Northwest Cooperative Development Center

08/07/2026

Very proud of our own ROCNW Acquisition Team, who has been working hard to support and preserve affordable housing in Washington State! Congratulations to all the residents who have taken control of their homes and their land! What an accomplishment ✨

08/05/2026

Thinking about a new way to run your business? 🤝

The **Co-op Conversion Academy** is a practical training series for owners, workers, and community members exploring a transition to cooperative ownership 🎓.

Learn the steps, tools, and real-world examples needed to convert an existing business into a cooperative where **control and benefits are shared**. By registering, you’re joining the work to advance economic democracy across the Pacific Northwest.

Expect focused sessions, peer discussion, and space for your specific questions 📍. This model is designed to provide **long-term stability** and keep business control in local hands.

📅 **When:** Wednesday evenings
⏰ **Time:** 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
🗓️ **Dates:** August 26-September 30th

Visit our website, scan the QR code or reach out to learn how to transition your business into a model that supports both your team and your community.

Registration link: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/co-op-conversion-academy

07/21/2026

Good news for housing co-ops!

"The bill also includes several additional wins for co-operative and shared-equity housing advocates, says NCBA.
It includes provisions that would:

include a co-operative housing developer on a new federal task force focused on state and local zoning frameworks to better support affordable housing production.
reauthorise the Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (Price) grant programme for seven years to support the repair, preservation and improvement of manufactured homes and manufactured housing communities.
reauthorise and reform the Home Investment Partnerships Programme, including changes intended to expand eligible uses and provide greater flexibility for affordable housing production and preservation.
create new technical assistance and preservation tools for USDA rural housing programmes, including support for multi-family housing preservation and potential conversions of USDA-funded properties."

A federal housing law has been passed in the USA, with provisions for the co-op sector welcomed by the NCBA

07/20/2026

Andy Burnham became the first Co-op Party member to rise to Prime Minister.
"Addressing the country for the first time after taking over from Keir Starmer, Burnham said he would set out a 10-year plan for the country later this year to transform the politics and economics of the UK from “where we are now to where I believe we all want Britain to be, wherever we’re coming from, whatever party we support”.

He promised a 10-year plan for the country later this year to transform the politics and economics of the UK

07/14/2026

A big shout out to NWCDC staffer, Charlie Best, for engaging and helping the folks on Anderson Island keep this space a vital resource for the community. This is the clear role for co-ops in every community: meeting member needs and keeping communities vital and resilient.

Five months after the only store and gas station on Anderson Island closed after 50 years, plans are moving forward to revive it.

07/10/2026

"The Uralungal Labor Contract Co-operative Society (ULCCS) is one of the most celebrated worker co-operatives in India. It’s also the oldest. Founded in Kerala in 1925 under the guidance of the social reformer Vagbhatananda, it began with 14 members and 36 paise (roughly US$0.13 in 1925 currency).

Today, the co-op has 19,272 workers, 13,174 worker-members and a turnover of ₹2,400 crore (US$300m, £220m).

For Kishor Kumar, chief project officer at ULCCS, the secret to the organisation’s success is trust. “You trust your people,” he says. “This is the first thing. You trust them, then they trust you. ULCCS is a big, extended family.”

Celebrating 100 years of the Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society

07/09/2026

"“New Jersey is facing a generational transition in business ownership, so we need new policies that will keep successful companies throughout the state operating and growing in the years to come,” said Senator Zwicker (D-Middlesex/Mercer/ Somerset/Hunterdon). “Employee ownership is a proven model that helps workers build wealth, strengthen their businesses, and preserve well-paying jobs in their communities. This legislation will allow the EDA to help businesses make the transition to employee ownership possible.” "

TRENTON – The Senate passed legislation sponsored by Senator Andrew Zwicker and Senate President Pro Tempore Shirley K. Turner, which would require the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA)

07/08/2026

"“What we’ve seen in the past with a mobile home park down the road and another on the other side of the city is that they got sold to a developer. People were literally pushed out of their homes. [Developers] gave [residents] a very small check for them to move out and bulldozed the entire park to put up condos,” Bonilla says. “That’s what we want to prevent.”"

Sponsored: By plucking affordable housing and commercial properties off the speculative market and placing them in cooperative community ownership, this North Carolina neighborhood is ensuring its residents can stay where they are and build an economic future.

07/07/2026

"As the world grapples with widening inequalities, climate change, food insecurity, financial instability and the need for sustainable economic growth, the cooperative movement has emerged as one of the most effective models of people-centric development. Cooperatives are not merely business enterprises; they are democratic institutions owned, managed and governed by their members. Built on the principles of self-help, mutual assistance, equality and collective prosperity, cooperatives have consistently demonstrated that economic growth and social justice can go hand in hand."

India's cooperative movement is poised to drive inclusive growth through modern governance, digital transformation and stronger grassroots institutions. Strengthening cooperatives can empower farmers, boost financial inclusion and support the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

07/06/2026

"Peace is more than the absence of war. It rests on social justice.

That conviction lies at the heart of the ILO’s mandate and speaks directly to this year’s International Day of Cooperatives theme: “Cooperatives for a Peaceful World.”

Today, peace is under strain. Conflict, displacement, inequality, economic insecurity, environmental disruption and declining trust affect people’s lives.

In this context, cooperatives make a vital contribution."

In his message marking the International Day of Cooperatives 2026, ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo highlights the vital role of cooperatives in advancing peace through decent work, social justice and resilient communities.