An update on co-op activity in the Pacific Northwest !
Co-op Developments
A short monthly update about co-op development in the Pacific Northwest provided to you on or about the 20th of each month. Please share with your network!
WA ROCs and the ROC Leadership Institute
Board members and owners of Takesa Village (Tina McKinstry, Ardet Biotti, Dee Knope, Sheila Tyler Thompson and Deborah Howell) , Upper Lakeshore (Maria Isabel Sanchez, Eric Ramsey, Melisa Jones, Erick Sanchez Escobar), Cascade (Alvaro Galvan) and Ponderosa (Kendel Repass) Homeowners Cooperative traveled to Manchester, New Hampshire to participate in the second annual ROC Leadership Institute and made the most out of a 6 hour layover in Washington D.C. by renting a bus and taking in the sights.   Travel to and from the West Coast was difficult and long, but the training in Manchester was pretty amazing!  
Nine of the eleven workshops have been completed and NWCDC has connected with dozens of technical assistance providers, small business owners, and Small Business Development Center directors. In addition, thanks to a grant from the Washington State Microenterprise Association, the events in Mount Vernon and Olympia were filmed. We especially want to thank some inspiring SBDC directors: Cindy Brooks (Mt Vernon, WA), Andrea Testi (Ontario, OR), Gina Perkins (La Grande, OR), Bryan Matsuoka (Twin Falls, ID), David Noack (Idaho Falls, ID) who help us with meeting locations and outreach.

There are only two events left for this stage of the Legacy Project: June 25 in Toppenish and June 26th in Wenatchee. We will be posting the video modules on our Youtube channel beginning Monday July 8th and then every Monday thereafter through August 19th. We will also be hosting on-line conversations about the modules and the future of the project at legacy@pnwcoops.groups.io .

Keep up with the project on-line on Facebook/LegacyProjectNWCDC , our website, or join the conversation at pnwcoops.groups.io. The in-person workshops will be over soon, but this is only the "end of the beginning" of the Legacy Project!
WA Employee Ownership Center
The Whatcom Community Foundation convened business school deans and faculty, SBDC directors, co-op and ESOP developers, and other community organizers to begin the process of creating an Employee Ownership Council in Washington. 27 other states have one, the most well known is the Ohio Employee Ownership Center at Kent State (founded by the legendary John Logue). Participants listened to presentations from Project Equity and the Beyster Institute and discussed how Washington might be able to create and support a center serving the growing need to help transition businesses to employee ownership through a variety of models (ESOP, Co-op, Trust).
Orca Books Membership Drive
NWCDC staff member John McNamara joined Orca Books owner and Linda Bernstien and staff member Devin Anderson at the Co-ops first Community Information session. Over 30 people attended (7 of who had already jointed). Thirteen signed up to volunteer in the membership drive, 10 people joined on the spot. The Co-op is a little over 12% of its way to the goal of being able to capitalize the conversion entirely through membership fees. There are four levels of membership (worker, basic consumer, low-income consumer, and organizational). People can join on-line or in the store and do not need to be a resident of Olympia or Washington to join.
Ridgeline Home Care Cooperative Ready to Start!
The Ridgeline Home care Cooperative , based in Port Angeles, WA, has submitted their license application and eagerly awaits the green light to begin providing home care services to Port Angeles and Clallam County. The co-op has a web site developed by Fresh Ink Tech Cooperative, an active board of directors, and trained caregivers. Ridgeline will be the fourth operational home care co-op in Washington and the second co-op on the Olympic Peninsula (joining Peninsula Home care Co-op serving Jefferson County.
Help us provide technical assistance to co-ops!

You don't have to wait for the end of the year to support our programs! You can provide a tax deductible one-time donation or monthly sustaining gift to help fund the work of co-op development !
You may earmark specific projects.
 NWCDC | 360-943-4241 | 360-570-8415 | info@nwcdc.coop | www.nwcdc.coop