Educational Opportunity 2: for Boston-area small businesses

Check out this SBA Emerging Leaders Initiative, if you're interested in accessing training and mentoring to build your co-op. They suggest applicants have revenue of at least $400K and 3 years of operations. http://www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/2/3162/resources/790641

Job posting: Equal Exchange is hiring a full-time sales rep

Another chance to work at a worker co-op! Check it out: http://equalexchange.coop/natural-foods-sales-representative.

Co-op 101, Thursday 2/20, 6-8 pm, Jamaica Plain, MA

Tell your friends,
Tell your neighbors,
and definitely tell your co-workers!

Workshop: Introduction to Cooperative Business
Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014
6-8 pm
at the offices of Red Sun Press,
94 Green Street (2nd floor), Jamaica Plain MA.

Info and Registration here:
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/workshop-introduction-to-cooperative-business-registration-10555450637


WORC'N members - if you'd like to host a Co-op 101 at your space, let
us know! Co-op 101 is on the third Thursday of most every month.

Please let Stacey know ahead of time if you will need interpretation!

Worcester Printing Cooperative Project launches, seeks first worker-member

We're excited to see the launch of the Worcester Printing Cooperative Project, an offshoot of EthiX merchandising. This is a prime example of existing businesses being the seeds for new enterprises. EthiX has a solid client list with a steady flow of work to seed a new apparel decoration business, and they are ready to do it for a cooperative. The equipment and space are lined up as well. All the business needs is YOU, if you answer "yes" to these questions!

• Are you committed to fair labor standards and passionate about social responsibility?
• Have you dreamed of running your own organization – an organization with the mission of changing the world?
• Are you enthusiastic and have experience in the apparel or print industries? 

See http://www.worcestercoop.com/apply-now.html for more information on the position.

Class on Community Energy Solutions at Greenfield Community College 1/11 and 1/18

Community Energy Solutions Class at GCC Saturdays 1/11 and 1/18 from 9 am to 5 pm

One of the most inspiring things I get to do is to teach a class at GCC on Community Energy Solutions. The next session is coming up the next two Saturdays and I thought you might like to know about it.

The class is participatory - full of field trips and discussions.  The students are always wonderful - a great cross-section of people of different ages and backgrounds, people who know a lot about the subject and people who are brand new to it all. The conversations are insightful.  We all come out with new ways of understanding the world and, even better, new ways to talk with other people about these important issues in a compassionate way.

It's a great way to get an overview of what you can do to make a difference in the world of energy and climate change.

We've also hooked up a lot of people who take this class with internships and jobs.

This semester we'll be studying Harvard Solar Gardens and Northeast Biodiesel as our case studies and we'll take a field trip to learn about the energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades three different families have done on their homes.

To Register:

Online for Continuing Education (Course Code: REW 385)

OR download this Registration Form and  send it in to the Admissions office to register for one credit (Course Code: SCI 110-1).

Email: admissions@gcc.mass.edu
Phone: (413) 775-1801
Fax: (413) 775-1827
Office of Admission
Greenfield Community College
One College Drive
Greenfield, MA 01301

We'll meet in the Main Building on the Main Campus in Room N405 on Saturday, Jan 11 and then we'll meet at my house, 127 Main Street, in Shelburne Falls on Saturday, Jan 18 - both from 9 am to 5 pm.  

Lynn Benander

Job posting: Equal Exchange seeks Copy Writer and Content Coordinator

Things are hopping at Equal Exchange. Job Announcement!

Equal Exchange is seeking a motivated, creative, well organized person to be our Community Sales Copy Writer and Content Coordinator. Community Sales includes Equal Exchange's programs and product offerings for congregations, schools, community groups, and online sales. Full time, based in West Bridgewater, MA.
To see the job description and submit your application go to: http://equalexchange.coop/community-sales-copy-writer-and-content-coordinator.
Application deadline is January 17th, 2014.

Job posting: Senior Business and Economic Development Consultant at the ICA Group

The ICA Group is looking for a Senior Business and Economic Development Consultant to join its expanding practice in community economic development and employee ownership services. This is a full time position located at the ICA headquarters located in Brookline, Massachusetts.

The senior business consultant is an integral part of our small team, taking a leadership position in developing and managing projects. The work involves undertaking market research, analyzing existing and proposed businesses, evaluating alternative business strategies, and developing financial projections. This is an exciting and unusual opportunity for someone interested in using their business expertise and analytic skills for social good.

