Cooperatives

Cooperatives are businesses governed on the principle of one member, one vote. There are several common types of co-ops (as well as hybrids—which combine more than one type), including cooperatives owned and operated by:

  • The people working there (worker cooperatives);
  • The people buying the co-op’s goods or services (consumer cooperatives);
  • The people collaborating to process and market their products (producer cooperatives); and
  • Groups uniting to enhance their purchasing power (purchasing cooperatives).Groups uniting to enhance their purchasing power (purchasing cooperatives).

Demonstrating this strategy’s vast scope and scale, there are 64,017 cooperatives across the U.S. operating within a range of diverse industries including banking (credit unions), agriculture, utilities, and child care.

Cooperatives play a critical role in building community wealth for several key reasons:

 


Community-wealth.org houses an extensive collection of resources focused on cooperatives and their role in community wealth building. Below is a glimpse of the rich array of materials you will find as you explore our site:

Our Support Organizations section features major organizations working to support cooperatives across the U.S. One such group is the National Cooperative Business Association , a national membership organization that works to advance and protect the cooperative enterprise model through education, support, and advocacy.

Key Facts & Figures

Number of U.S. cooperatives (excluding housing) (2015)

64,017*

Number of worker-owned cooperatives (2017)

394*

Number of commercial, sales, marketing and production cooperatives (2015)

9,392*

Number of financial services cooperatives (2015)

48,649*

Number of social and public service cooperatives (2015)

2,818*

Number of utility cooperatives (2015)

3,158*

Number of agricultural co-ops (2016)

1,953*

Number of jobs in the cooperative sector (2015)

852,843*

Families living in cooperative housing (2015)

Over 1 million*

Our Best Practices section showcases exemplary cooperatives from across the country. For instance, one such organization is Weaver Street Market in Central North Carolina.   A cooperative enterprise including 3 grocery stores and a restaurant that together boasted sales of nearly $30 million in 2012, Weaver Street is owned and governed by its 185 employees and 18,000 consumers. Demonstrating its commitment to the community, the cooperative sells products from 160 local producers and makes grants to local nonprofits.

Our Research Resources section highlights web-based resources focused on cooperatives. For example, the University of Wisconsin’s Center for Cooperatives website provides a wealth of resources, including links to current research, publications, and general information, on nearly all sectors of the cooperative movement.

Our Articles and Publications section includes links to a diverse selection of articles, reports, papers, and books focused on cooperatives. One such paper is Margaret Lund’s Cooperative Equity and Ownership: An Introduction (2013), which describes key components of the cooperative model and highlights practical applications of its use.

Our Toolbox features resources designed to help those working on the ground to establish and promote cooperatives. For instance, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Vital Steps: A Cooperative Feasibility Study Guide outlines how to conduct a cooperative feasibility study, the analytical tool used to evaluate a proposed co-op’s potential for success.

And, lastly, our Policy Guide provides an overview of federal initiatives and programs that can help practitioners leverage resources and increase their impact. For example, the USDA’s Rural Cooperative Development Grant Program funds technical assistance centers that support the development of cooperative businesses.