Cooperative Principles

Cooperatives as a business and as a safety net

Co-ops are businesses designed to pool resources to serve a specific economic need of their current and future members. At the same time, co-ops hold a principle of Concern for the Community and often use those pooled resources contributed by individual members to serve as a social safety net for the membership collectively. This is a discussion guide that offers a few discussion prompts and some practices for balancing the tension between these goals.

NASCO Institute 2020 Session Recordings

Below, are the recordings for NASCO Institue 2020 sessions by room. Please share lessons learned with your cooperatives and communities. 

If you did not register for NASCO Institute and you'd like to support free and low-cost cooperative education, please consider contributing a donation amount that feels appropriate for you and/or your cooperative. Your donation makes it possible to offer cooperative education materials and resources free of charge. DONATE HERE.

 

Workshop Kit: "Cooperative Movement"

This workshop kit includes the facilitator's guide which provides a step by step breakdown of how to deliver this workshop which is the place to start. Handouts are also included here. People are encouraged to use the material as-is or adapt it as needed for their particular coop.

Workshop Kit: "Cooperative Principles and Values"

This workshop kit includes the facilitator's guide which provides a step by step breakdown of how to deliver this workshop which is the place to start. Presentation materials as well as handouts and instructions are also included here. People are encouraged to use the material as-is or adapt it as needed for their particular coop.

Blueprint for a Co-operative Decade

"This document was considered in draft by the General Assembly of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) in Manchester in October 2012. Following comment and discussion (now reflected in this revised version) the Blueprint was approved by the General Assembly. It is now issued in its final form.  
 
The intention of the General Assembly is that the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives marks the beginning of a worldwide campaign to take the co-operative way of doing business to a new level.

Four Pillars of Cooperative Governance

Four Pillars of Cooperative Governance: A new model grounded in the cooperative difference
by Marilyn Scholl and Art Sherwood
Published in "Cooperative Grocer," Winter 2014
 
"Great leaders demonstrate how to be a force for good in local communities and beyond. Our cooperative heroes—the Rochdale Pioneers—were 

All 4 Each: Co-ops in the Classroom

 
The Ontario Co-operative Association has successfully re-introduced education about co-operatives into classrooms in a unique and fun way.

Cooperatives: Principles and practices in the 21st century

Written by Kimberly A. Zueli and Robert Cropp, published by the University of Wisconsin, 2004.
 
This publication is the fourth and most extensive revision of the Marvin A. Schaars' text Cooperatives, Principles and Practices, University of Wisconsin Extension-Madison, Publication A1457, July 1980. What has come to be known simply as "the Schaars book. "was originally written in 1936 by Chris L. Christensen, Asher Hobson, Henry Bakken, R.K.