Resources: Cooperative Business Education

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Cooperatives are businesses owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit. While cooperatives do business like other businesses, they are structured differently. Learning about the structure of a cooperative is the initial step in deciding if you want to form one.

Just the Facts: What's So Good About Co-ops? (Yes! Magazine, Feb. 2013)

Cooperative FAQ's.

Benefits of Coops (video- coming soon)
Coops 101 (video- coming soon)
How to Start a Coop (video- coming soon)

Coops 101
The USDA booklet introducing the basics of cooperative businesses.

How to Start a Cooperative
The USDA booklet describing necessary steps towards forming a cooperative.

Cooperative Principles
Cooperatives follow seven internationally recognized principles that guide their business conduct.

Multi-Stakeholder Cooperatives
This new form of cooperative is being used in the local food system to bring farmers and consumers together in the same business.

Co-operative skills: what are they and why do we need them? (Guardian UK, April 19, 2013)
A co-operative development worker explains how to deal with some common skill shortages.


Cooperative Principles Posters
This set of seven Cooperative Principles posters produced for Cooperation Texas can be purchased together or individually. A great addition to your cooperative workspace.