More information on the position and instructions on how to apply can be found here: http://ica-group.org/senior_consultant/.

Job posting: Neighbor to Neighbor MA seeks Executive Director

Neighbor to Neighbor Massachusetts, headquartered in Boston, is offering the opportunity to serve as the executive director of this progressive organization of working class, multi-racial and multi-ethnic people working together to build political and economic power and improve the quality of lives in their communities.  The ideal candidate will be a transformational, strategic, experienced leader who can inspire staff, board and members to reach their full potential.

In the mid 1990’s, Neighbor to Neighbor Massachusetts defined its mission to focus on building power in low-income communities through an economic justice agenda.  Through its offices in Boston, Lynn, Worcester, Holyoke and Springfield, Neighbor to Neighbor Massachusetts focuses its efforts in building grassroots power and organizing for economic and environmental justice. 

This is an exciting opportunity for a bilingual, strategic leader with a strong financial and fundraising background to further this organization’s mission while helping to shape its future.  For the complete position profile and application guidelines please visit http://www.tsne.org/jobs/n2nma

Job posting: GM for co-op store in Western MA

JOB POSTING: October 5, 2013

General Manager (GM) for the Old Creamery Co-op in Cummington, Massachusetts. After a three-year start-up period, we are off and running! We took ownership of the Old Creamery business and building on November 6, 2012 and are now operating as a member-owned community supported cooperative.

We are seeking a GM to ensure that the Old Creamery thrives as a vibrant center of the surrounding communities. A full-service grocery store, deli, and café, the Old Creamery currently has annual sales of nearly $1.7 million, 26 full- and part-time employees, and 640 member-owners. Our business plan projects increase of sales to $2 million by 2016.

Candidates must have senior management experience in a retail food business and strong skills in financial management, marketing, problem solving, communication, and community building. We seek an inspired leader who embraces challenge and who has vision, compassion, and a sense of humor. Our ideal candidate will help create the conditions and culture necessary for long-term success while managing the many and diverse activities of a recent start-up, including: final touches on a near complete building renovation and parking expansion, creation and innovation of operational systems, and ongoing management development of staff.

Immediate opening. Compensation and benefits dependent on experience, competitive with similar-type co-ops. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt and we strongly encourage applications before November 30, 2013. Refer to our website (http://oldcreamery.coop/) for more information about the Old Creamery Co-op vision and values, and to find the detailed General Manager job description. To apply, please send an email to board@oldcreamery.coop  with the following attachments in MS Office Word or PDF format.

1. Cover letter, including your salary history and salary requirements
2. Resume
3. Three employment references with full contact information (name, address, phone, email, title, relationship)

While the Co-op strongly prefers applications via email, if access to the Internet is an issue for any reason, please apply via postal mail to Board President, Old Creamery Co-op, 445 Berkshire Trail, Cummington, MA  01026.

The Old Creamery Co-op values excellence and diversity in hiring and is an equal opportunity employer (EOE).

Job posting: Landscaping co-op now hiring, Boston area

(español abajo)

Hi all - 

A Yard & A Half Landscaping Cooperative, Inc. is a 1-year old, 12-person worker-cooperative buying our 25-year old organic landscaping company (design/build/maintain) from the retiring founder/owner. Most of us are from El Salvador, and we have an average of 10 years working in the company, from the ground up (pun intended).

We are looking to hire a few motivated, hard-working folks who believe in the cooperative principles and want to build a career creating beautiful, healthy outdoor spaces. See hiring brochure below to learn more about the co-op and current openings. 

In solidarity,

Carolyn Edsell-Vetter

____________________

¡Hola!

La Cooperativa de A Yard & A Half Landscaping es una cooperativa de 12 trabajadores. Trabajamos en una compania de jardinería y construcción de paisajes. La duena de la compania se jubilara después de 25 años, y estamos en proceso de comprar la empresa.Somos hispanos por la mayor parte, con un promedio de 10 años trabajando juntos. 

Buscamos miembros motivados y trabajadores que creen en los principales cooperativos, y quieren una profesión donde se puede construir espacios saludables y hermosos. Interesado, llame a Geovani en 781-788-8855. ¡Gracias!

JOBS @ A YARD & A HALF
Green Careers…
Cooperative Opportunities
Come GROW with Us!
A Yard & A Half Landscaping Cooperative, Inc.

