co-‐opera0ve movement by working together through local, na0onal, regional and interna0onal structures.” 6th Principle of the Co-‐opera0ve Iden0ty Interna0onal Co-‐opera0ve Alliance www.ica.coop

Erbin Crowell, Neighboring Food Co-‐op Associa0on // www.nfca.coop

Valley Co-‐opera0ve Business Associa0on // www. vcba.coop


Obstacles

•  Lack of Local, Regional Co-‐op Networks •  Whose Job is It? •  Overlap, Compe00on, Roles •  Lack of Alignment among Exis0ng Networks •  Rhetoric of Collabora0on – Do We Have a Common Iden0ty, Interests? – What’s in it for my Co-‐op and my Members?

Erbin Crowell, Neighboring Food Co-‐op Associa0on // www.nfca.coop Valley Co-‐opera0ve Business Associa0on // www. vcba.coop


Result

•  Isolated Enterprises in Hos0le Marketplace •  Lack of Policy Influence •  Missing from Community Development Dialog •  Absent from Educa0onal Ins0tu0ons •  Irrelevant to Poten0al Members, Co-‐opreneurs •  Lost Business Opportuni0es •  Limited Par0cipa0on in the NCBA



•  Local, Cross Sector Collabora0on •  NCBA “On the Ground” •  Dialog on Shared Interests (2010) •  Panel at NCBA Conference (2011) •  Incorporated as a Co-‐op (2012):

–  Franklin Community Co-‐op –  Neighboring Food Co-‐op Associa0on –  UMASS Five College Fed Credit Union –  Valley Alliance of Worker Co-‐ops

•  Focus on Professional Networking, Shared Marke0ng Erbin Crowell, Neighboring Food Co-‐op Associa0on // www.nfca.coop

Valley Co-‐opera0ve Business Associa0on // www. vcba.coop


Elements of Success

•  Commifed Leadership Group •  Cross Sector Presence •  Exis0ng Sector Associa0ons •  Co-‐op Led, Co-‐op Priori0es •  Incorporated as Co-‐op •  Clear Vision, Mission •  Focus: “Low Hanging Fruit”



Our Opportunity

•  Recogni0on of Impact & Poten0al of Co-‐ops •  Reinvigorated Co-‐opera0ve Movement •  Engaged Ac0vists, Academics, Policy Makers •  New Co-‐ops, Business Conversions •  Powerful Vision for the Co-‐opera0ve Decade



The Key

•  Regional Co-‐op Networks •  Cross Sector, Cross Economy •  Co-‐op Led, Co-‐opera0vely Organized •  Focused on Business Opportuni0es – Marke0ng, B2B, Sharing Members

•  Aligned with NCBA – Membership, Development, Policy Engagement



Looking Forward

•  VCBA to MCBA – Statewide Organiza0on? •  Sharing Our Model with Other Regions •  Long Term Funding, Opera0onal Structure •  Exploring Integra0on with NCBA –  Shared Membership Development –  Policy, Development, Educa0on Coordina0on –  Coordina0on & Collabora0on among CBAs



Philadelphia Area Coopera0ve Alliance

Bob Noble


PACA •  Philadelphia Area Coopera0ve Alliance •  www.philadelphia.coop •  First mee0ng January 2011 •  Mission: to improve the lives of people in the Philadelphia region by suppor0ng democra0cally organized businesses, promo0ng the principles of the interna0onal coopera0ve movement, and growing the coopera0ve economy.


PACA • Trade Associa0on • Coopera0ve development center (501c3) • Coopera0ve business services company

Organiza0onal Iden0ty


PACA

• Membership • Board • Paid staff

Organiza0onal Structure


PACA

•  Co-‐op Development •  Educa0on and research •  Public Policy •  Support

Areas of Focus


PACA •  January 2012—City Council resolu0on •  June 2012—Drexel University co-‐op conf. •  November 2012—Co-‐op Summit •  February 2013—Incorpora0on as a co-‐op •  June 2013—Bylaws and dues structure •  May-‐August 2013—Founding members

Chronology:


PACA •  Communica0ons •  Economic Impact Study •  Educa0on •  Finance •  Public Policy •  Loan Fund •  Bylaws/501c3

Commifees:


PACA •  Member recruitment •  Hire staff (NCBA) •  Development projects •  Outreach to strategic allies

Future:


www.philadelphia.coop


Dane Coopera0ve Alliance

Holly Fearing


What’s been happening in Madison?

•  2011 – 2013: Co-‐op Connec0on •  2012 – 2013: Principle 6 Luncheon •  2012: Madison Coopera0ve

Jobs Conference

From these events, a group of individuals from a variety of co-‐op sectors came together to con0nue the coopera0ve conversa0ons…


What we DIDN’T want to do: •  Be redundant – Madison already has a lot of co-‐op support in terms of

advocacy and development; we don’t need to overlap •  Be useless – If local co-‐ops don’t find value in what we’re offering, why do

it? •  Be ineffec0ve – Other groups have started strong and fizzled out. How can

we avoid a similar fate? What we DID want to do: •  Fill a gap – Even in this prime co-‐op environment, there are needs not

being met. We can help with that. •  Make a difference – We believe we can make real and tangible progress

toward the shared goal of growing the local coopera0ve economy! •  Form a coopera0ve alliance – and here’s what happened…


Statement of Purpose: Dane Coopera0ve Alliance’s mission is to

grow and strengthen the coopera0ve economy in Wisconsin through

marke0ng, business collabora0on, local legisla0ve ac0on and educa0on.

Together with coopera0ve businesses and other organiza0ons that believe in the coopera0ve values, we strive to create an economy where acceptance of and ac0ve par0cipa0on in the coopera0ve model among businesses, local government and individuals is standard prac0ce.


To achieve our mission, we will focus our efforts on

three target audiences:

•  Local Coopera0ve Businesses: to create collabora0ve marke0ng/branding opportuni0es and expand their impact through connec0ons to one another

•  City/County Government: to represent the coopera0ve voice on local govt. commifees and encourage city/county level communica0on and interac0on.

•  Consumers: to educate on the economic, environmental and social benefits of the model and build a culture of ac0ve coopera0ve par0cipa0on.


A few project ideas and goals…

Educa0on: •  Co-‐op Café— fast-‐paced learning sessions focused on specific co-‐op topics with

panel of speakers in interview style, informal sepng.

Collabora0on: •  Local coopera0ve directory—lis0ng of area co-‐ops presented in a ‘welcome

packet’ for new members to learn of other co-‐op business op0ons in the area.

Culture: •  Measure the good— ra0ng system to inform consumers of the true value of their

products, not just in dollars, but also in social and environmental value.


Contact Us!

Thank you!

the emergence of co-operative business associations, ncba conference, 2013

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