This presentation on Cross-Sector Collaboration for a Co-operative Economy was presented at the National Co-op Conference in Minneapolis, October 2011.

1. Looking Toward 2012:
Cross-sector Collaboration for a
Co-operative Economy
Erbin Crowell
Brian Donovan
Caple Melton
Webster Walker
October 6, 2011

2. Agenda
• The Opportunity of 2012
• Obstacles to Collaboration
• Opportunities
• Inspiration
• Regional Examples
• Shared Characteristics
• Small Group Dialog
• Report Back

3. Our Opportunity
Co-ops “in their various forms, promote the
fullest possible participation in the economic and
social development of all people, including
women, youth, older persons, persons with
disabilities and indigenous peoples, are
becoming a major factor of economic and social
development and contribute to the eradication of
poverty.”
United Nations Resolution 64/136, (2010)

4. Our Opportunity
Contribution of Co-op Enterprise to:
• Poverty Reduction
• Employment Generation
• Social Integration
• Fairness & Globalization
• Conflict Resolution, Reconstruction &
Reintegration

5. Our Opportunity
UN Goals of the Year:
• Increase public awareness about co-ops
• Promote formation and growth of co-ops
• Encourage governments to establish
policies, laws and regulations conducive
to the formation, growth and stability of
co-operatives
…What are our goals?

6. Obstacles to Collaboration
• Sector & Industry Silos
• (We don’t talk enough)
• Expectations
• (We expect a lot from each other)
• Mainstream Influence
• (We lose sight of the movement)
• Insular
• (We don’t think systemically)
• Philosophical
• (Do we believe in the co-op alternative?)

7. Bridging Sector Divides
• Shared History
• Identity: Principles & Values
• Shared Impact
• Regional Collaboration
• Finding Inspiration
• Shared Opportunity: 2012

8. Shared History
“Co-operative housing, worker co-operatives,
even collective agricultural co-operatives, can all
look back to the original Rochdale plan for
inspiration. In 1844 these pieces were not
separate… The Rochdale pioneers conceived in
one association of what would now make a
multisectoral co-operative movement.”
Brett Fairbairn, The Meaning of Rochdale

9. Shared Principles & Values
Co-operatives serve their members most
effectively and strengthen the co-operative
movement by working together through
local, national, regional and international
structures.
6th Principle of the Co-operative Identity

10. Shared Impact
• International Labour Organization
• Co-operative Enterprise is Resilient
• United Nations
• Co-ops Support Human Development
• International Co-operative Alliance
• Over a Billion Co-op Members Worldwide
• University of Wisconsin Study
• 29,000 Co-ops in the United States
• Regional Studies
• How Can We Measure & Communicate
Our Local Impact?

11. Collaboration
• Telling Our Stories
• Communicating Our Impact
• Influencing Policy
• Mutual Support
• Co-op to Co-op Business as a Strategy

12. Finding Inspiration
• Co-operative Communities
• Mondragón, Spain
• Emilia Romagna, Italy
• New Opportunities
• Cross-Sector Business Development
• New Models – Multistakeholder Structures
• The Opportunity of 2012
• The United Nations: “Co-operative Enterprises
Build a Better World.”

13. Regional Examples
• Strengthening Local Independent Co-
ops Everywhere (SLICE)
• University of Texas Inter-Cooperative
Council (Austin Co-op Think Tank)
• Neighboring Food Co-op Association
(NFCA)

14. SLICE
• Annual Conference for Cross-Sector
Coalition- and Skill-Building
• Strengthening Local Independent Co-ops
Everywhere (Vision Built into Our Name)
• 2009 / 2010: Traditional Conference
Format
• 2011: “Invigorating the Co-operative
Economy”

15. SLICE
• SLICE Roundtable
• Northwest Cooperative Development Center:
Regional Co-operative Economy Survey
• Seattle Metropolitan Credit Union:
Coopalooza
• Open Space & Break-Out Sessions for
Collaborative Projects
• Regional Co-operative Development Fund
• Cascadia Center for Sustainable Economy