26 Thayer Road
Waltham, MA 02453
781-788-8855
http://www.ayardandahalf.com

A Yard & A Half Landscaping  Cooperative, Inc. is a 20-person landscape design, installation &
maintenance company. We are hiring team members for our landscape construction and maintenance crews.
Responsibilities include:

• Safe operation of power equipment, trucks, and trailers.
• Ensuring customer satisfaction with job performed.
• Positive attitude toward work, customers, and crew leader.
• Contributing ideas and opinions to assist with crew and company decision-making.
• Performing work in accordance with high quality and company standards.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Valid MA driver's license and good driving record.
• Ability to work in all weather and lift 50 lbs.
• Spanish-English bilingual a plus.
• A Yard & A Half is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

COMPANY PROFILE
A Yard & A Half Landscaping was founded by Eileen Michaels in 1988. Over the years, she grew the company to over $2 million in annual sales by guaranteeing all of the company’s work and investing in
its employees. In preparation for retirement, Eileen offered the employees the chance to buy the company, and we incorporated as a worker-owned cooperative. The company has historically operated with open books, shared profits with employees, and involved employees in decision-making, so the cooperative model is a natural step for us.

We have received guidance in the transition from members of WORC’N, including Boston
Collective Delivery, Equal Exchange, Community Builders, and Red Sun Press, as well as Namaste Solar. We plan to continue a slow but steady growth pattern, so that current members can grow in our careers and areas of interest, while creating opportunities for right livelihood for others in our community.

COOPERATIVE ADVANTAGES
Every employee has an opportunity to become a co-owner of the company, with one vote per person.
We currently have 11 employee-owners, representing all positions within the company, from laborers
to managers. Average candidacy period is three years, during which employees can begin accumulating owner equity through payroll deductions. Share price is $7,500, which does not appreciate/depreciate.
Co-owners democratically decide how much profit to pay out as dividends. When employees leave the
company, they receive back their original share price, plus any dividends retained by the co-op as
written notices of allocation. All co-owners can participate in board meetings. We review financials with all co-owners and employees at least quarterly.

BENEFITS OVERVIEW
Recognized by Inc. Magazine as a “Winning Workplace”, A Yard & A Half offers comprehensive benefits designed to meet the needs of all our employees:

• Medical & dental insurance
• Simple-IRA retirement plan 
• Life insurance
• Paid vacation
• Paid holidays
• Profit sharing
• Uniforms, boot & rain gear reimbursement
• Tuition reimbursement

For information on open positions or to submit your resume, email:
laurel@ayardandahalf.com

Call for Co-op Academy Mentors! Worcester Roots project, fall 2013

Call for Co-op Academy Mentors!

Experienced Co-operators Needed!

This fall, Worcester Roots Project, in collaboration with Solidarity And Green Economy Alliance (SAGE), CDI and Boston Center for Community Ownership is holding the very first Co-op Academy: "Concept to Co-op (CtC)"! CtC is a comprehensive training and mentorship program that gives present and prospective member-owners the knowledge, resources, tools, and connections to start their own business and become part of a national cooperative movement. 20 sessions over 10 weeks will include in-depth, personalized, and participatory trainings on incorporation, finance, market analysis, group development, and much more.

We believe that the best way to learn how to start your own cooperative business is to work closely with someone who has done it before, who knows the pitfalls and the potential, the challenges and the rewards. That's why we are calling for those with experience either with cooperatives or small business development to join us in supporting these budding, community-minded entrepreneurs in realizing their
dreams.

Mentorship means:

Being paired with a small group working to make their co-op business idea a reality or to transform an existing business or project into a cooperative.
Committing to a minimum of five evening sessions (in person or by phone/video conference) between September 16 - November 20, where you will go over the progress the group has made so far, advise them on next steps, connect them with relevant resources, and share what you've learned from your own experiences (fifteen hours total).
After they have completed the CtC Academy, holding six monthly sessions, either in person, online, or by phone. Help to check their progress, troubleshoot problems, explore new avenues for development, and advise them on their direction (6 hours plus 4 hours misc for a grand total of 25 hours over 6 months for the full mentorship commitment).

We are looking for people who have:

• Started their own cooperative
• Have started their own (non-cooperative) business
• Have worked in cooperative development
• Have extensive experience in finance or small business development

Additional skills desired include:

• Knowledge of small business law
• Experience with other kinds of cooperatives: credit unions, energy, housing, producer or marketing
• Experience working with small groups
• Interpersonal skills / ability to meet people where they are
• Experience with marketing, branding, or sales

Mentorship is a powerful and rewarding experience, an opportunity to walk people through the process of discovering themselves as creative agents in a new, compassionate economy. In addition, Worcester Roots is fundraising to make compensation possible on a case by case basis.

