2026 Grant and Scholarship Opportunities
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
Dec 53 min read
Announcing the 2026 Cooperative Hall of Fame Inductees
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,
Nov 2411 min read
Giving Thanks for Cooperation
As the seasons change and we approach Thanksgiving, I am reflecting on my first ten months as Executive Director of the Cooperative Development Foundation . We are proud to announce a new strategic framework for CDF focused on building the capacity of the US cooperative business community. And I am grateful for the generosity and collaboration of the cooperative field as we embark on this exciting next chapter. Together, we will work to ensure that all people can address the
Nov 184 min read
Cooperative Solutions to Community Challenges
Montana grows a lot of food: livestock for meat and dairy, wheat, lentils, and more. One out of every six Montanans work in agriculture. Yet, Montana communities struggle with access to food as more and more grocery stores close their doors. Losing a rural store can mean families have to drive 60-100 miles for groceries. Tracy McIntyre, Executive Director of the Montana Cooperative Development Center (MCDC) , says local grocery stores are “the last line of defense for thes
Oct 314 min read
Board Service and Engagement Opportunity
Are you passionate about working at the intersection of cooperative development, building an inclusive and equitable economy, and...
Oct 74 min read
Meet the 16 new and emerging co-op leaders accepted into the 2025 CLS cohort
The Cooperative Development Foundation and NCBA CLUSA are delighted to welcome 16 new and emerging co-op leaders into the Cooperative...
Mar 52 min read
CDF Welcomes New Board Leadership
The Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF) welcomes two new members to its Board: Michelle Schry and Holly Jo Sparks. Both are...
Jan 152 min read
Bosland to head the Cooperative Development Foundation
Washington, DC, January 14, 2025 – The Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF) is excited to announce its new Executive Director, Julie...
Jan 152 min read
Announcing the 2025 Cooperative Hall of Fame Inductees
December 6, 2024 Next year the world will be celebrating the International Year of Cooperatives. As part of that celebration, the co-op...
Dec 6, 20248 min read
CDF Board Service Opportunity
Are you passionate about working at the intersection of cooperative development, building an inclusive and equitable economy, and...
Nov 8, 20242 min read
Sipping from the cup of access and equity - Pachamama Coffee Cooperative
Thirty years ago, Thaleon Tremain embarked on his Peace Corps assignment in Bolivia, focusing on economic empowerment. Little did he know...
Nov 8, 20244 min read
Celebrating Education in Worker Co-ops
“Whoever teaches learns in the act of teaching, and whoever learns teaches in the act of learning.” With these words, Brazilian educator...
Nov 8, 20243 min read
Building the network that builds cooperatives: CDF and CooperationWorks!
Like so much of the cooperative ecosystem, the story of CooperationWorks! is deeply linked to that of the Cooperative Development...
Aug 19, 20243 min read
Securing food - and community - for the frontier
Tracy McIntyre knows rural. Scratch that. Rural doesn’t even come close to describing the remote areas of Big Sky Country that she serves...
Aug 19, 20243 min read
Building community from the inside and out - cooperative education and development for prisoners and returning citizens
Mary Sutton’s work with returning citizens is rooted in her own experience, sparked in part by a move to the West Coast to support a...
Aug 19, 20244 min read
Driving change in Denver
In a platform rideshare landscape dominated by two competitors–Lyft and Uber–a fresh take on a trusted idea is gaining traction: The...
May 15, 20243 min read
"We Own It" - Supporting homeowners in manufactured home communities
Manufactured housing accounts for about 6 percent of occupied housing stock in the U.S. and is the largest source of unsubsidized...
May 15, 20242 min read
Building a movement, building each other - elevating the power of women in home care cooperatives
“Before being hired at a home care cooperative,” said Paulette LaDouceur, the general manager at Capital Homecare Cooperative, “I had...
May 15, 20244 min read
17 New and Emerging Co-op Leaders Accepted into CLS Program
The Cooperative Development Foundation and NCBA CLUSA are delighted to welcome 17 new and emerging co-op leaders into the Cooperative...
Mar 18, 20242 min read
National Conference on Black Cooperative Agenda Convenes Leaders and Builds Conscious Development
Ron Hantz, executive director of the Network for Developing Conscious Communities, is clear about the value of this past year’s National...
Feb 29, 20242 min read