Financial health is the backbone of a successful co-op. Like every other part, it’s twisting and turning during the current pandemic. “Things are changing really fast,” says feasibility and project development consultant Don Moffitt. “I’m not sure that anybody knows exactly what they need to be doing right now.”
Enrollment for Columinate's Financial Training for Directors is open! This will be the last session of this series in 2022, and we'd love to see you there. Monitoring the financial health of the organization is often the most intimidating responsibility assigned to co-op directors—but it doesn’t have to be! This training “covers the most important and critical aspects of co-op finances in a thoughtful, easy-to-understand manner,” explains Dave Olson, senior director of retail support at National Co+op Grocers. “Whether [you] just need a refresher or are entirely new to financial concepts, this virtual series can empower [you] to understand and participate in financial conversations with confidence.”
Ready for digital literacy Co-ops have a lot of teaching to do. To build a cooperative ecosystem with knowledgeable and invested stakeholders aware of what it is they have become a part of, it takes a lot of orienting, sharing, demonstrating, and educating. A cooperative can fail if it does not consistently apply Co-op Principle 5: Education, Training, and Information. Lack of strong education systems within a co-op culture can slowly erode its core.
Dennis Hanley, Manager on Contract—and more Dennis Hanley may have opened and managed more stores of various retail formats than anyone in the food co-op system. He has worked in most states in the U.S. and abroad. His grocery career of over forty years began in a family meat business as a youngster and never stopped.
Download the CBL 101 Reader History, Principles, and Values “Cooperative Principles Updated,” by Ann Hoyt, available on p. 14 in the Reader. “Rochdale Pioneers and the Cooperative Principles,” by Brett Fairbairn. From The Meaning of Rochdale: the Rochdale Pioneers and the co-operative principles, (Canada: Centre for the Study of Co-operatives, University of Saskatchewan), 1994. Collective Courage: [...]
Too often, customer service and membership trainings become a quick checked box on the first day on the job, and over time, staff become disconnected from the true meaning of service and the significance of their co-op in the community. As competition in our marketplace continues to tighten, it’s imperative that we strive to create a culture of continuous improvement and enthusiasm for the [...]
Friendly City Food Co-op Harrisonburg, VA Year founded: 2011 Membership investment: $200 Number of members: 1,800 Number of employees: 34 Retail square feet: 5,600 When Friendly City Food Co-op in Harrisonburg, Va. opened as a startup in 2011, they quickly gained a positive reputation in the community for providing great customer service. As Mary Beth Kannen, the co-op’s front-end team leader said, “The name [...]
Articulating your co-op's value, supporting GM's, and hosting effective virtual meetings in the time of COVID-19 Good governance of your community co-op has never mattered more. During the shutdown, Columinate is offering a number of virtual trainings and resources to support boards of directors in their ongoing learning and development. These events will be hosted throughout the year, and over the next month, [...]
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