Registration now open for co-op festival
A reminder: Our annual co-op appreciation festival is planned for Saturday, Aug. 27. We'd love to see you there!
The festival is free and will be from 4-6 pm at Our Harvest's urban farm in College Hill (969 W North Bend Rd.), on the scenic Bahr Farm.
Meet our 14 co-op teams, learn about their products, & connect with other Co-op Cincy supporters. There will be music & food!
Co-op Cincy & Mondragon business model featured in Bloomberg
Bloomberg News published an article and podcast on Mondragon’s cooperative model and how it's gaining attention in the US and elsewhere!
The article and podcast included interviews with Co-op Cincy and our co-op Shine Nurture Center!
Check out the article and podcast.
You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
A few quote highlights:
“The objective of the cooperative is not to produce rich people, it’s to produce rich societies.” - Igor Herrarte, engineer at Mondragon Assembly
"Interest in worker co-ops tends to increase in times of crisis." - Mike Palmieri, researcher at the Ohio Employee Ownership Center
“Mondragon is our North Star.” - Kristen Barker, Executive Director of Co-op Cincy
Worker Co-op Conference in September
This year, the Worker Co-op Conference is being held from Sep. 9-10 in Philadelphia.
The conference is a national event where worker-owners from across the United States gather to learn and build power together. We're excited to attend!
Learn more at conference.coop.
Program news
New co-op tour dates
We’ve added new summer and fall dates for our free co-op tours! Come learn about the co-ops in our network! Upcoming dates:
Fri Aug 12 from 1-3 pm
Fri Sep 16 from 9-11 am
Fri Oct 14 from 1-3 pm
2022 launch for Business Legacy Fund
We're getting ready for our 3rd Business Legacy Fund cohort!
The multimillion-dollar Fund helps retiring or departing business owners transition their business to worker-ownership, saving jobs and maintaining legacies while securing fair-market value for their company. Financing from the Fund is accompanied by technical assistance to ensure a successful transition.
Through the fund, we finished transitioning 2 businesses to worker-ownership earlier this year, and we're in ongoing discussions with more businesses interested in becoming worker-owned.
Business Legacy Fund testimonial:
“Co-op Cincy and Ellen Vera in particular really walked this business through all the stages that were required to make this transition a success…. That support system was there. We could not have figured out how to do this without the help of Co-op Cincy.”
— Katie McGoron, founder of Shine Nurture Center, which became worker owned in early 2022
Construction co-op training program nears 🛠️
Our Construction Co-op U starts in September. The online training and support program helps teams develop a worker-owned business in a construction-related field.
Other updates
Enock named Global Fellow
Enock Sadiki, who participated in our co-op agriculture and business training course for refugee youth, has been named the World Affairs Council summer Global Fellow with the Camp Covington Program!
A refugee from Uganda, Enock is currently a senior at Aiken High School. Congrats Enock!
Shontelle attends gun legislation event at White House
Our amazing intern, Shontelle Johnson, visited the White House with other activists this month to celebrate the passage of the Safer Communities Act, the biggest gun violence prevention legislation enacted in decades.
The bill enhances background checks for potential gun buyers, in addition to other measures. Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval was among the attendees.
Shontelle said: "For me, this legislation is a step in the right direction. As President Biden said, it does not do everything I want, but it pushes America further. This law represents all the families and friends that have lost loved ones to gun violence who say, 'Not one more'. It is not the end all be all, but it helps me have faith that things will get better."
Worker-ownership explained
People have been coming to us with questions about worker-ownership and the co-op business model, and so we decided to write a quick explainer!
Check it out: coopcincy.org/workerownership
Co-op updates
Heritage Hill receives grant
Heritage Hill was 1 of 36 minority-owned businesses to receive grants from the Lincoln and Gilbert Initiative. Heritage Hill received the maximum amount of $15,000.
See the coverage in WKRC-TV Channel 12.
A Touch of TLC approved for Ohio program
A Touch of TLC Home Care officially was approved for Ohio's PASSPORT Medicaid waiver program, which helps Medicaid-eligible older Ohioans get the long-term services and support they need.
Queen City Commons continues growing
Queen City Commons has been busy! Recently they have:
implemented their 6th community drop-off bin, opening one at Redden Fine Meats and Seafood in Madeira
welcomed Brown Bear Bakery, Ditsch pretzel manufacturers, and the Schoolhouse Lofts as composters
begun piloting a composting program with a 200-unit condo building in Oakley
Visit Queen City Commons at the Northside and Madeira farmers markets the first week of every month!
Upcoming events
Fri Aug 12 from 1-3 pm: Co-op Cincy co-op tour. To learn more and sign up, see this questionnaire.
Aug 27 from 4-6 pm: our annual co-op appreciation festival at Our Harvest's urban farm in College Hill (969 W North Bend Rd.), located on the beautiful, historic Bahr Farm. With music and food. Register now.
Fri Sep 16 from 9-11 am: Co-op Cincy co-op tour. To learn more and sign up, see this questionnaire.
Fri Oct 14 from 1-3 pm: Co-op Cincy co-op tour. To learn more and sign up, see this questionnaire.
