A Cooperative Colorado: Findings from the Cooperative Policy Roundtable

Developed at CoBank on May 1, 2019; presented to Governor Jared Polis on May 2, 2019. PDF version available here.


Colorado is poised to provide a national model for creating an inclusive, democratic economy.

This starts with our leadership on employee ownership, as well as other kinds of community ownership like credit unions, rural electrics, food hubs, and online platforms. Co-ops have helped build Colorado, and we want to work with the administration to make Colorado the best place in the country to build cooperative businesses.

We invite the administration to help us do this by:

  • Continuing to participate in grassroots policy and business convening
  • Collaborating with promoting state-level branding, such as Colorado.coop
  • Declaring a Colorado Cooperatives Day to celebrate this legacy and opportunity

Our legacy

Different kinds of cooperatives have been a bedrock of the Colorado economy throughout the state’s history—especially for the most marginalized—from 19th-century Grange halls to an early Black-owned saddlery co-op in Denver. This legacy continues today. Our economy depends on its rural electric co-ops, telecom co-ops, credit unions, farmers’ producer co-ops, and small business purchasing co-ops. These amount to about 400 cooperative businesses and almost a thousand co-op franchisees and branches.

Now, a new generation of cooperators is trying to use this model to access a more equitable and just economy. But the tools developed for earlier generations aren’t always up to the task of our new challenges. Policies designed for farmer cooperatives aren’t prepared for accelerating co-op tech startups or empowering immigrant worker co-ops. That’s why we’re helping to lead a national conversation about the kinds of policies and entrepreneurship we need to make cooperative enterprise more available and more accessible than ever before.

These are some strategies we’re exploring to strengthen the Colorado co-op economy:

Awareness and education

Too few Coloradans know what co-ops are—much less how to work or shop at one.

  • Promotion and outreach around a Colorado cooperative brand
  • Improved information about co-op models from state offices and library districts
  • Training for members of older co-ops on their rights and opportunities
  • Centers for co-op education and research at state universities
  • Support youth education through 4-H and electric co-op summer camps
  • X Prize-style statewide contests for co-op startups

Technical support

We have only about a dozen co-op developers working statewide—it’s time to scale up.

  • Greater capacity for culturally appropriate technical support in diverse communities through highly trained co-op developers
  • Training for state economic development staff on a wide range of co-op models
  • Improved measurement and tracking of co-op opportunities and impacts
  • Education, peer-to-peer support, and succession planning for operational managers and boards

Capital access

The economy is tilted for investor ownership—we can level the field for communities.

  • Loan guarantees and lender education for diverse forms of co-op businesses
  • Statewide procurement preferences for cooperative and worker-owned business
  • Right of first refusal in ownership transitions, such as for employees and multifamily apartment residents
  • Grant opportunities favoring democratic cooperative business endeavors
  • Financing through public capital pools such as pension funds
  • Preference for multi-stakeholder “social co-ops” for public-private partnerships

We look forward to working with your administration to advance goals such as these.

This convening was possible through the support of the National Cooperative Business Association and the Cooperative Development Foundation, with the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, CoBank, the Center for Community Wealth Building and the Colorado Co-ops Study Circle. Colorado.coop branding is a product of Cooperatives for a Better World.

We’re making rules!

After about a year in operation, with a solid team of organizers forming, we’ve decided it’s time to formalize the structures by which the Study Circle operates a bit. Please take a look at the draft handbook and share your feedback at this poll by the end of Thursday.

And there’s more! Much more!

Wednesday, September 27
Co-op Happy Hour @ Denver Startup Week
6 p.m., 10 Barrel Brewing Company, Denver
Info and RSVP on Meetup

Tuesday, September 26
Boulder Housing Coalition: Consensus Decision Making
6 p.m., Picklebric co-op, Boulder
RSVP on Facebook

Thursday, September 28
Startup.coop: How to Build a Real Sharing Economy through Shared Ownership
8 a.m., General Assembly, Denver
Info and RSVP at Denver Startup Week

Thursday, September 28
Co-op Power Hour: Making Worker Co-ops
6 p.m., KGNU radio, 88.5 FM and 1390 AM
More episodes on our website

Thursday, September 28
Start a Housing Co-op!
7 p.m., Wholesome House, Denver
Info and RSVP on Meetup

