January, 2022

Dear friends,
 
Welcome to 2022! Let’s make it the year we fulfill our greatest aspirations.

This month’s newsletter includes upcoming workshops, co-op job postings, + other key co-opportunities that will help you unlock the power of your co-op community.

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 partners.
Jan 26th, Feb, 23rd, Mar 23rd, April 27th, May 25th, June 22nd | Free
Taught by Global Village Farms staff and regional partners, this is a free six month cohort program centering BIPOC beginning farmers (urban and rural). Most sessions will be online. Classes will take place on the 4th Wednesdays of the month 11:00am – 2:00pm EST
(January 26, February 23, March 23, April 27, May 25, June 22, 2022)

Any beginning farmer may apply. Priorities will be given to: 
Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) 
immigrant / migrant people People living in New England
Individuals and groups interested in implementing cooperative business structures

Apply by January 5th, 2022:

Jan 20 + 27th, 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM EST| $50 | $25 for Students, AmeriCorps + Interns
Worker-owned cooperatives provide a business model that can help BIPOC and underserved communities to build businesses and wealth by leveraging their collective social and economic assets. This TWO-DAY workshop will introduce the co-op model, its strengths and challenges, and explore the role that Community Development Corporations (CDCs) in this state could play in strengthening worker ownership and economic democracy. Click here to register
Apply By: February 24, 2022 | Program Dates: TBD

If you are new to entrepreneurship or social impact, this 8 week program is designed to help develop, test, and vet ideas for a product or service in a risk-free and supportive environment.
 
In Case You Missed It!

Our 2021 workshops are all available for viewing on our Youtube channel. Click here to view.

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 thrilled to announce two new exciting members of CFNE’s staff. Please join us in welcoming them!
Tiffany Browning is stepping into the new position of Loan Administrator and Bookkeeper. In her role, she will support our lending team in closing and servicing loans, portfolio maintenance, and bookkeeping. Based in Maine, Tiffany has worked in the banking industry, and most recently served as Loan Administrator for a non-profit, CDFI mortgage and small business lender. She is on track to complete her undergraduate degree in business administration – accounting from the University of Maine – Bangor this spring. We’re excited to have you on board, Tiffany! You can contact Tiffany at tiffany@coopfund.coop.
Vikas Mangipudi will start as our new Loan and Outreach Officer for Vermont and New Hampshire on January 24. Until then, you can still contact Loan and Outreach Officer Lane Fury for Vermont and New Hampshire related questions. Vikas was born and raised in Nashua, NH and has settled into a life of cooperative development in the Burlington, VT area, including serving as the treasurer of the Vermont Solidarity Investing Club, board member of the @Vermont Real Estate Cooperative, and as a member of multiple other food, housing, and investing co-ops. He comes to CFNE from a professional background in software development and data science, most recently at a mid-sized employee-owned (ESOP) software company. Vikas is a lifelong learner who studied Statistics and Sociology at Boston University as well as Accounting at Champlain College. We’re excited to have you on board, Vikas!

Artisan Beverage Cooperative (Greenfield, MA), producer of Katalyst Kombucha and Ginger Libation, is seeking a General Manager/Sales Manager to help strengthen our cooperative and grow our business.

The Cooperative’s mission is to produce the highest quality beverages possible taking into account the social and economic impacts of all decisions of the cooperative, and to demonstrate, through our success, the viability of worker cooperatives and fairly traded goods.

Responsibilities include: General Manager – planning and budgeting, coordinating activities of all departments, nurturing the cooperative. Sales Manager – developing and executing sales plans including supervising the sales team and making sales calls.

Send resumes to info@artbev.coop

The Global Village Farms in Grafton, MA is looking for a 20 hr/week Organizer. The
Organizer is responsible for development of the Global Village Organizing strategy,
including training and recruitment. 

The position is currently remote, but the preference is for the organizer to live in South/Central New England. This role is a good fit for someone with organizing experience who is looking to build experience in running a nonprofit organization and learning about cooperatives and land
sovereignty work.

Qualified applicants should email info@globalvillagefarms.org with subject including
“Organizer position” with a cover letter and resume and two references.

Applications submitted by January 22 will be prioritized.

Follow @CoopFundNE on Instagram and connect with us on 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 our Co-op Monthly newsletter using this link.
In cooperation,
Johan Matthews
Community Engagement Facilitator
Cooperative Fund of New England
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