Updates and Calls to Action!

We’re excited to share a major policy success for Montana’s cooperative community. The Montana Council of Cooperatives in collaboration with the Secretary of State’s Office and fellow cooperative associations, helped champion Senate Bill 200, a bill aimed at modernizing and streamlining cooperative statutes.

This important legislation was passed by the Montana Legislature, signed into law by Governor Gianforte, and will officially go into effect in October 2025. The updates will help reduce confusion around cooperative filings, improve clarity for new and existing co-ops, and align regulations more closely with the way cooperatives actually operate today. A summary of the bill can be found by following this link.

A huge thankyou to Senator Bruce "Butch" Gilispea and Represenative Russ Miner. This bill is a great example of what we can accomplish when we work together, and another step forward in strengthening the cooperative model across our state.

GIVE GREAT FALLS WEEK

It’s Give Great Falls Week—and MCDC is All In!

Every year, MCDC joins Give Great Falls to raise awareness and support for Cooperative Development across Montana. While the campaign is based in Great Falls, your impact doesn’t have to stay local—every dollar helps build stronger cooperatives and communities statewide.

This week, we’re challenging our board, staff, cooperative leaders, members, and clients across Montana to step up and show their support. Whether it’s a personal donation, encouraging your co-op to give, or simply sharing the word, we’re all part of growing the cooperative movement.

💥 Bonus: Give Great Falls offers prize challenges and match opportunities that can make your gift go even further!

So whether you give, like, share, or show up—THANK YOU for being part of something bigger. Together, we’re building a more cooperative Montana.

Registration EXTENDED

for Montana Co-op Academy Through

April 30th, 2025

Make Plans to Attend May 12th - 14th at Great Falls College

Register today

Room Blocks Available at:

Staybridge Until May 1st.

• Book Online or Use Code MCDC Academy

Hear From Montana's Credit Unions President and CEO Gerry Singleton How Co-Op Academy Came About and

Why You Should Join Us!

Montana’s cooperative landscape is vast and diverse, but there has never been a program designed specifically to connect, educate, and inspire cooperative leaders across sectors—until now.

The Montana Co-op Academy is a unique opportunity to invest in the future of Montana’s cooperatives by equipping frontline employees, mid- and senior leadership, board members, and even students with the knowledge and networks needed to strengthen our cooperative community.

Why Should You Send Someone to the Montana Co-op Academy?

• Cross-Sector Networking – Participants will engage with cooperative leaders and professionals from different industries, creating invaluable connections and partnerships.
• Peer-to-Peer Learning – The Academy offers a dynamic environment where participants can exchange ideas, challenges, and best practices with peers facing similar issues.
• Stronger Cooperative Communities – Attendees will gain deeper insights into how cooperatives can expand their impact and better serve their communities.
• A Program Built by and for Montana Cooperatives – This initiative is crafted specifically to address the needs and opportunities unique to our state.

We urge cooperatives across Montana to invest in their future by sending employees, board members, and potential cooperative leaders to the Montana Co-op Academy. If you have college students or interns in your area who are interested in cooperative business models, this is also a fantastic opportunity for them to gain hands-on experience and build connections.

Don’t miss out on this chance to be part of something new, impactful, and built for the success of Montana’s cooperatives.

Secure Your Spot Today! Space is limited!

Thank you to our Co-Op Academy Sponsors!

We couldn't do this without your support.

There is still an opportunity to sponsor the 2025 Co-Op Academy.

Check out the MCOC website for details.



Great Falls Area Cooperative Leaders

Managers and Board Members of co-ops in District 7 (Havre to Helena) we want you to join us for the Co-Op Academy Reception events!

No cost to join, just RSVP by May 9th.

Our Team is Out and About

MCOC's pillars include networking and advocacy, and what better way to do both than to attend events and connect with our co-op community across the state?



Let us know if you're already hosting an event that you want us to join. We are attending some upcoming annual meetings to discuss the Year of the Cooperatives and the overall impact of Montana Cooperatives. Our team can also do community facilitation and economic development for existing cooperatives. If interested, reach out to Tracy via email and start the discussion.

Connecting Nationally with Cooperation Works!