Join us in making the economy of tomorrow a reality, today. Please contact us if interested in being a mentor, or with any questions.
Asa Needle, Coordinator of Outreach and Education, Worcester Roots Project, asa@worcesterroots.org c: 774-242-2842

Support a new worker-owned green recycling business: CERO in Boston

From Stacey Cordeiro, founder of Boston Center for Community Ownership:

Hi my co-op community, I wanted to let you know about a new worker co-op forming in Boston.  It will be a full-service recycling and disposal service for neighborhood restaurants, closing local food loops by composting food scraps for local farmers and collecting waste vegetable oil for biofuel.  Today is the first day of a long process of raising enough money for trucks and equipment.  This is a member driven effort, with local entrepreneurs from African American and Latino communities coming together to create this business.  They have been working hard for over a year to create a solid business plan to make this happen.  

Even if you can't donate, I really recommend visiting their Indiegogo site to watch the short video, it's really beautiful.

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/green-jobs-that-pay-off-for-people-community-the-planet/x/303065?c=home

http://www.cero.coop/

Looking forward to seeing many of you this week at ECWD!

Stacey

Job Posting: Equal Exchange banana team -- logistics and sales

OKE USA FRUIT COMPANY - Banana Logistics and Sales

Full time regular position (~45-50 hours / week)

Salary: Dependent on experience

Benefits: 100% individual health insurance premium coverage and significant portion of dependent coverage, vacation, holidays and sick days

Location: Equal Exchange Headquarters, West Bridgewater, MA

In 2006, three entrepreneurial organizations came together to create Oke USA. Their goal was to introduce small farmer, fair trade bananas to the US market. Today, Oke USA operates as the banana importing arm of Equal Exchange. We invite you to join us. Together we can create a more just food system and a healthier planet.

Duties and Responsibilities include:

• Logistics (70%): producer relations support, fruit procurement, ocean transportation, quality control, customs, U.S. transport, and coordination of weekly fruit supply to ripeners and distributors;

• Sales (10%): account maintenance, new sales, store visits and events, pricing and financial analysis;

• Marketing and education (10%): grassroots marketing to build store and consumer awareness of brand mission through demos, social media, print, store staff trainings, educational lectures;

• Team (10%): work with the Oke team to manage new sales, supply chain development and creative thinking around building alternative fair trade supply chains

Qualifications:

Required

• Ability to manage complex logistics
• Resiliency
• Problem solver
• Team player
• Ability to work independently
• Time management skills
• Ability to relocate to Boston area
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally
• Ability to work under high stress in a fast paced environment
• Attention to detail alongside the ability to think big picture
• Commitment to making a difference and passion for issues related to sustainable agriculture and food systems!

Preferred

• 2 or more years in produce
• Experience with perishable commodity logistics
• Experience with Latin American producer groups
• Spanish language skills

Email (preferred) or mail a cover letter, resume and brief answers to the three application questions below to: info@okeusa.com

Oke USA, 50 United Drive, West Bridgewater, MA 02379

Questions:

If you were a small scale banana farmer, what would you want out of a relationship with Oke USA?

The top five banana companies (Dole, Chiquita, Noboa, Fyffes, Fresh Del Monte) account for more than 80% of world banana market. Oke USA operates at a minute scale in comparison. What are the some of the challenges associated with this difference in scale and how would you approach those challenges?

Oke USA must compete with other produce companies on the most conventional terms while also carrying out our fair trade mission. What do you bring to a company with this challenge?

Congratulations Real Pickles on transitioning to a Cooperative!

Real Pickles is now a Cooperative! Friends of Real Pickles: As of today, we are now a worker-owned cooperative!  Hurray!! Thanks to huge support from our community, a successful community investment campaign, and many months of hard work from our founding co-op team here at Real Pickles, this morning we signed the documents that made the conversion official.  Real Pickles is now "Real Pickles Cooperative." We are still the same folks who bring you healthy, fermented veggies from regional, organic farms - but now we have expanded our mission to include a democratic workplace and access to ownership for our employees.  We have also secured our social mission for the long term! If you are interested in reading more about our co-op transition, here are some links to pieces that we've developed throughout the process.  Enjoy!! 10/9/12:  We're going co-op! (Dan and Addie Rose)  12/12/12:  Why I want to be a worker-owner... again (Kristin Howard)  3/16/13:  A community perspective: Keeping it Local! (Margaret Christie) 4/8/13:  A community perspective:  Investing in a better food system!(PV Slow Money Chapter)  Best wishes from the founding co-op members, Dan, Addie Rose, Kristin, Brendan, and Annie www.realpickles.com Thanks for your support! Real Pickles | 311 Wells Street | Greenfield, Massachusetts 01301

