Cooperative Foundations Case Studies
CHS Foundation, Inver Grove
Heights, Minnesota. The CHS Foundation supports rural America, agriculture
and cooperative business through several grant programs. A scholarship
program helps ensure students have the opportunity to pursue careers
in agriculture. A youth leadership development program supports
rural communities through organizations such as FFA, 4-H and Ag
in the Classroom. A farm and agricultural safety program supports
education programs that help keep farm families, and particularly
children, safe.
Cooperative Development Foundation,
Washington, DC. CDF promotes community, economic and social development
through cooperative enterprise. It supports activities ranging from
moving people from welfare to work through employee ownership to
creating affordable housing co-ops for rural seniors. It administers
a loan fund for student housing cooperatives as well as the United
Co-op Appeal, a workplace giving program for co-op development.
Cooperative Fund of New England,
Amherst, Massachusetts. The Cooperative Fund of New England is a
community development loan fund that connects socially responsible
investors with cooperatives, community oriented non-profits, and
worker-owned businesses. One loan allowed an employee-owned buyout
of an Ethan Allen furniture plant while another helped a worker-owned
copier in Amherst, Mass., to expand to a new location.
Land O’Lakes Foundation,
St. Paul, Minnesota. The foundation partners with local cooperatives
in civic and human service projects through a matching grants program.
It is a major supporter of national and state Future Farmers of
America organizations, including the national FFA awards program.
National Credit Union Foundation,
Madison, Wisconsin. The foundation funds the expansion of credit
union programs designed to promote financial stability among low-
and moderate-income consumers. One NCUF grant covered the cost of
opening a second branch of Lower East Side People’s Federal
Credit Union in New York City while another allowed Latino Community
Credit Union in North Carolina to start mortgage lending services.
Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation,
Davis, California. Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation fostered the
creation of the Palo Alto Cable Co-op and the Davis, Calif., Mutual
Housing Association, two organizations now valued at more than $50
million dollars. The foundation makes funds available through local
food cooperatives for community organizations working in the areas
of agriculture, food, hunger, and the environment.
NorthCountry Cooperative Foundation,
Minneapolis, Minnesota. The foundation assists low-income, underserved
communities in the development of community-owned and democratically
governed enterprises. In the housing area, the foundation developed
the Cooperative Listing Service, a Minnesota-based tool for purchasing
or selling co-op housing units. In addition, it is developing Minneapolis’
Church Hill Cooperative, a historic 1919 school building, into a
21-unit market-rate housing cooperative.
Nationwide, Columbus, Ohio.
Nationwide, one of the largest insurance companies in the world,
contributes $17 million annually to charities through its corporate
gifts program and the Nationwide Foundation. Approximately $13 million
goes to 800 local United Ways. Nationwide also supports the NAACP,
National Safety Council, Council of Betters Business Bureaus, and
Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Its employees volunteer for hundreds
more organizations including Habitat for Humanity and the American
Red Cross. Nationwide has also made direct investments of more than
$350 million to revitalize urban neighborhoods.
Southern Cooperative Development Fund,
Lafayette, Louisiana. The fund is a development bank that serves
low-income cooperatives, other community organizations, rural enterprises
and minority businesses. It’s goal is to enhance quality of
life for those who do not have access to society’s usual economic
opportunities.
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