November 2022
 
Dear friends,
November is Native American Heritage month. During this time, we celebrate the rich cultures, histories, and traditions of Native Americans. We also recognize the painful legacy of stolen land and broken treaties while honoring the learnings from native communities that have shaped the concept of cooperatives as it exists today.
This month’s newsletter includes upcoming workshops, job postings, funding updates + other key co-opportunities that will help you unlock the power of your co-op community.
 
As always, if you, or someone you know, can benefit from any of these resources, be sure to share!

We also encourage you to share your updates & ideas with us by emailing cfne@coopfund.coop 




Co-op Curious?
We’ve got you covered. Check out these learning co-opportunities from CFNE & our friends.

November 14 | 3-5 pm ET | Online | Sliding Scale, $25+ 
Conventional financial reports can often feel intimidating, confusing, or boring. However, engaging groups in financial information and decision-making is a crucial part of building shared power and collectively allocating resources. In this workshop, ABC will demonstrate facilitation tools that take into account a variety of learning styles and modes of engagement in order to foster greater connection with the material, and will share tools and tips for keeping things interesting to involving members of your group in meaningful ways. Click here to register.

November 30 | 6 pm ET | Online | Free 
Boston Ujima Project is partnering with Cooperative Fund of the Northeast to host a 3-part workshop series exploring democratic workplaces. In this second workshop, we’ll talk through the how’s and why’s of a business' transition to worker ownership. Join us to explore whether your business is a good candidate for sale to employees, and what steps you can take to start building a culture of ownership today–best for businesses with at least 3-5 employees. Click here to register  | Click here to check out the full list of Ujima events 


January - June 2023 | Online | Free 
CDI and CFNE will soon be launching the next cohort of the Participatory Management training for small businesses and cooperatives in Massachusetts. This is a comprehensive introductory training that covers topics such as: encouraging worker participation in decision-making; teaching workers  how the business makes money and empowering them to optimize resources; and creating strong, collaborative, and knowledgeable teams in the workplace. This training is a great fit for current co-ops developing their members; businesses exploring a transition to worker-ownership; and business owners who want to benefit from a more engaged workforce. Here is the English registration form. Aquí está el enlace de inscripción en español. 


In Case You Missed It!
Recordings of our workshops are all available for viewing on our YouTube channel. Click here to view.


Connect with a Coach!
If you’re interested in a 1-on-1 co-op coaching session, click here to schedule an appointment.


Co-op Community
Stay connected to our co-op community.

We are excited to announce that Liska Wilson has joined us as our first Communications Director. She is a seasoned communications professional with expertise in entrepreneurship, brand development, and community building, with a degree in Marketing and Management. Based in Albany, NY, Liska founded She’s a Boss, a non-profit that supports the career and business development of Black and Brown women. She has worked as a consultant on DEI Communications; as a co-owner of Busy Day, offering business services; and as a free-lance marketing consultant and brand coach. She will draw on her more than ten-year career as a communications consultant and entrepreneur to deepen CFNE’s communications work.



Want a behind the scenes look at CFNE happenings, what cooperatives we’ve funded recently, and new partnerships changing the face of the co-op movement? Check out our fall newsletter and subscribe. This issue features news about our new “equity-like” financing option (or ELF, as we affectionately call it!); the Co-op Navigator Fellowship kick-off; and profiles of seven new investments from a multicultural,  nature-focused retreat center start-up in Vermont to a beloved Maine camp supplier that is now employee-owned.

Cooperatives for a Better World (dba Start.coop) is wholly dedicated to building an economy that shares prosperity among the many, not just the few. They are looking for a full-time Project & Operations Manager to join their remote team. This is a new role dedicated to helping Start.coop grow from a startup to a robust leader in the community-ownership and startup space. The application deadline is 11.59pm PST on November 13, 2022. Click here for full job description.


Co-op Capital
Stay updated on relevant funding co-opportunities.


Black-owned small businesses located across New England are eligible for the Power Forward Small Business Grant program. Sponsored by the NAACP, Vistaprint and the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, eligible businesses with a maximum of 25 employees will be awarded grants of $25,000 on a rolling basis. Through this initiative, grant recipients will also have opportunities to be featured on national co-branded platforms along with receiving marketing and design resources customized to their specific needs to help their business grow and thrive. This grant is still open and does not currently have a deadline. Apply here. 


This grant gives Black women or non-binary entrepreneurs the opportunity to receive $5,000 or $10,000 in a cash grant. SoGal has partnered with several sponsors to create this grant in order to promote and support Black women and those identifying as non-binary having equal opportunities to capital for their small businesses. To apply, you should have a legally-registered business, self-identify as a Black woman or nonbinary entrepreneur, and plan to seek financing now or in the future. This deadline is rolling, so the sooner you apply, the better! Apply here. 


Follow @CoopFundNE on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn! We’d love to follow and amplify your content as well so feel free to reach out with news to share. And of course, if you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to Co-op Monthly newsletter using this link.

In cooperation,
Maggie Maiorana and the Learning Team
Program Associate
Cooperative Fund of the Northeast
For CFNE news and
our Annual Report
For co-op education
and resources