Job posting: Housing Program Organizer (Eastern and Central MA, Eastern CT, RI)

Cooperative Development Institute (www.cdi.coop) is seeking a new hire to join its New England Resident Owned Communities (NEROC) Program. The main work of the program is to assist the residents in the nearly 1200 manufactured home parks in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont and Maine to purchase their communities and manage them as resident-owned cooperatives. The program is part of the highly successful ROC USA Network (www.rocusa.org).

This position will focus primarily on providing technical assistance to manufactured housing communities throughout Southeastern New England (Eastern and Central Massachusetts, Eastern Connecticut, and Rhode Island). The successful candidate will be enthusiastic, a good communicator, a self-starter, ready to learn, able to travel and work on some evenings and weekends. The housing program work is full-time (40 hrs/week). A new hire may also have the option of supplementing this work by taking on fee-for-service cooperative development projects that the Cooperative Development Institute is working on outside of the NEROC program.

See job description below. Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume with references to info@cdi.coop. This position will remain open until filled.

Job Title: Housing Program Organizer (Full Time).
Reports to: Executive Director, Housing Program Manager
Base Salary Compensation: $35-45,000 plus benefits (Exempt)
Full-time Position: 40 hours/week
Position Overview: Aids the Housing Program Manager in organizing manufactured home park residents to form cooperatives to purchase and manage their communities; provides training and assistance to existing resident-owned manufactured home communities, both individually and in groups; helps members understand their roles and responsibilities in order to more effectively manage their resident owned community; fosters a sense of empowerment and community spirit.

Housing Program Organizer

Essential Job Functions

1. Assists Housing Program Manager with community organizing and technical assistance to resident owned manufactured housing communities; includes door-to-door canvassing, community meetings and presentations, mailings, and incorporation assistance.
2. Assists in resident association board meetings, including preparation, agenda setting, running efficient meetings, follow-up, and review of minutes and financial statements.
3. Provides organizational and administrative assistance to the Housing Program Manager to ensure that the various elements of the Housing Program are running smoothly; includes meeting facilitation, fundraising assistance, and fulfilling reporting requirements.
4. Provides direct support and organizational training to cooperative board members, committees and residents. 5. In each developing co-op,

o trains committee and facilitates the production of Bylaws.
o trains committee and facilitates the production of Community Rules.
o trains committee and facilitates the approval of membership committee policies and procedures, as well as policies for general governance of Associations.

6. Contributes to the development and implementation of workshops for board and community members on range of topics including: board and members’ roles and responsibilities, working in teams, infrastructure and planning for the future, community building, motivating volunteers, corporate finances and communication.
7. Assists both established and developing resident-owned communities with all aspects of their financial and loan compliance responsibilities.
8. As needed, assists struggling cooperatives to assess their organizational health, identify problems, and develop goals and a plan of action.
9. Other tasks and special projects, as assigned by the Program Manager.

Organizational Expectations:

1. Responsible for conducting all activities within the prescribed policy and budgetary guidelines as set by the Board and administered by the Executive Director.
2. Functions as a participant in CDI's Cooperative Development Team, sharing information effectively to assist others in doing CDI's work. Builds positive and strong relationships with other CDI staff.
3. Demonstrates personal responsibility in job performance.
4. Responsible for role modeling professional standard of behavior. Takes this role within the organization, is consistently respectful and professional with staff and clients.
5. May be required to perform additional, related duties or functions of lesser or greater responsibility as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.

Minimum Requirements

1. 3 to 5 years of cooperative business experience, including project management experience in for-profit, non-profit community or economic development organizations.
2. Experience with group facilitation, coaching a group through an autonomous decision-making process, and coping with conflict situations.