Tuesday, October 3
Boulder Housing Coalition: Privilege, Oppression & Diversity
6 p.m., Chrysalis Co-op, Boulder
Info and RSVP on Facebook

Tuesday, October 17
How Do You Start a Worker Co-op?
7 p.m., Messiah Community Church, Denver
Info and RSVP on Meetup

Thursday, October 19
Boulder Housing Coalition: Meeting Facilitation
6 p.m., Ostara Co-op, Boulder
Info and RSVP

Thursday, November 30
Boulder Housing Coalition: Inclusive Communities
6 p.m., Masala Co-op, Boulder Info and RSVP on Facebook

Friday, December 1
A Meditation Co-op?: Cooperative Business + Spirituality
6:30 p.m., Mayu Sanctuary, Denver
Info and RSVP on Meetup

Upcoming Events and Trainings from the Boulder Housing Coalition

SEP17
Sun 5:30 PMShared to Boulder Creative Housing
748 10th St, Boulder, CO 80302-7509, United States
SEP24
Sun 5:30 PM1 guest
Boulder
SEP26
748 10th St, Boulder, CO 80302-7509, United States
OCT3
Boulder
OCT19
Thu 6 PMHosted by Boulder Housing Coalition
Boulder
NOV2
Thu 5:30 PMHosted by Boulder Housing Coalition
NOV30
744 Marine St, Boulder, CO 80302-5948, United States

Getting into Fall

After a summer of traveling and conferences, we’re excited to meet up again this fall.

Complete the Study Circle Survey
We want study circle events to be relevant to the group, and we’re asking study circle list members to please fill out this short survey today! 

You’ll notice we reference “affinity groups,” a format we think will allow people interested in one type of co-op to better connect. Take 5 minutes to let us know what brought you to the group and what you want to get out of it.

August Co-op Power Hour: Employee Owned Business
We also invite you to listen to the latest episode of the Co-op Power Hour, feat. Colorado gubernatorial candidate and US congressman Jared Polis and RMEOC’s Halisi Vinson. This month focuses on employee-owned business, which Polis has supported in Washington and is advocating for in Colorado. Do you have ideas for future radio show episodes? Let us know!

Upcoming Events

+ Employee Ownership Walk
Wed. Sept. 12, 5:30pm at 110 16th St., Denver
RMEOC + Walk 2 Connect led walk, talk, and happy hour.
RSVP on Eventbrite or Facebook

Co-op Happy Hour @ Denver Startup Week
Wed. Sept. 276-8pm at 10 Barrel Brewing, Denver
Come meet some local folks in town who love co-ops as much as you! In honor of Denver Startup Week we’re gathering for a fun, informal happy hour where we can talk shop, ask questions, and make new connections. The rooftop at 10 Barrel Brewing has plenty of seating, food, beer, and views of downtown for everyone to enjoy. Hope to see you there. Hosted by Good Good Work, a new tech co-op in town.
RSVP on Meetup

+ Startup.coop: How to Build a Real Sharing Economy through Shared Ownership
Thurs. Sept. 27, 8am at General Assembly, Denver
RSVP with Denver Startup Week
Study Circle: Start a Housing Co-op! 
Thurs. Sept. 28, 7pm at Wholesome House, 200 N. Logan St., Denver
How do you start a co-op? Find people to help you create it. Join Wholesome House Denver and Queen City Cooperative for a potluck dinner and lightly facilitated conversation about the values we bring to our homes and qualities we’re seeking in our homes. Both homes are willing to support groups that emerge from this meeting in their ongoing co-op housing development. This installment of the Colorado Co-op Study Circle will also kick off the co-op housing affinity group, a group that will regularly meet to develop cooperative housing.
RSVP on Meetup or Facebook

Study Circle: Worker-Ownership in Service Work
Tues, Oct. 17, 7pm, Messiah Community Church, Denver
Service workers are among the most essential, and often among the most exploited contributors to the economy. This month we’ll be joined by people working to change that in our area—members of worker-owned co-ops incubated by the urban cooperative development center at Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, together with RMFU staff. Learn about how their co-ops got started and how you can help support them as they grow.
RSVP on Meetup

Study Circle: Spiritualities of Cooperation
Fri, Dec. 1, 6:30 pm, Mayu Sanctuary
Cooperative enterprise is a way of doing business in the secular world, but some of its greatest achievements have gained inspiration from many of the world’s spiritual traditions. This month, we’ll gather at Mayu Mediation Cooperative, an innovative multi-stakeholder company that maintains a meditation space and community in Denver. We’ll begin with silent sitting, and then hear from founder Cierra McNamara about Mayu’s origins and development.
RSVP on Meetup

We Need Leaders!
Cooperatives are a leader-rich movement, and this circle is 100% run by volunteers. If you are interested in leading, co-leading, or helping with logistics of an event, please write to info@coloradocoops.info.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Community Radio & Rep. Polis!

