Cooperative Development Technical Assistance helps rural residents form new cooperative businesses or to use the cooperative model to address unmet social or economic needs.

All rural residents of Wisconsin.

The following types of assistance can be provided:

Present general information about co-ops

Organize a steering committee and board of directors

Guide a steering committee and members through the steps of organizing a co-op

Conduct a potential membership survey

Draft by-laws, articles of incorporation, and marketing agreements

Research Portions of a feasibility study

Assist with the creation of a business plan

Explore an equity drive and financing options

Through collaboration with state, midwest, national, and international cooperative development organizations, we keep abreast of current research in the co-op field and help people apply this evolving knowledge base to their particular needs. Currently, we are working with groups to establish cooperatives in the following sectors:

Shared services co-ops (for small businesses, nonprofits, and local governments to purchase supplies in bulk, to jointly market, and to distribute goods or services)

Consumer purchasing co-ops

Rural Housing and senior housing co-ops

Craft producers co-ops

Day care co-ops

Niche marketing co-ops for family farmers

More information about this program can be found in the Cooperative Development Technical Assistance Brochure (PDF) .

Download the Community Facilities Direct Pre-Application (PDF) to get started.