Statements
Mission
The Southeast Center for Cooperative Development seeks to increase economic opportunities and benefits by creating and strengthening cooperative businesses and networks that grow an equitable economy. We give priority to developing the power and capacity of low-income, minority, and/or underserved areas of Metro Nashville and beyond.
We envision a society in which we have eliminated racial and community disparities in employment, wealth, and income with an economy that sustains people, community and earth.
Background
This group formally incorporated in 2018 in response to growing economic disparities, forming Southeast Center for Cooperative Development, a 501(c)(3) whose mission has been to serve those most impacted by the growing wealth and income inequality. We formed with support from NOAH (Nashville Organized for Action and Hope) as an activity of its Economic Equity Task Force, a group with a growing interest in the potential of worker cooperatives. It is our belief that by expanding economic equality, we all benefit from the economic growth and social stability which results. Since 2018, we have helped grow, convert, and start cooperative enterprises in Tennessee and beyond.
Impact
Income and wealth inequality are not only detrimental for low-income individuals, but also for communities and the economy at large. By contrast, economic growth and social stability are the outcomes of expanding economic equality.
Worker co-ops expand equitable economic opportunity, security, and inclusion for low-income people, people of color, women, and others living in communities that have been left behind socially and economically. We work towards a creative solution for building community wealth and equity through community economic education and shared/cooperative entrepreneurship models.
Since 2018, we have worked with over 902 people in workshops, trainings, and classes including our Co-op Academy and series of Cooperative Entrepreneurship seminars. We have held two 10-week Co-op Academies, working with 157 student entrepreneurs to develop tools and a network to realize twelve cooperative start-up ventures. Over half of our entrepreneurs are women and the Center prioritizes resources for people of color, women, immigrants, formerly incarcerated individuals, and all people who hold marginalized identities in line with our mission to create a more equitable economy.
In partnership with Seed Commons and Free Hearts, the Center runs the New Economy for Tennessee (NET) Fund, a non-extractive loan fund. This has helped eliminate obstacles related to financing for worker cooperatives, one of the greatest barriers for cooperative entrepreneurs. The Center has facilitated over $200k in financing, most recently for three semi-trucks and trailers for a trucking cooperative in Middle Tennessee.
Needs
The Center's key expense and need is operating support for programming in several key areas.
Program FIRE (Formerly Incarcerated Re-entry Entrepreneurship) offers training, technical assistance and funding for re-entering citizens interested in developing worker-owned businesses with the ultimate goal of launching a business cooperative.
Program POLE (Preservation of Legacy Enterprises) promotes the conversion of legacy businesses to worker-ownership. It assists businesses (whose owners wish to exit the business)
with worker training, business valuation, feasibility assessment and cooperative culture development, and helps fund workers' buyout of owners.
Program CREED (Cooperative Real Estate and Economic Development) promotes housing and real estate cooperatives as viable affordable housing options and provides cooperative training and technical assistance to community groups seeking to develop affordable housing.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Employment - Employment NEC |
| Secondary Category: | Housing, Shelter - Housing & Shelter NEC |
| Tertiary Category: | - |
Areas Served
| TN - Davidson |