Next Study Circle: Governing Community Radio
August 15, KGNU Boulder
KGNU is a beacon of local, community-supported radio in the Front Range area, and it hosts our Study Circle’s monthly Co-op Power Hour show. KGNU’s model has a lot in common with cooperative enterprise. We’ll be joined by Tim Russo, a veteran of community radio networks in Central America who recently joined KGNU as station manager.
Learn more & share it: Meetup / Facebook / Website

Co-op Power Hour: Employee Ownership w/ Rep. Jared Polis
August 24, 6pm on KGNU 88.5 FM
This month on the radio, hear our interview with Congressman Jared Polis, who represents Colorado’s second district, and has been a leader in advancing legislation for employee ownership in Washington. He is also a leading contender in the race to be Colorado’s next governor. We’ll also hear from Halisi Vinson of the Rocky Mountain Employee Ownership Center on the challenges of building cross-partisan consensus on shared ownership, which we should all agree on.
Find the recording afterward on our website.

Ingram Co-op Potluck and Tour
August 13, 5:30 pm at 748 10th St. in Boulder
Boulder Housing Coalition is seeking out and helping to organize folks to help start our fourth permanently affordable housing co-op here in Boulder. If you’re interested, join us and other potential new co-op members for a potluck at Picklebric Co-op the evening of August 13. After dinner we’ll take a trip to the new house!
Learn more & share it: Facebook

Wanna chat? Our website now has a Slack-like (but open-source and non-spyware) RocketChat system built-in, so come say hi and let’s talk co-ops. It’s still not very active, so mention “@all” to get our attention.

Wanna help organize study circles? Write to circle@coloradocoops.info to get plugged in. We need you.

Dancing and Potlucks

The Study Circle Takes on the Association of Co-op Educators Conference
July 18-21, Regis University
A continental co-op conference happening this year at Denver’s own Regis University! Join us to hear several Co-op Study Circle participants speak, as well as a special session devoted to our Study Circle’s challenges and accomplishments.
Learn more & share it: Meetup / Facebook / Website

Co-op Bop: A Dance Party
July 20, Queen City Cooperative in Denver
During the 2017 ACE Institute in Denver, party with Queen City &  Colorado Co-op Study Circle! Queen City will feed you, but feel free to bring something to share! You can BYOB or purchase drinks with drink tickets (cocktails, mocktails, beer, & wine). Queen City Cooperative is a resident-owned housing cooperative in Denver. After two years of home improvements, house meetings, and shared dinners, we are formalizing our cooperative structure. We need professional help along the way, so any donations will help us raise funds for legal and accounting fees. Think of it as a barn-raising for co-ops! Attendees may also contribute to the ACE student scholarship fund for the 2018 ACE Institute.
Learn more & share it: Meetup / Facebook / Website

Ingram Co-op Potluck and Tour
July 23, 5:30 pm at 744 Marine St. in Boulder
Boulder Housing Coalition is seeking out and helping to organize folks to help start our fourth permanently affordable housing co-op here in Boulder. If you’re interested, join us and other potential new co-op members for a potluck at the Masala Co-op the evening of Sunday, July 23rd. After dinner we’ll take a trip to the new house!
Learn more & share it: Facebook

Co-op Power Hour Radio: Boulder Housing Co-ops Update
July 27, 6pm on KGNU 88.5 FM
Next week on the radio, we’ll hear from Christina Gosnell and Zane Selvans of the Boulder Housing Coalition about the state of Boulder housing co-ops since the recent legalization effort and the ways they’re working to build affordable housing against all odds.
Find the recording afterward on our website.

