Whether you’re in the start-up phase, working to grow and improve your existing cooperative, or considering converting your business to cooperative ownership, we have the knowledge, experience, and tools you need.
Start A Co-Op
We can guide your through all the stages of the process from feasibility to structure & governance to getting up & running.
Strenghten Your Co-op
Resources & training to grow your co-op’s business and strengthen its operations & management.
Sell Your Business To Your Workers In A Co-op Conversion
A great succession plan! Leave a legacy to your employees and to your community.
We’re hosting our first bi-annual Cascadia Cooperative Conference (CCC) on Monday, August 25, and Tuesday, August 26, 2025, at the Parkview Event Space in Seattle, WA.
CCC will celebrate the incredible diversity of the cooperative economic model in the bioregion of Cascadia (connected to the Salish Sea and the Columbia River), which includes communities throughout British Columbia, Canada, and the U.S. States of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The conference aims to leverage the strength of co-ops in these communities to create a stronger and more resilient cooperative ecosystem and to advance the goals of the International Year of Cooperatives.
Additional areas of focus will be in building solidarity within and between communities, engaging in sustainable development goals, and aligning governance and operations.
We look forward to seeing you there!
We can provide the tools and resources to help small businesses and cooperatives unlock their full potential. We provide comprehensive consulting services, workshops, and training seminars to help you both create and improve a successful and sustainable cooperative.
If you’re working to start a new co-op, we can help you go through all the stages: exploration, feasibility, structure, formation, and finally becoming operational and thriving.
If you’re an operating co-op already, we can help keep workers and/or members informed and educated which is critical to the long term success of a co-op. We can help ensure that the members understand their rights and responsibilities, feel empowered to speak up and make changes when necessary, and have the knowledge needed to understand their cooperative’s operations.
Selling to your employees via a worker owned cooperative can satisfy a number of needs. For many owners, leaving a legacy to the employees and the community is an important goal. A sale to employees can create a buyer for a profitable company that may find the open market for a sale difficult. And often a sale to the employees can allow an owner, not ready to retire, the chance to transition
out over time.
Our approach to co-op conversions emphasizes transparency, leadership development, and fairness for workers. Our goal is for the business to be a source of stable employment for many more years.
Starting September 3
Duration: 8 Weeks, Wednesday evenings
Time: 5:30 to 7:30p PST
Last Session: October 22
Location: Online/Zoom
The Conversion Academy is designed for business owners considering a sale to their workers, converting the business into a cooperative in the process & the purchasing workers serving as members/potential members of the “steering” or “buyout” committee.
Session topics include:
Class Details:
The course runs for 6 weeks. Classes are virtual on Zoom from 6p to 8p each Monday. Cost: $295.00
Next Class: TBD/TBA
Established in 2008, ROC Northwest is a program of the Northwest Cooperative Development Center serving residents of Manufactured Housing Communities across Washington and Idaho. We help residents form cooperative business, secure financing, and purchase the community in which they live.
With each conversion, we also commit to providing ten years of ongoing technical assistance. We work with non-profit lenders to not only secure acquisition funding but to finance major infrastructure improvements. We recognize manufactured home communities as viable forms of affordable housing, and work to preserve them through resident ownership.
From Brainstorm & Dream Stage to Shovel Ready in 10 Weeks. Our academy is for anyone that wants to start any type of co-op as well as current members, workers, and directors of existing co-ops who want to learn more and help grow and make improvements.
An innovative curriculum that covers cooperative ownership, democratic management, and cooperative economics including:
Your generous contribution can make a huge difference in the lives of those we serve. Every donation helps us continue our work towards a better future.
Our comprehensive suite of services is designed to provide the essential tools and resources needed to create a successful cooperative. We offer a variety of services, from training and technical assistance to access to capital and market opportunities. Our experienced team of professionals will guide you through every step of the process, from formation and growth to operations and success. Join us today and unlock the potential of cooperative enterprise!
Let’s Talk. We’d Love to Help.
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NWCDC is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3), organization.
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