Knowledge Skills/Abilities

1. Advanced degree in related field welcomed, minimum of Bachelors degree or equivalent.
2. Strong knowledge of fiscal management, strategic planning and general business practices.
3. Working understanding of budgeting, real estate and financing.
4. Strong knowledge of and commitment to cooperatives and cooperative development.
5. Well-developed partnership, process development and integration and planning skills.
6. Familiarity with public policy process and development.
7. Excellent communication skills, including public speaking, consensus-building and facilitation skills.
8. Proactive and team-oriented leadership required.
9. Ability to think critically and solve problems creatively with small and large groups.
10. Demonstrated experience working effectively on a team.
11. Demonstrated success in community building and organizing.
12. Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills.
13. Demonstrated experience in working remotely/independently.
14. Computer literacy required.
15. Ability to work with diverse groups of residents as well as town and state officials, attorneys, engineers, and other professionals.
16. Available evenings and occasional weekends.
17. Ability to travel.
18. Experience with cooperative governance structures and working with boards of directors preferred.
19. Experience with meeting process, property management, or contractor negotiations a bonus.

Characteristics

1. Well spoken and articulate.
2. Calm demeanor; able to perform under pressure during difficult interpersonal conflict.
3. Plans ahead, able to complete tasks and meet tight deadlines.
4. Able to understand and manage multiple complex tasks.
5. Works collaboratively, self-motivated, flexible, enthusiastic.

In accordance with Federal law and the U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discrimination on the base of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (voice and TDD).

Press release: Homeowners purchase 200-site North Adams park; join Mass. trend of resident-owned manufactured home communities

For Immediate Release


May 2, 2013

Wheel Estates Tenants Association Inc. 

Homeowners purchase 200-site North Adams park; 

join Mass. trend of resident-owned manufactured home communities 

Contacts: 

Andy Danforth, Housing Program Director, CDI (401) 439-9795
Michael Sloss, Managing Director, ROC USA® Capital: (202) 595-2690
Paul Bradley, President, ROC USA, LLC (603) 856-0709

North Adams, Mass. – Homeowners in this 200-home manufactured housing community took a big step toward securing their financial futures when they collectively bought their neighborhood as a resident corporation this week. 

The Wheel Estates Tenants Association Board of Directors said that while complex, the purchase process went more smoothly than they anticipated.

“It was hard work but it was all worth it,” board members wrote in a prepared statement. “The board is dedicated to the growth of our community with the support of our residents to put our best efforts into enhancing the community.”

The resident association purchased the community May 2 for $2.65 million with assistance from the Cooperative Development Institute. CDI is a certified technical assistance provider with ROC USA® Network, a national non-profit organization that works to help residents of for-sale mobile home parks form cooperatives and buy their communities. Technical assistance will continue to be provided by CDI to the association for the length of the mortgage — a minimum of 10 years.

In addition to a first mortgage that covered the purchase price, ROC USA Capital also provided a construction loan of up to $ 1.1 million to address infrastructure upgrades.

Wheel Estates is the sixth Massachusetts community supported by ROC USA Network. CDI and ROC USA helped more than 450 homeowners in two Carver communities purchase their parks in June and 66 homeowners in Plymouth in February. In these democratic associations, homeowners in the community each buy one low-cost membership interest. Each household has one vote on matters of the community. The members elect a Board of Directors to act on day-to-day issues and vote as a membership on larger matters like the annual budget, by-laws and community rules.

Andy Danforth, Director of CDI’s New England Resident Owned Communities (NEROC) Program, noted the extra challenge of for the first time working in a city with rent control ordinances. He joined the Wheel Estates board members in praising the efforts of city officials to accommodate a new model of community ownership.

“The city rent control board developed, in a matter of only three weeks, a new policy and rent adjustment application for resident-owned communities, and a new rent based upon resident member vote, contingent upon their purchase,” Danforth said.

Community owner Bob Morgan said selling to the residents was like any conventional sale.

“The transaction involved all the normal things, no surprises,” Morgan said. “Andy did a great job.”

Financing for the project came from ROC USA Capital. ROC USA Capital is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ROC USA and a U.S. Department of Treasury-certified Community Development Financial Institution.

ROC USA Capital Managing Director Michael Sloss pointed to the community’s prime location, with sweeping views of the Berkshires, hundreds of undeveloped hillside acres, the abutting Savoy Mountain State Forest and easy access to shopping, schools and more.

“We’re excited to meet both the community acquisition and community improvement needs with our financing,” said Sloss, noting that a significant portion of ROC USA Capital’s loan is targeted to water, sewer and road improvements. “The preservation of the homes in Wheel Estates through affordable, fixed-rate community financing will have lasting impact in North Adams.”

Cooperative ownership of mobile home parks as a way of preserving affordable communities is a priority for several national non-profit organizations that in 2008 formed ROC USA to make resident-owned communities viable nationwide. ROC USA is sponsored by the Ford Foundation, NeighborWorks® America, NCB Capital Impact, the Corporation for Enterprise Development, and the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund.

