What are Internal Capital Accounts in Worker Cooperatives?
Are you curious about how worker cooperatives and employee ownership really work?
Succession Tips from Credit Union Leaders
When starting a co-op there are usually a few people who drive it forward – a core group or individual dedicated to getting the co-op up and running. But when these early leaders step away or retire, it can create a void in leadership.
That’s why it’s essential for co-ops to build succession plans and processes that can help transition operations and governance when key people leave.
How to (Actually) Embody B Corp Values
In my experience helping 100+ companies certify as B Corps, I would estimate that less than 25% of them truly embody B Corp values across their leadership, culture, and operations.
About 50%-60% are making real—yet inconsistent—progress towards authentically living B Corp values. The final 15-20% meet the minimum requirements but do not deeply live the values, and may even be at reputational risk if employees or customers look behind the badge.
East Boston Cooperation
On August 1st, I went to a “Resist and Build Gathering” in Boston hosted by the Center for Economic Democracy. An especially prominent organization that attended was one I have seen at other conferences called the Center for Cooperative Development and Solidarity (Centro Cooperativo de Dessarollo y Solidaridad): CCDS. I’ve admired the presence CCDS has in the cooperative movement and wanted to feature them here in the CoopMatters blog.
It's time for Community Incubators
Let’s imagine something new has arrived in the neighborhood—a community incubator. It’s a little like a free health club, if you take health in the broadest sense—i.e., including social and economic health.
You could think of the incubator as working like a golden funnel turned on its side. It’s wide-open at one end (which most business incubators are not really) but it channels and directs the flow to particular places—like toward a good job. Or even a new business you co-own.
Technical Assistance Grants Help With Co-op Conversions
The Canadian Worker Co-op Federation (CWCF) offers technical assistance grants to worker co-ops that are, or agree to become, members of CWCF to hire a co-op developer or other professional to help with a challenge that the co-op is facing.
Federal Workers Are Organizing for Democracy—from the Inside Out
In the face of a relentless effort to dismantle the federal government from within, a new movement is taking shape—led not by politicians or pundits but by federal workers themselves. The largest effort to date is the Federal Unionists Network (FUN). The FUN is offering a direct response to sweeping purges, politicized restructuring, and the hollowing out of public institutions under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Iconic Manchester Worker Co-op Celebrates 55 Years
Manchester’s Eighth Day worker co-operative marks its 55th anniversary in September, with a number of new collaborations and an exhibition charting its history.
It was founded in 1970 by “a group of hippies who were looking for an alternative to what they saw as capitalist consumer culture,” says the organisation. The group set up a craft exchange on New Brown Street – where the Arndale Centre now sits – selling homemade crafts and candles.
“The idea for the name was, ‘on the seventh day God rested, on the eighth day He (She or It) created something better.’”
Dan’s Adventures with Ghanaian Co-operators
From 13 to 26 August 2025, CMC was delighted to help showcase the Canadian co-operative mouvement, by coordinating a study tour for a delegation of co-op leaders from Ghana. The four guests included the Acting Secretary General of the Ghana Cooperatives Council, the General Manager and Chair of the Juaboso MICL Cooperatives Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Union Ltd and an Executive member of the BIA West MICL, Cooperatives Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Union Ltd.
Sacramento Sheriff Accused of Illegally Shutting Down Mutual Aid
Decarcerate Sacramento issued a press release today alleging Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper illegally shut down a mutual aid program outside the downtown Main Jail.
Five questions with “Worker Co-ops of the World Unite!” poster artist
My name is Camila Tapia, and I’m the Training and Education Coordinator here at USFWC. I’m also a cooperative artist.
Olympia, WA is latest city to declare 2025 the Year of Cooperatives
Olympia’s Blue Heron Bakery, a USFWC member, transitioned to worker and community ownership with support from the City of Olympia and the NWCDC, according to The Journal of Olympia, Lacey & Tumwater.
Following Sol Power Solar’s Example, R.I. Worker Co-Ops Gain Energy
CHARLESTOWN, R.I. – Sol Power Solar has installed renewable energy for more than 1,100 customers since becoming an early pioneer in Rhode Island’s solar industry in 2013.
The staff credit this success to the company’s business model, in which each employee is an equal owner of the company. Now, Sol Power and a group of fellow cooperative businesses are trying to pave the way for workers to democratically run their own workplaces across the state.