CDS

Cooperative Development Services

Recent Conversion Success!

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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…

Filed Under: News

Building a Supportive Ecosystem

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Since 2018, CDS has been creating an eco-system to support the conversion of small businesses to employee ownership via worker-owned cooperatives. Our partners include Shared Capital Cooperative as our finance and lending partner; our community education partners include the University…

Filed Under: News

CDS Report on Food Hubs in Minnesota

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Under a contract with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Development Services in 2016 reviewed national trends and reports regarding food hubs, and augmented that with interviews of food hub operators in Minnesota.  Our report highlights new roles being played…

Filed Under: Reports

CDS Case Study of the Cooperative Local Foods System

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In 2014 Cooperative Development Services has completed a case study of the cooperative food system in the Twin Cities with particular focus on this as a local foods system operating at scale. Authored by Joan Stockinger of CDS and Dave…

Filed Under: Reports

An Assessment of Housing Cooperatives in the Upper Midwest

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In 2013-14, CDS reviewed the status of several housing co-op sectors present in MN, WI and IA.  We’d like to thank the National Cooperative Bank for funding this study. The study is available for download in PDF format. State of…

Filed Under: Reports

Cooperatives in Economic Development

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CDS commissioned a 2014 survey of community and economic developers in Minnesota and Wisconsin to gauge their knowledge about and interest in cooperative businesses as a solution to various issues of community development. The full study is available for download in…

Filed Under: Reports