ROC USA is a non-profit organization with a national network of eight organizations such as CDI and a national financing source for resident-owned communities. “We solve the two basic barriers to resident ownership – access to expert technical assistance and financing to help homeowners become buyers when their community is for sale,” said Paul Bradley, ROC USA’s founding president.

ROC USA Network has helped 46 communities preserve nearly 3,200 homes in 13 states since its launch in May 2008. www.rocusa.org

The Cooperative Development Institute is a regional cooperative development center, founded in 1994, which has assisted dozens of new and existing cooperatives throughout New England and New York. It is involved in cooperative housing as well as agriculture, consumer, worker-owner, energy, and fishing cooperatives. For rural senior co-op development, CDI received support from the Cooperative Development Foundation. www.cdi.coop

This is the 10th resident corporation purchase for CDI in 29 months, with six in Massachusetts, three in Vermont and one in Maine.

Matching Grant Challenge for Dorchester Food Co-op

The Dorchester Community Food Co-op is approaching the deadline for our matching fund Challenge Grant from the Boston Impact Initiative.

Thanks to many of you, we have raised $2800 toward our goal of $12,500. Now we need to raise the rest--- $9,700 by April 15! If we meet this challenge, we will receive an additional $12,500 from the Boston Impact Initiative and we will have $25,000 to ensure that the co-op can do the pre-development work to move to the next level.

We are meeting with our development partners to finalize site selection for the new co-op. We are very excited about the vision of a whole new 10,000 sq ft "market center" on Bowdoin St. that will include the co-op, as well as complementary businesses, such as a bakery, a fish store, and a bank or credit union.

Chip in $25 or more right now to help make this vision a reality!

Our goal for this co-op is far more than just a source of food. With your support we will also work to create a hub for community gatherings and build a model green community- and worker-owned business. We are tired of hearing that inner city visions are unrealistic! You may have noticed a recent Boston Globe article that talks about many new supermarkets with natural food being built in the Boston area, and you may have ALSO noticed that Dorchester--Boston's largest neighborhood-- is not included in any of these plans! We need to build our OWN store that brings us economic opportunities and community control over our food choices.

Please act now and help us meet this fundraising challenge. With your continued backing for the Dorchester Community Food Coop, we will show that commitment and hard work can make this dream come true in a diverse urban setting.

To Donate on Line: dotcommcoop.wordpress.com 
Look for the Donate Now icon!

Donations of $100 or more are tax deductible if made by check payable to our fiscal sponsor, the Coop Fund of New England. All checks should be mailed to Dorchester Community Food Coop, PO Box 240231, Dorchester, MA 02124

With gratitude for your partnership,

Jenny Silverman and the Board of the Dorchester Community Food Coop
Jhana Senxian, Bing Broderick, Davida Andelman, Rosanne Foley, Sharon Higgins, Jennie Msall, Lynn Murray, Samantha Tan, Joel Wool

March 15: Co-op info session in Worcester, MA

CO-OP ACADEMY
INFO SESSION
FRIDAY, MARCH 15th
3:00PM
at the WORCESTER PUBLIC LIBRARY, Saxe Room
3 Salem St Worcester,MA 01608
Delicious food will be served!
Free and open to the public.

Childcare and interpreting available upon request (RSVP with request by March 7th at www.WorcesterRoots.org)

- Key topics include:

• What are the different kinds of co-ops?
• What are the principles of co-ops?
• How do youth get involved in co-ops?
• How do you get funding and training to start a co-op?

REGISTER HERE / REGÍSTRASE AQUI

FULL CO-OP ACADEMY INFO HERE.

New Resident-Owned Community in Plymouth, MA

For Immediate Release

Feb. 20, 2013

West Wood Village Resident Association Inc.

Homeowners purchase 66-site Plymouth park; join growing

Mass. trend of resident-owned manufactured home communities

Contacts:

Bob Howard, President, West Wood Village Resident Association (774) 283-2878

Andy Danforth, Housing Program Director, CDI (401) 439-9795

Michael Sloss, Managing Director, ROC USA® Capital: (202) 595-2690
Paul Bradley, President, ROC USA, LLC (603) 856-0709

Plymouth, Mass. – Homeowners in this 66-home manufactured housing community took a big step toward securing their financial futures when they collectively bought their neighborhood as a resident corporation today.