Next Study Circle: Governing Community Radio
August 15, KGNU Boulder
KGNU is a beacon of local, community-supported radio in the Front Range area, and it hosts our Study Circle’s monthly Co-op Power Hour show. KGNU’s model has a lot in common with cooperative enterprise. We’ll be joined by Tim Russo, a veteran of community radio networks in Central America who recently joined KGNU as station manager.
Learn more & share it: Meetup / Facebook / Website

Wanna chat? Our website now has a Slack-like (but open-source and non-spyware) RocketChat system built-in, so come say hi and let’s talk co-ops. It’s still not very active, so mention “@all” to get our attention.

Wanna help organize study circles? Write to circle@coloradocoops.info to get plugged in. We need you.

Update: Across Race & Class

Your friendly organizing team now has the summer Circles all planned out!

? Study circles ?

Funding Colorado Cooperatives Across Race & Class

May 7, 4 p.m., Queen City Cooperative
How can we leverage wealth to build cooperatives across class and race lines? Join the Colorado Cooperative Study Circle to discuss cross-class and interracial forms of organizing, investing in, and funding cooperative enterprises.
Learn more & share it: Meetup / Facebook / Website

The Study Circle Takes on the Association of Co-op Educators Conference
July 18-21, Regis University
A continental co-op conference happening this year at Denver’s own Regis University! Join us to hear several Co-op Study Circle participants speak, as well as a special session devoted to our Study Circle’s challenges and accomplishments.
Learn more & share it: Meetup / Facebook / Website

Governing Community Radio
August 15, KGNU Boulder
KGNU is a beacon of local, community-supported radio in the Front Range area, and it hosts our Study Circle’s monthly Co-op Power Hour show. KGNU’s model has a lot in common with cooperative enterprise. We’ll be joined by Tim Russo, a veteran of community radio networks in Central America who recently joined KGNU as station manager.
Learn more & share it: Meetup / Facebook / Website

? Other stuff ?

Listen to KGNU this Thursday at 6 for the latest episode of our Co-op Power Hour, this time featuring RMEOC’s Halisi Vinson and Colorado Cooperative Developers’ Jason Wiener discussing the ins and outs of co-op conversion. Paul had his first run at co-hosting!

On May 3, Rocky Mountain Employee Ownership Center is hosting a practical workshop on “Ownership Culture: The Secret Sauce for Success,” part of National Small Business Week. Learn more on Facebook.

At next month’s Boulder Startup week, Nathan will be joined by Jason and Corey Kohn of the brand-new worker co-op dojo4 in a discussion on May 18 called “Startup.coop: How to build a real sharing economy through shared ownership.” Spread the news via our website, the BSW website, and Facebook.

Our website’s directory of Colorado co-ops has just nearly quadrupled in size, thanks to the data from the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union. Check it out—is your co-op listed correctly there?

Want to help organize study circles? Write to Nathan at ntnsndr@riseup.net to get plugged in.

In cooperation,
the rag-tag, evolving team of organizers

Housing Co-op Internships via NASCO

From the North American Students of Cooperation:

Looking for a summer gig?
Work at a co-op this summer.

NASCO is accepting applications for paid summer internships with cooperative organizations across the United States. NASCO’s Cooperative Internship Network connects talented, up-and-coming cooperators with established cooperative organizations, supporting the exchange of cooperative knowledge while building careers for young cooperators.

Since the 1980s, this program has provided organizations with qualified interns while building the skills and knowledge of new generations of leaders. To learn more about the program and open positions, please see below or explore our website. Applications are due Sunday, March 26, 2017.

Who can apply?

The following individuals are eligible to participate in the Internship Network:

  • Current members of NASCO Active Member cooperatives
  • Former members of NASCO Active Member cooperatives who were members in the past 3 years
  • Current, dues-paying Individual Members of NASCO
  • NASCO Institute 2012-2016 attendees
  • Individuals who are sponsored by a NASCO Associate Member organization

Additionally, since each of this year’s positions are located in the United States, interns must possess legal eligibility to work in the United States. NASCO and our host organizations do not have the means or expertise to assist applicants with visa applications.

How do I apply?

To be considered for a position, you will need to fill out an online application, which includes:

  • Short- and long-form responses
  • Description of experience
  • Statement of internship preferences
  • Short statements of interest for individual internship
  • Résumé (upload)
  • Three references

After applying, your materials will be sent to internship hosts, who will contact you for an interview if selected. If they chose to hire you, you will be notified by April 14, 2017.

Check out this year’s internships!