June, 2021

Dear friends,
 
This month’s newsletter includes upcoming workshops, funding updates as well as other key co-opportunities that will help you unlock the power of your co-op community.

If you, or someone you know, can benefit from any of these resources, be sure to share!
We also encourage you to share your updates & ideas with us by emailing cfne@coopfund.coop 
 
Together, we can better serve our co-op community. 



Co-op Curious?
We’ve got you covered. Check out these learning co-opportunities from CFNE & our partners.
June 2 - 24 @ 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM EDT| Free
Learn how to use Social Media Marketing to Increase Your Sales & Brand Awareness in this Free Four-Part Webinar Series for Small Businesses. These interactive workshops, offered in English and in Spanish, will give you the tools and tricks to make marketing on your ideal social platforms easy and effective. Click here to register

  • English sessions on Wednesdays: June 2, 9, 16, 23rd from 5:30 - 7:30 PM EDT
  • Spanish sessions on Thursdays: June 3, 10, 17, 24th from 5:30 - 7:30 PM EDT
June 23 @ 12:00 PM -1:30 PM EDT | Free
Co-ops are enterprises collectively owned and democratically governed by their members. But how do members participate financially in their cooperative? And how do they ensure that outside interests don’t overshadow members’ needs? 
In our next Co-op Principles lunch-and-learn, we’ll focus on Principles 3 & 4: Member Economic Participation and Autonomy & Independence. If you’ve ever wondered how a co-op sets the price of a share or what happens when a co-op becomes too reliant on a particular contract, this is your chance! Click here to register


In Case You Missed It!

Our May 19th workshop, “Financial Intelligence for Cooperators” is available for viewing on our Youtube channel. Click here for the recording.

If you’re interested in a 1-on-1 coaching session on this topic, click here to schedule an appointment


Co-op Capital
Stay updated on relevant funding co-opportunities. 


The Small Business Recovery Grant Program will make up to $800 million in funding available for small businesses to help them recover from the economic impact of the pandemic. Grants will be for a minimum award of $5,000 and a maximum award of $50,000 and will be calculated based on a New York State business' annual gross receipts for 2019.

Applications for the program will be accepted starting June 10 for small and micro businesses and small for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations to help them recover from the economic impact of the pandemic. Click here to learn more

Vermont’s Economic Recovery Bridge Program opened June 7. This grant program provides up to $150,000 to businesses including cooperatives and non-profits who have not received state and federal funding due to eligibility constraints and to businesses who can show a continued loss of revenues due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to learn more and apply.


Co-op Community
Stay connected to our co-op community. 

Support the Capital for Cooperatives Act
SBA has long restricted access to guaranteeing loans to cooperative businesses because of an agency regulation requiring a personal guarantee - a requirement that is simply incompatible with the cooperative business structure. The Capital for Cooperatives Act would level the playing field for co-ops to access essential SBA financing tools by requiring SBA to reform underwriting criteria toallows co-ops to participate, while ensuring the safety of the loan. Click here to show your support! 


While this e-newsletter is focused on providing valuable content to cooperatives, please also check out our Winter Newsletter for updates on CFNE’s strategic plan and other work. If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter using this Link.
In cooperation,
Johan Matthews
Community Engagement Facilitator
Cooperative Fund of New England