Northwest Cooperative
Development Center

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.

Starting & Strengthening Co-ops

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.

Sell Your Business To Your Workers

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.

  • Continuity and Legacy Preservation
  • Financial Incentives and a Dependable Buyer
  • Employee and Community Goodwill

Conversion Academy - Jan 27 to Mar 3, 2025

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:

  • Coop Conversion 101 – Introduction & Overview
  • Getting Ready & Preparing for Conversion
  • The Co-op Model’s Operations & Governance
  • Conversion Deal Structure & Financing Options/Issues
  • The Typical Conversion Journey: Stages, What to Expect, What to Watch Out For, etc.
  • And more!


Class Details:
The course runs for 6 weeks. Classes are virtual on Zoom from 6p to 8p each Monday. Cost: $295.00

Next Class: January 27 to March 3, 2025

Registration is a simple 2-step process:

ROC Northwest: Partnering with Owners To Sell Their Manufactured Home Parks To Residents

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.

NWCDC Co-op Academy

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:

  • The Co-op Identity
  • Business Mapping
  • Governing Documents
  • Finance and Equity
  • Business and Marketing Plans
  • And More!

Build Your Caregiver Co-Op Business Workshops

Are you interested in a unique work opportunity? Are you a caregiver interested in opening a business with other caregivers?

The NWCDC is hosting a series that walks caregivers through the process of opening a business.

Join us Wednesdays from May 22 thru July 10th for FREE weekly sessions 5:30p-7:30p

Donate

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.

Harnessing the Power of Cooperation!

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!

Contact Us to Learn More