CDF News

We at CDF started off this month full of co-op pride. 350 people across the country showed up – virtually and in-person in Washington DC – to participate in our annual Do Well to Do Good Co-op 5K. The runners and walkers represented different generations, geographies and co-op sectors, but they all came together to show their support for the cooperative businesses that enrich our lives and communities. This has me reflecting on what it means to be part of this unique communi

Who inspires you? It is worth pausing to think about it. They are often the people who expand what we see as possible, both by their example and by the way they include and support others. Sometimes our heroes are people who changed history by carving new paths or creating new institutions. Or sometimes our heroes are the people who have selflessly expanded the sense of opportunity and inclusion for us and countless others, unlocking the potential of the next generati

The Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF) is honored to welcome the new cohort of the Cooperative Leaders and Scholars (CLS) Fellowship –– a dynamic group of 22 emerging leaders committed to strengthening the cooperative business community across North America. The 2026 cohort represents a wide range of cooperative ownership types and industries –– including credit unions, worker, food, housing, utilities, and agricultural cooperatives –– and reflects deep talent and pas

Earlier this month, I read a New York Times article on “desire paths” – the dirt tracks that appear across the grass when the established walkways don’t follow the route that people naturally want to go. “They’re evidence, over time, that an existing design is not adequate,” wrote Melissa Kirsch. “They remind us that we have a choice and that we can veer away from what was laid out for us.” It made me think that cooperatives are the “desire paths” of our economy. Cooperati

Spending time with my college-age children over the holidays, I reflected on my hopes for them. I want them to be able to pursue their passions or address challenges they see; build strong relationships and give back to their communities; have an income that allows them to meet their needs and the security of financial assets; and feel empowered to shape their future. Fundamentally, these are the things that I want for all people. At the Cooperative Development Foundation , w

The Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF) is delighted to announce the addition of three new members to its Board: Vanessa Bransburg of the Democracy at Work Institute (DAWI), Jeffrey Connor of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), and Leslie Hagele of CoBank . “Over the past year, the CDF Board of Directors developed an exciting strategic framework for the next five years,” said John Holdsclaw IV, chair of the CDF Board. “We are pleased to