The second cohort for the Employee Ownership Competency Level 1 national training program for Small Business Development Center Advisors (SBDC) and Directors will begin on Wednesday January 21st, 2026, with the optional Session #0 which is an introductory presentation about the training series and the national Special Interest Section on employee ownership and business transitions. Completion of sessions 1-5, and accompanying competency quizzes, are required to obtain certification and the digital badge.
This initiative comes at a pivotal time. Millions of small business owners across the United States are approaching retirement with limited exit options. Exit planning that includes business continuity through a sale to employees has become urgent. If you are a business owner looking for help finding SBDC exit and succession planning resources relevant to you, Schedule a Free Consultation by clicking here.
Workers to Owners Collaborative Announces Second Cohort of National Employee Ownership Training for SBDC Advisors in 2026.
The program is designed to help SBDC Advisors and Directors identify and assist business owners in considering and implementing employee ownership as an exit and succession strategy. All sessions are 60 minutes long and start at 9:30 PST/ 10:30 MST / 11:30 CST / 12:30 EST except as indicated for Session #0 and Session #3 as indicated below:
- Wednesday January 21st. The start time for Session #0 is 1:00 PST/ 2:00 MST / 3:00 CST / 4:00 EST
- Session #0 (Optional) – Introduction to the Cohort Training and ASBDC Special Interest Section – Isa Fernandez and Diana Tourney (ASBDC EO Interest Section Co-Chairs)
- Wednesday February 18th
- Session #1 – Ecosystems Rural and Urban / Vision, Purpose and Culture – Terry Lewis (Center for Community-Based Enterprise – C2BE), Patty Viafara (Nexus Community Partners)
- Wednesday March 4th
- Session #2 – Worker Cooperative Conversions – Frank Cetera (Democracy at Work Institute – DAWI), Allison Curtis (ICA Group)
- Wednesday March 18th. The start time for Session #3 is 11:00 PST/ 12:00 MST / 1:00 CST / 2:00 ET
- Session #3 – EO Other Forms (EOT, ESOP, Union Co-ops) – Stacey Smith (Project Equity), Ellen Vera (Co-op Cincy)
- Wednesday April 1st
- Session #4 – Advising and Professional Services (Accounting, Legal, Brokers) – Rob Brown (Cooperative Development Institute – CDI), Matt Feinstein (United States Federation of Worker Cooperatives – USFWC)
- Wednesday April 15th
- Session #5 – Financing and Funding – Vikas Mangpudi (Cooperative Fund of the North East – CFNE), Esther West (Shared Capital)
FEATURES:
- Attendance of five required sessions included the topics 1. Ecosystems / Vision, Purpose, Culture; 2. Worker Cooperative Conversions; 3. Other Forms of Employee Ownership (ESOPs & EOTs) and Union Co-ops; 4. Financing and Funding; 5. Advising, Consulting, and Professional Services;
- Completion of a short “competency quiz” following each session attendance. Competency Quiz is not pass/fail, but an opportunity to demonstrate understanding, and a chance to receive remedial info in the case of wrong answers;
- Ten featured experts from leading cooperative development organizations provide the training, including Center for Community-Based Enterprise, Co-op Cincy, Cooperative Development Institute, Cooperative Fund of the Northeast, DAWI, ICA Group, Nexus Community Partners, Project Equity, Shared Capital Cooperative, and U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives;
- Curated collection of tools and resources, and facilitated chat group via Zoom Workplace, for trainees who complete the certification;
- Facilitated referral and connection with subject matter experts on employee ownership from the Workers to Owners Collaborative in your location;
- Media outreach and publicity about your accomplishment, cohort participation, and skillset;
- Compliance with H.R.7721 – National Worker Cooperative Development and Support Act and the Main St Employee Ownership Act – “The SBA shall: (1) provide outreach and educational materials to licensed small business investment companies to increase investment in transitions to employee-owned businesses, and (2) establish a Small Business Employee Ownership and Cooperative Promotion Program to offer technical assistance and training on the transition to employee ownership through cooperatives and qualified employee trusts.”
For more information on the ASBDC National Special Interest Section and the 2025 Cohort please visit https://becomingemployeeowned.org/resources-on-americas-small-business-development-centers/
About ASBDC The America’s Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC) provide a network of resources and expertise to help small businesses grow and succeed. Through training, and no-cost counseling, the ASBDC aims to foster economic growth and job creation in local communities across the United States.
About W2O Workers to Owners (W2O) is a national collaborative of organizations working to transition small businesses to worker- and employee-ownership. Members share tools, practices, and innovations, aggregate data, broadcast a shared message in media and public presentations, and engage with companies, places, and governments. The Democracy at Work Institute acts as a backbone organization for the collaborative, with a goal to expand the volume, impacts, and accessibility of conversions across the country.
About DAWI The Democracy at Work Institute (DAWI) is the national think-and-do-tank dedicated to expanding worker ownership to meet the needs of workers locked out of good jobs and opportunities to own businesses. The Democracy at Work Institute (DAWI) supports the development of employee-owned businesses as a means of creating more sustainable, democratic, and equitable business models. By providing resources, training, and advocacy, DAWI helps businesses navigate the transition to worker ownership.
Map of the United States showing the locations of first cohort 2025 participants who completed the SBDC Advisor Employee Ownership Competency Level 1
SBDC Advisor Employee Ownership Competency Level 1 Certificate Badge
For more information on the ASBDC National Special Interest Section and the 2025 Cohort please visit https://becomingemployeeowned.org/resources-on-americas-small-business-development-centers/