Davey went to Denver to participate in the CooperationWorks! Spring members meeting. Denver has a super interconnected cooperative ecosystem of worker and housing cooperatives. Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Center for Community Wealth Building, and Rocky Mountain Employee Ownership (the conference co-hosts) work very closely to help establish worker and housing cooperatives through Denver and the larger Colorado region. They have some great examples of community-owned real estate projects and impact investing that have helped cooperatives start and grow in the area. It was great to connect and re-connect with other cooperative developers throughout the country. Photo of CW board members Tamah, Noemi, Davey, Kirstie, and Kate

Nicole Joined Worker 2 Owner Conversion Conference



Nicole recently attended the Worker 2 Owner (W2O) Conversion Conference in Salt Lake City—a hands-on training and networking event that reinforced and expanded MCDC’s efforts to support business transitions to worker- and community-owned cooperatives. The conference focused on strategies to help traditional businesses convert to cooperative models, with a strong emphasis on succession planning, outreach, capital access, and legal frameworks.

It was an incredible opportunity to connect with national leaders like Project Equity, Shared Capital, and DAWI, all working to advance worker ownership—especially in rural communities like ours. She came away with new tools, funding resources, and messaging strategies that will directly support MCDC’s work across Montana. Strengthening these partnerships deepens our role in the national movement and helps us bring meaningful, actionable support to the communities and business owners we serve.

Looking Ahead:

Co-op Education and Webinars

1) Co-op Education Webinars! Mark your calendars for May 15th, August 21st, and November 20th from 12 pm to 1 pm.

More information will be forthcoming, so please watch our newsletters and follow our social media pages, specifically Facebook.

We will host a series of in-depth webinars to tackle some of the most pressing topics for cooperatives and community leaders in Montana.

The next session is Cooperative Conversions – Worker and Community Ownership for Business Stability.

2) A Peer-to-Peer Networking Series in Underway!

MCDC has created a peer-to-peer educational and networking series where new and emerging cooperatives can get together once a month, learn about what other cooperatives are doing, and learn how to be more effective and efficient and educate their members. If you are a new or emerging cooperative and you are interested in learning more, contact Cheyenne@MCDC.coop.

If you have ideas of other topics or activities you would like to see us offer- shoot us an email at mcdc@mdcd.coop

Meet the Team!

If you follow MCDC or MCOC on social media, you may have seen our series introducing our team and board members so that you can get to know us. This week, meet Nicole Borner!

Stay tuned for new introductions from team and board members each month

or check them out on our Facebook and Instagram.

**What brought you to cooperative work/how did you end up here?

I came to cooperative development because I care deeply about economic resilience. My background includes owning a small business, serving on the city council and as a county commissioner, and doing extensive community volunteer work. Through those experiences, I saw firsthand the challenges rural communities face, especially as my hometown struggled to maintain its vitality.

My mom always told me, "Leave a place better than you found it and keep your home as though Jesus was coming to tea." Those words have always stuck with me. When Tracy asked if I was interested in working with MCDC, I was excited to apply. I had briefly served on the MCDC board and was a founder of MRIC investment cooperative. So, I was already intrigued by the cooperative business model and its potential to strengthen rural towns like mine.

**Why do you believe in co-ops?

I believe in co-ops because they empower people to come together, pool their resources, and create solutions to the challenges they face. The cooperative model is built on self-help, self-determination, and self-responsibility—values that resonate with me. To me, cooperatives are about people power—communities taking action together and making a real difference.

**What excites you about the work you're doing at MCDC?

What excites me most about my work at MCDC is that cooperative development is inherently collaborative—not just in the work we do with communities, but also within our team. From creating resources like the ODC (investment cooperatives) and Worker-Owned Cooperative toolkits to researching and writing our most recent housing study, everything we do is about working together as a team and building practical tools that empower people who want to affect change in their communities.

Because MCDC works in all 56 counties and in every Tribal community, it means I get to experience the incredible beauty and resilience of our state and its people. I truly enjoy every second of what we do, the people we meet, and the places we go.

**What is your favorite cooperative principle and why?

I never like picking favorites..lol..—thankfully, I only have one child! But if I had to choose, my current favorites are Member Control (one member, one vote) and Education, Training, and Information. I strongly believe in people working together cooperatively, and education is not only fundamental to MCDC’s work but also essential for the cooperative model to thrive. The more people understand what a cooperative is, what the benefits and requirements of being a member of a cooperative means, and the more cooperatives we help set up across the state, the stronger and more sustainable they become.

**What are you doing when you're not working on co-ops?

When I’m not working on cooperatives, I love spending time outdoors—gardening, taking walks with my dog and cats, and enjoying time with my daughter and loved ones. I also enjoy yoga and working out. Lately, my newest passions have been traveling across Montana to visit hot springs and attend music festivals.