CDF News

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

Did you know that the Cooperative Development Foundation has been building the capacity of the cooperative business community since 1944? CDF provides grants for cooperative development and education every year. We could be supporting your co-op work! Check out the opportunities below and save the date for exciting events we are hosting in the new year. Our 2025 Impact Grant and Scholarship Opportunities The Cooperative Development Fund supports cooperative development, resea

November 24, 2025 Next year the co-op community in the U.S. will be honoring five outstanding cooperative leaders. Join us in welcoming these cooperative heroes into the Cooperative Hall of Fame on October 8, 2026, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.   The inductees are Margaret Bau, Cooperative Development Specialist, USDA Rural Development (retired); Fannie Lou Hamer, Unsung Hero, Founder, Freedom Farm Cooperative; Crystal Long, President & CEO, GECU; Kevin Still,