These guides give an overview of the key issues and technical decisions that need to be made when financing a small business transition to employee ownership.
- CFNE – Are Cooperatives Really So Difficult to Finance? (2018)
- CFNE, Project Equity, DAWI – The Lending Opportunity Of A Generation (2016)
- Co-opLaw.org – Financing Cooperative Conversions
- DAWI – Investing in Worker Ownership (2015)
- Lund – Cooperative Equity and Ownership (2013)
These case studies illustrate a variety of financing models use in recent small business employee ownership transitions.
A Yard & a Half Landscaping, Waltham MA
Island Employee Cooperative, Stonington, ME
New Era Windows, Chicago, IL
The New School of Montpelier, Montpelier, VT
Real Pickles Cooperative, Greenfield, MA
Northwind Renewable Energy, WI
Rock City Employee Cooperative, Rockland ME
Namaste Solar, Boulder CO
- Center for Social Inclusion – Namasté Solar: A Profile In Cooperative Ownership
- Entrepreneur – This Company Asked Its Employees for Cash and Everybody Won
- Learn more
Insource Renewables, Pittsfield ME
The articles and guides below offer more in depth information about financing from members of the Workers to Owners Collaborative.
Cooperative Fund of New England
- CFNE – Are Cooperatives Really So Difficult to Finance? (2018)
- CFNE, Project Equity, DAWI – The Lending Opportunity Of A Generation (2017)
- GEO – Cooperative Fund of New England (2013)
- GEO – SBA Recognizes Worker Cooperatives as Small Businesses (2012)
- CFNE – Cooperative Fund of New England and the Cooperative Capital Fund (2007)
Sustainable Economies Law Center
The Democracy Collaborative
- TDC – Financing Cooperatives (2016)
Democracy at Work Institute
- CFNE, Project Equity, DAWI – The Lending Opportunity Of A Generation (2017)
- DAWI – Investing in Worker Ownership (2015)
ICA Group
- ICA Group – Underwriting Home Care Cooperatives (2018)
- Lund – A Loan Fund for Worker-owned Homecare Cooperatives (2018)
LEAF
Ohio Employee Ownership Center
Project Equity
- Project Equity – Financing FAQ
- Project Equity – Financing Case Studies
- CFNE, Project Equity, DAWI – The Lending Opportunity Of A Generation (2017)
- Project Equity – Addressing the Risk Capital Gap for Worker Cooperative Conversions (2017)
Shared Capital Cooperative
- Shared Capital – Worker Ownership Loan Fund
- Next City – The Co-op With Forty Years of Making Loans to Co-ops (2019)
The Working World
- Next City – Closing the Funding Gap for Worker Cooperatives (2016)
- GEO – The Working World and Financing Workplace Democracy (2013)
University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives
Vermont Employee Ownership Center