The 2014 Farm Bill recognized the economic development and wealth-building opportunities of cooperatives by requiring that Federal agencies and cooperative organizations foster and coordinate on cooperative development. Federal partners include agencies with jurisdiction over cooperatives and with programs that cooperative businesses can use. The Agriculture Department, the Internal Revenue Service, the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, the Labor Department, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development are all agencies with direct jurisdiction over cooperatives. The Small Business Administration is required under the Main Street Employee Ownership Act to enter agreements with Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) to conduct training and provide information and resources on employee ownership through cooperatives. Other agencies have programs, information, and/or tools that cooperatives can access depending on the cooperative’s business. States and private sector cooperative organizations are also partners and are encouraged to be active participants in the Interagency Working Group. If your organization is not included here, please contact us at CoopInfo@usda.gov .
Private Sector Partners
Alaska Cooperative Development Program at the University of Alaska
Cooperative development centers provide technical assistance and other services to help cooperatives, their members, and individuals and businesses considering starting a cooperative.
American Association of Credit Union Leagues
The American Association of Credit Union Leagues is the national association for the state and regional credit union leagues and associations throughout the United States.
Arizona Cooperative Initiative
Cooperative development centers provide technical assistance and other services to help cooperatives, their members, and individuals and businesses considering starting a cooperative.
AURI (Agricultural Utilization Research Institute) Rural Cooperative Development Center
Cooperative development centers provide technical assistance and other services to help cooperatives, their members, and individuals and businesses considering starting a cooperative.
California Center for Cooperative Development
Cooperative development centers provide technical assistance and other services to help cooperatives, their members, and individuals and businesses considering starting a cooperative.
Carolina Common Enterprise
Cooperative development centers provide technical assistance and other services to help cooperatives, their members, and individuals and businesses considering starting a cooperative.
Co-op Development Center at the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union
Cooperative development centers provide technical assistance and other services to help cooperatives, their members, and individuals and businesses considering starting a cooperative.
CoBank
CoBank delivers loans, leases and other financial services to agribusiness, rural infrastructure and Farm Credit customers in all 50 states.
Community And Shelter Assistance (CASA)
Cooperative development centers provide technical assistance and other services to help cooperatives, their members, and individuals and businesses considering starting a cooperative.
Cooperation Works!
CooperationWorks! Is a national network of co-op developers doing work in all fifty states and across co-op sectors.