Registration Now Open for Worker Co-op Conference

In This Issue Program Scholarships Sponsor FYI INTERPRETATION We will offer Spanish-English simultaneous interpretation. CHILDCARE We will provide childcare on-site for all conference events. Please request childcare in advance when you register. TOURS We are busy planning tours of Boston, its hidden histories and cooperative economies. Tour info will be available in April. FILM NIGHT Friday, June 22 will be a worker cooperative film night. Let us know if you have a film or short video you'd like to show. VENDOR TABLES We'll have tables for vendors and attendees to display literature - these are available for very reasonable prices. Check back with us in April for more vendor information. Greetings, cooperative enthusiasts! We are pleased to announce that registration is now open for the national worker coop conference. Take a look at our gorgeous conference website for lots of information - we update it daily. We hope to see you in Boston! USFWC Conference Staff, Stephanie and Melissa Huge, appreciative, awestruck thanks to Patrick St. John for design and Carlo Mogavero for site building. Conference Registration is Open! The two day-long conference will feature over 30 workshops on everything from sharing practical skills and models to movement-building discussions. The conference also provides opportunities to get to know one another, get familiar with what's happening in cooperative development, and start and cultivate cooperative-to-cooperative business relationships. Our keynote speaker is Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA), the sponsor of the National Cooperative Development Act. Invited speakers include Bruno Roelants of the international worker cooperative federation CICOPA, and representatives from worker cooperative federations in Japan, Argentina, Canada, Italy and the UK. Program Four days of activities and community Friday, June 22, 2012 8:00-5:00 - Daylong Intensive on Worker Cooperative Development (MIT) 8:00-6:00 - Registration (NE) 9:00-12:00 and 2:00-5:00 - Local Tours (various locations) 6:00 - Keynote speaker, Congressman Chaka Fattah (MIT) 8:30pm - Worker Cooperative Film Festival (location TBA) Saturday, June 23, 2012 8:00 - 9:00 - Registration 9:00-10:100 - Introduction and Welcome 10:15-11:45 - Workshops 12:00-1:00 - Lunch 1:00-3:00 - Workshops 3:00-3:30 - Coffee break 3:30-5:00 - Workshops 6:00-8:00 - Community Picnic in Jamaica Plain (Stony Brook T) 8:00-11:00 - Party at Spontaneous Celebrations in Jamaica Plain. Bands, DJs and cash bar upstairs. Games Room downstairs - Co-opoly, dominoes, Wii, arts&crafts. Plus a special visit by the cupcake truck! Kids and adults welcome. Admission is free, but donations to the scholarship fund are encouraged. Sunday, June 24, 2012 9:00-10:00 - Speaker: How We Built a Worker Cooperative Movement (international guest) 10:15-12:15 - Workshops 12:15-1:15 - Lunch 1:30-2:30 - Speaker: How We Built a Worker Cooperative Movement (international guest) 2:45-4:15 - Workshops 4:15-4:30 - Coffee Break 4:30-5:30 - Closing Plenary Monday, June 25, 2012 9am-5:00pm - Coop Launch Day for local projects seeking technical assistance. Contact conference[AT]usworker.coop for more information. *more specific schedule details will be posted as they become available* Scholarships and Funding Options for registration and travel scholarships LOW INCOME REGISTRATION We have worked very hard to keep the cost of the conference affordable and accessible. We offer full registration, day pass registration, and a low-income option without meals. This low-income registration is intended for Boston community groups, youth groups, and others who may not be able to afford full registration. There are a limited number of low income registrations. Low income registrations must purchase food separately on the day of the conference. SCHOLARSHIPS We will also offer a limited amount of scholarships to attend the conference. To apply, contact conference[AT]usworker[DOT]coop with your request amount and reasons for requesting. USFWC members should fill out our member scholarship application. Application deadline is April 12. TRAVEL FUNDING The USFWC does not offer travel subsidies. However, we are in contact with funders who do support travel. We recommend you connect to these sources for travel funding: Ralph K Morris Foundation Cooperative Leadership Fund Common Counsel Foundation Grassroots Exchange Fund Sponsor the Conference We expect over 300 people from around the country to attend the conference. Sponsorship is a great chance to get your name out there - whether you're a cooperative, a support organization, a consultant, a lender, a funder, or a friend. We depend on sponsors to keep the conference affordable and accessible to as many people as possible. Please consider sponsoring part of the conference. Your sponsorship will help: - Provide 20-25 scholarships, focused on developing leadership in USFWC members. - Support Spanish/English interpretation for an anticipated 30-40 primary Spanish speaking attendees - Keep attendance affordable, with discounted registration for up to 75 Boston area community members Ringmaster - $2000 or more. Free conference registration for 2, large ad in the program. High-flying trapeze artist - $1000 or more. Free conference registration for 1, medium ad in the program. Tightrope walker - $500 or more. Discounted conference registration for 1, small ad in the program. Acrobat - Any amount. Your name on the sponsor list and signage. All sponsors will be showered with dazzling smiles and effusive thanks, in print, in person and online. You can also choose to sponsor a speaker, a coffee break, a workshop track, or the Saturday night community picnic. In return for your event-based sponsorship, we'll post signage and include your personal or cooperative name in the promotional materials. Click here or email melissa@usworker.coop to sponsor.