October 8, 2020
Dear friends,
This October, for National Co-op Month, we are sharing resources to strengthen your co-op and the New England cooperative ecosystem. As we enter the 7th month of the pandemic, we have been inspired by the resilience of co-ops to respond to the needs of their members and communities. Yet, we know that many co-ops are struggling with cash flow, navigating relief programs, and simply having depleted their collective “surge capacity.” (This article helped several of our staff to exercise some compassion for ourselves.)
If you are looking for new ideas, help with your existing loan, or other resources, we encourage you to reach out to us. You can also check out our updated Co-op Resilience Resources page for on-demand content to help co-ops across sectors and phases of recovery.
Principle Six Conference
The Cooperative Maine Business Alliance (CMBA) will hold its 7th annual Principle Six Conference virtually October 14-16 from 1-4 pm. Cooperators from throughout New England can benefit from the education and networking offered, including sessions on:
- Managing your manager
- Decolonizing cooperative spaces
- Intervening in racism
- Media and advocacy strategies
On Demand Small Business Resources
The Western Massachusetts Small Business Development Center has launched an extensive series of webinars to help businesses with effective digital marketing, pivot planning, and sector-specific reopening guidance. These are available to all viewers (not just MA residents). Access on-demand webinars here, and upcoming workshops here.
Grants for BIPOC-Owned Businesses
Hello Alice, the NAACP, the BeyGood Foundation and others have joined forces to offer monthly $10,000 grants and various funding opportunities for Black, Latinx, and underrepresented business owners. See opportunities here.
Tootie's Tempeh @ The People's Pitch
Congratulations to CFNE borrower Tootie’s Tempeh, a participant in this year’s Start.coop accelerator cohort. We encourage you to tune in for the People’s Pitch graduation event this Friday afternoon. Register here for free to hear from Tootie’s and other co-op graduates, as well as a keynote by Aniyiah Williams.
As always, please contact your loan officer or reach out to us at [email protected] if there are ways that CFNE can support your co-op.