Bob Howard, interim association president, said the board of directors is focused on providing good services, including a staff person to perform maintenance and upkeep around West Wood Village.

”I think the overall feeling is one of happiness with becoming a resident-owned community and being able to run our own lives,” said Howard, a retired chemical engineer. “We now have control of our destiny. Before we were all living on a month-to-month lease, and there was always the possibility of being sold.

“It’s getting rid of the unknown. We know now that we as the community are running the community.”

The resident association purchased the community Feb. 20 for $3.83 million with assistance from the Cooperative Development Institute. CDI is a certified technical assistance provider with ROC USA® Network, a national non-profit organization that works to help residents of for-sale mobile home parks form cooperatives and buy their communities. Technical assistance will continue to be provided by CDI to the association for the length of the mortgage — a minimum of 10 years.

“I’d say the partnership with ROC USA has been excellent,” Howard said. “They’re very supportive and CDI has been very supportive. I know we couldn’t have done this without them.”

West Wood Village is the fifth Massachusetts community in the ROC USA Network. CDI and ROC USA helped more than 450 homeowners in two Carver communities purchase their parks in June. In these democratic associations, homeowners in the community each buy one low-cost share. Each household has one vote on matters of the community. The members elect a Board of Directors to act on day-to-day issues and vote as a membership on larger matters like the annual budget, by-laws and community rules.

Andy Danforth, Director of CDI’s New England Resident Owned Communities (NEROC) Program, said, “It’s very rewarding to work with residents all over the state who are working hard to bring more economic stability to their lives through this process of democratic ownership.”

Financing for the project came from ROC USA Capital and CDI. ROC USA Capital is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ROC USA and a U.S. Department of Treasury-certified Community Development Financial Institution.

ROC USA Capital Managing Director Michael Sloss pointed to the community’s prime location near a large shopping center, historic downtown Plymouth, and major roads to Boston, Cape Cod and Providence, R.I.

“ROC USA Capital was very pleased to partner with the homeowners at this community and CDI to preserve 66 affordable homes in Plymouth,” Sloss said. “To deliver long-term affordable fixed-rate permanent financing while promoting preservation of this attractive neighborhood represents tremendous community impact.”

West Wood Village just finished digging out from winter storm Nemo, a blizzard for the record books. Howard said the 30 inches of snow that fell in Plymouth was compounded by gusty winds, which knocked out power. With drifts well up onto the windows of homes, many of the elderly residents were essentially trapped.

A year from now, Howard said the community will be better equipped to handle such a storm.

“We’re purchasing the right equipment, we’ve got the right attitude and we should be in good shape to handle it,” Howard said, noting that as residents have gotten to know one another better through the purchase process, they’ve become more apt to help out their neighbors. “We have a plan to handle that type of situation, we’ll just hire additional people plus the person we have working here to take care of it.”

Cooperative ownership of mobile home parks as a way of preserving affordable communities is a priority for several national non-profit organizations that in 2008 formed ROC USA to make resident-owned communities viable nationwide. ROC USA is sponsored by the Ford Foundation, NeighborWorks® America, NCB Capital Impact, the Corporation for Enterprise Development, and the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund. The Community Loan Fund, a non-profit community development financial institution in New Hampshire, leveraged its experience with 103 resident-owned communities in that state to launch ROC USA with national partners in 2008.

ROC USA is a non-profit organization with a national network of eight organizations such as CDI and a national financing source for resident-owned communities. “We solve the two basic barriers to resident ownership – access to expert technical assistance and financing to help homeowners become buyers when their community is for sale,” said Paul Bradley, ROC USA’s founding president.

ROC USA Network has helped 45 communities preserve nearly 3,000 homes in 13 states since its launch in May 2008. www.rocusa.org

The Cooperative Development Institute is a regional cooperative development center, founded in 1994, which has assisted dozens of new and existing cooperatives throughout New England and New York. It is involved in cooperative housing as well as agriculture, consumer, worker-owner, energy, and fishing cooperatives. For rural senior co-op development, CDI received support from the Cooperative Development Foundation. www.cdi.coop

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Congratulations to the Old Creamery Co-op!

It was a long haul, but they did it -- the 550 members of the Old Creamery Cooperative became owners of the Old Creamery country store in Cummington, MA. See the Berkshire Eagle story and the mention in the Boston Globe.

CDI provided initial guidance and fiscal sponsorship to the years-long effort. This is the first example in our region of a conversion of an existing grocery store into a community-owned co-op through the creation of a new cooperative business, but we feel sure it won't be the last!