Programs
We offer a variety of additional programming centered around our work that demonstrates an alignment with our values, and you can learn more about them below!
Conversions
This cooperative conversion program will aim to provide business owners who wish to exit their business (for whatever reason) a viable option of preserving the entity, by selling to the workers. We will offer a range of services (from culture assessment, valuation, introduction of participatory management, open book management, to governance development and democratic decision-making training) to assist in reaching a conversion decision and assisting in the transition if conversion is chosen.
Preservation of Legacy Enterprises (POLE)
Formerly Incarcerated Cooperators
FIRE (Formerly Incarcerated Re-entry Entrepreneurship)
A program targeted to provide job creation and business ownership opportunities for our formerly incarcerated community members who face challenges in employment, housing and education upon integrating back into the community. Our goal is to reduce recidivism by developing real options for meaningful reentry, and is especially focused on the 37208 zip code community, with plans to expand the model throughout the state.
With Faith Organizations
Works of Faith
This program is an aid to guide the faith community in working more directly at building a just economy. Recognizing that the exploitation and extraction of our current economic system is counter to our faith traditions, Works of Faith will support and facilitate the engagement of people of the faith community in creating "opportunities to improve both the material and spiritual lives of congregations and their communities through empowerment of working people, cooperative entrepreneurship, and the creation of social ventures." A CIT Toolkit is already provided as a resource on our website to help explore the concept of transforming our churches and communities for liberation through the economic empowerment and democracy of cooperatives and working in solidarity.
This program will provide cooperative training and support to residents seeking affordable housing and real estate developments via a model of collective ownership and control. Our aim is to affordably acquire and develop the properties, and permanently remove them from the speculative markets so that they remain affordable.
We educate residents about the cooperative options which are available and conduct listening sessions to determine if a cooperative model fits their needs. If a cooperative model is chosen, we will work with a collaborative team of nonprofits to develop the properties and we assist the residents in developing the legal structure, governance, democratic processes, ownership agreements, and operating plan. The foundation for this program is underway with the Barnes Fund allocating $7 million to housing cooperatives in December of 2022, which you can read about here.