16. SLICE
• “Movement Co-op” Principles 6 & 7 addenda
• Co-ops exercise a preference for relationships
and transactions with other co-ops
• Co-operatives direct a defined portion of net
profit or gross revenue to co-op development
• Co-operatives serve their members and
communities by promoting social and
ecological equity and justice
• Co-operatives account for their impacts on
people and ecosystems

17. Austin Co-op Think Tank
• Group Representing 15 Co-ops
• 60 People on E-Mail List
• Vision: “A Co-op Solution to Meet Every
Need”
• Mission: Grow the Co-op Economy
• Goals: Help Start & Grow Co-ops
• Education & Outreach: Internal and External
• Policy Advocacy
• Resource Development / Financial Support

18. Austin Co-op Think Tank
• Student Housing Co-ops and Wheatsville
Food Co-op have worked together for 40
years
• Recent additions, Black Star (Brew Pub) and
Third Coast (Worker Co-op Incubator), have
increased interest in working together
• Credit Unions at the table is new for Austin

19. Austin Co-op Think Tank
• Ideas for Inter-Cooperation
• Clearinghouse/Incubator for how to start,
run and expand a co-operative
• Research project demonstrating the value
of Co-operatives to the local economy
• Publicity Campaign promoting Co-operation
during 2012
• Mentorship Program pairing veteran and
new co-operators

20. Neighboring Food Co-op Association
• Co-op of 25 food co-ops
• 90,000 individual members
• 1,400 employees
• $200 million revenue (‘10)
• $33 million in local purchases (‘07)
• Vision of a “thriving regional
economy, rooted in a healthy, just
and sustainable food system, and a
vibrant community of co-operative
enterprise”

21. Co-ops & Local Economies
• Community ownership & control
• Focus on service, meeting needs before profit
• Develop local skills & assets
• Ability to assemble limited resources
• Regional economic efficiencies
• Low business failure rate & are long-lived
• Difficult to move or buy-out
• Separate community wealth from speculative markets
• Mobilize member, customer and supplier loyalty
• Result: more stable local food system, infrastructure,
employment & services, and economy.

22. Cross Sector Collaboration
• Sourcing
• “Go Co-op” Initiative
• Product Development
• Policy
• Policy Engagement
• IYC Resolutions
• Networks
• Cross Sector Dialog
• Valley Co-op Business Association
I

24. Our

26. Co-­‐ops!
The

27. Neighboring

28. Food

29. Co-­‐op

30. Association

31. //

32. www.nfca.coop

33. Varied Approaches
• A Regional Co-operative Association of
Food Co-ops
• A Local Coalition of Co-ops Linked with
a University
• A Conference-Based Opportunity for
Cross-Sector Collaboration

34. Shared Characteristics
• Focus on Co-op Identity
• Local and Regional in Scope
• Cross Sector Collaboration as a Priority
• Network Based
• Peer Support & Development
• Emphasis on Opportunity

35. Small Group Dialog
• Divide up according to basic regions
• Reflect on presentation – what was most
compelling or interesting?
• Are there examples or structures for cross-
sector collaboration that you can build on in
your region?
• What resources are available in your region
for exploration of dialog across sectors
(industries) and member types (worker,
consumer, producer, multistakeholder)?

36. Report Back
• Examples of existing cross-sector
collaboration in your region.
• 3 priorities for action to help advance
cross-sector co-op collaboration in your
region, with a particular focus on
opportunities presented by 2012.
• A contact list and point person for your
region to continue dialog and
coordination as we grow the Co-
operative Economy in 2012.

37. Contact
E-mail
• Erbin Crowell // erbin@nfca.coop
• Brian Donovan // brian@iccaustin.coop
• Caple Melton // caplemelton@centralcoop.coop
• Webster Walker // webwalk@centralcoop.coop
Websites
• Neighboring Food Co-op Association // www.nfca.coop
• SLICE // www.slice.coop
• UT Intercooperative Council // www.iccaustin.coop