COOPERATIVES

Also called “co-ops”, cooperatives are a tool, a way of being, and a business model for groups of people working together to meet their own collective needs for work*, food, housing, learning, recreation and more.

Co-ops are typically organized as businesses and collectives that operate to serve actual community needs. When co-ops generate a surplus (profits), the co-operative members determine how the surplus will be used and distributed.

Beyond being effective economic tools, cooperatives can be the means to more humane relations. Co-ops can be the source of genuine personal and community joy.

♥️ Worker Co-ops

Worker co-ops are businesses owned, governed, and operated by their workers. Effective cooperative decision-making relies on the active participation of all the members, valuing the diverse contributions each person brings to the co-op.

  • Worker cooperatives are designed to be accessible and inclusive, with low financial barriers to entry. The "buy-in" or membership fee is decided by the worker-members of the cooperative. To ease financial burdens, co-ops often accept installment payments or offer "sweat equity" options, where members can work off their membership fee.

  • As part of the Seed Commons community wealth cooperative, we pool financial resources and lend to worker co-ops in and around Richmond. Our aim is to lower funding barriers for local cooperatives. We enhance our lending with direct business support and cooperative mentorship.

  • Any business existing to fulfill actual community needs can be a cooperative. This gives your team the creatively freedom to create products or services that uniquely cater to the needs of the local people and place.

Cooperative Principles

  • Cooperatives are businesses and organizations formed to meet their communities shared needs. Co-ops are open to all people willing to accept the co-ops responsibilities and work together to create the goods and services the community wants and needs.

  • Co-ops are guided by their members shared vision, values, and goals. Members collectively determine the rules and boundaries of the co-op as outlined in the co-op’s bylaws. Co-op members set the pace, create the policies and manage the daily operations of the cooperative business.

  • Joining a co-op involves paying an initial membership fee, also called a "buy-in." Members can sometimes cover this fee all-at-once or in installments or worked off ~ also known as "sweat equity".

    A co-op’s buy-in amount differs from business to business. The funds may help pay for essential equipment and space. The buy-in also represents a member's commitment to the co-op's future.

  • Members collectively control the cooperative, focusing on self-determination and unity to meet shared needs. They carefully choose partnerships and funding to maintain their autonomy, always prioritizing the interests of the members and the community in their decisions and resource distribution.

  • Cooperatives prioritize continuous education for all members and collaborators to ensure everyone has access to information and skills to contribute to the co-op.

    Co-ops also educate the public about the benefits of cooperation.

  • Cooperatives grow with aligned collaborations; pooling labor and other resources to meet its community needs. This includes sourcing and trading with other cooperatives and complimentary businesses. This can also look like skill sharing and other mutual-aid activities.

  • Above all, cooperatives prioritize their members' and community care and needs. They practice their agreements and engage in ways that enhance community well-being.

Co-op Values

  • Self-determination is our inner power to determine our destiny. Cooperators to rise above challenges and pave the way for positive transformations in ourselves and our community.

  • At the heart of cooperatives lies solidarity and unity. We are transformed through our collective power. By uniting, our strength magnifies, moving us towards economic progress, deep connections, and thriving communities.

  • The struggle against oppression is multifaceted, including various expressions and systems of racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and ableism. As part of our commitment to anti-oppression and solidarity, we move to actively address and dismantle all forms of oppression.

  • Cooperatives believe in the importance of mutual aid, or the practice of supporting one another in times of need. This means that members of the cooperative work together to provide support and resources to one another and their local community.

  • Cooperatives are all about giving the power back to the people – the workers and the community. Cooperatives organize so that workers and or community members have collective ownership and control over their tools and work. Decision-making power and profits are shared democratically among all members, rather than being concentrated in the hands of a few individuals or shareholders.

  • Co-ops strive to  understand the importance of protecting the planet and its resources for future generations. Co-ops work to express their commitment to sustainability through the choices they make as a business. Co-ops must strive to operate in environmentally sustainable ways, minimizing their impact on the environment.

    A competitive advantage that many co-ops showcase is actively promoting their sustainable practices within the wider community.  Co-ops often work to inspire others to adopt eco-friendly practices too.