Several years ago, CDS had the privilege of working with the founding of NorthEast Investment Co-op in Northeast Minneapolis. Neighborhood leaders came together to leverage community capital to secure and transform commercial real estate, and recently completed leasing their second…

CDS was successful in securing federal grant funding totaling $458,000 for three value-added agricultural clients announced last week. USDA Value-Added Producer Grant for working capital were awarded for a family owned organic dairy and a family-owned vineyard/winery, as well as funds…

We are entering a small business crisis. Shelter in Place orders have been a necessary tool to stop disease transmission. But for many small businesses that provide necessary services in our communities they have also reduced revenues and stretched cash flow…

Even before the Covid crisis, we were facing the silver tsunami: loss of small businesses, jobs, and local tax base due to inadequate ownership succession planning. With Covid, we know it’s going to be a hard time for small businesses.…

CDS sees worker ownership as an important but under-utilized tool to retain businesses in communities during a time of major business transitions. Even before the Covid-19 crisis, small businesses were facing a “silver tsunami” of owners approaching retirement without succession…

Our team supported the planning and execution of a new 8-member co-op conversion just a couple of weeks ago in a rural Wisconsin community! UWCC provided governance support, CDS provided business planning and loan preparation support, and after due diligence, Shared…