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Clients

CDS was created to ensure that cooperatives and groups that wanted to start cooperatives had access to sound business development guidance. Over the past 25 years, CDS has provided a wide range of services to cooperatives, producer-owned businesses, nonprofits, universities, and governmental clients.

In keeping with our mission to promote cooperative and sustainable development, we focus our work on projects that are intended to benefit clients that are:

  • Cooperatives
  • Members of cooperatives or credit unions
  • Groups that want to form a cooperative
  • LLCs or group-owned businesses that operate under cooperative principles or that leverage cooperation as a business advantage
  • Not cooperatives, but are sponsored by a cooperative

In each case, our intention is to provide high quality business and organizational developmental assistance that will help our clients advance their businesses.

Featured Projects

Chatham Marketplace - Pittsboro, NC

Chatham Marketplace opened in spring 2006 to offer rural Pittsboro, North Carolina residents, an alternative place to shop for locally grown natural and organic food products. CDS’s Food Co-op Consultants assisted with project management support, financial projections, market analysis, fundraising, board training in policy governance, location selection, and securing management staff. CDS continues to provide ongoing support to Chatham Marketplace.

The Blandin Foundation - Grand Rapids, MN

By 2015, the Blandin Foundation of Grand Rapids, Minnesota hopes to increase the state’s family-owned forest land from its current 1.3 million acres to 2.3 million acres. CDS completed a research study in 2005 identifying best practices for family forest landowners which served as a catalyst for a 2006 conference sponsored by the Foundation addressing Family Forest Stewardship. CDS consultants helped develop the conference program and participated in presentations.

PastureLand Cooperative - MN

An updated business plan and working capital grant helped this Minnesota organic dairy cooperative bring their business to the next level.

Elk Marketing Council Corporation - Rogers, MN

EMC increased sales of its pre-packaged farm-raised, North American Elk meat snack foods and steaks by 40% over the past year, putting them at least a year ahead of sales projections, says President Scott Salonek. He credits CDS work of a feasibility study, business plan and working capital grant for helping them change their product mix for maximum sales and expand the market reach for this Minnesota company.

FUMPA BioFuels - Redwood Falls, MN

FUMPA BioFuels, Minnesota’s first commercial biodiesel refinery, began operations in December 2004. CDS provided grant writing, feasibility study and business planning assistance for this Redwood Falls, MN operation.

HarvestLand Cooperative - Morgan, MN

HarvestLand Cooperative, Inc.’s wind generation facilities provide a new revenue stream contributing to accelerated equity returns to its member-owners. CDS provided grant writing, feasibility study and business planning assistance for this southwestern Minnesota operation.