What NCBA CLUSA does

NCBA CLUSA (National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International) is a Washington, D.C.-headquartered non-profit membership association founded in 1916 as the Cooperative League of America. It functions as the primary cross-sector trade body for U.S. cooperatives spanning agriculture, credit unions, electric, housing, food, and worker co-ops, serving both cooperative enterprises and federal/state policymakers. The organization delivers value through four interlocking activities: federal advocacy (Congressional Cooperative Business Caucus, USDA-chaired Interagency Working Group on Cooperative Development), technical assistance and education (Learning Hub, Cooperative IMPACT Conference, Cooperative Journal, Shared Services), international development (Cooperative Development Program, Farmer-to-Farmer volunteer program in 10+ countries), and ecosystem stewardship via the affiliated 501(c)(3) Cooperative Development Foundation, which administers the Cooperative Hall of Fame.

The business model is grant- and dues-funded rather than product-revenue-driven. Revenue streams comprise membership dues (individual and cooperative members), conference and event fees (e.g., $350 early-bird member / $475 non-member for Co-op Professionals Conference), foundation and government grants (USAID, USDA, Starbucks Foundation, Patterson Family Foundation), and charitable donations. Pricing is publicly disclosed for events only. International development grants — including the $2M USAID Namibia Conservation Agriculture Project and the $750K Starbucks Foundation CoopWASH Indonesia grant — represent a material share of programmatic revenue, with retention dependent on the share of award value retained versus passed to sub-grantees and local implementation partners such as Cooperativa Café Timor (CCT) in Timor-Leste and Baitul Qiradh Baburrayyan Cooperative in Sumatra.

Customer concentration is moderate: membership-based with broad cross-sector reach on one side, and concentrated exposure to a handful of institutional funders on the other. The organization employs 501-1000 staff across domestic operations, international field programs, and a regional director structure covering Southeast Asia and East/Southern Africa. Reported operational outcomes include 1,000+ rural co-op businesses developed and 15,000 jobs created or preserved through the RCDG program, $15-25M in annual coffee exports generated for Timor-Leste through CCT (22,000 member-owners), and clean water delivery to 25,000 people across 90 Sumatra villages under CoopWASH.

Name

NCBA CLUSA

Legal name

National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International

Website

https://ncbaclusa.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

NCBA CLUSA is a 100+ year-old U.S. non-profit membership association that advocates for all cooperative sectors, delivers international development programs in 10+ countries, and provides technical assistance, education, and federal policy representation to its member cooperatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: NCBA CLUSA operates as a membership organization with cooperative and associate members paying annual dues. Members gain access to webinars, cooperative journals, job postings, and member resources.
2. Conference and Event Fees: Revenue generated from annual Cooperative IMPACT Conference registrations, Co-op Professionals Conference, and other educational events. Early-bird rates available for members ($350) and non-members ($475).
3. Foundation and Government Grants: NCBA CLUSA receives grants from foundations (e.g., Starbucks Foundation $750K) and government agencies (USDA, USAID) to fund international development projects and cooperative development programs.
4. Donations: The organization accepts charitable contributions to support its mission of advancing the cooperative business model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

NCBA CLUSA is a membership-based cooperative business association that advocates on behalf of all types of U.S. cooperatives before Congress and federal agencies, delivers technical assistance and educational resources to cooperative businesses, and implements international development programs that build cooperative capacity in emerging economies. It operates across agriculture, credit unions, electric co-ops, food co-ops, housing co-ops, and worker co-ops. Revenue is generated through membership dues, foundation/government grants, conference registrations, and donations.

Product overview

NCBA CLUSA operates as a membership-based cooperative business association offering a portfolio of advocacy, development, and educational services. The core offerings include the Cooperative Development Program for international development, the Farmer-to-Farmer volunteer program, the annual Cooperative IMPACT Conference, the Cooperative Journal publication, Learning Hub educational resources, Shared Services for business support, and membership programs. These offerings work together to advance, promote and defend the cooperative business model through advocacy, public awareness, and thought leadership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Programs Cross-sector cooperative network with individual and organizational membership options providing cooperative businesses access to resources, federal advocacy, technical assistance, networking, and professional development.
• Cooperative IMPACT Conference Annual flagship conference bringing together cooperative leaders, practitioners, and stakeholders to discuss trends, share knowledge, and advance the cooperative movement. Registration fees: $350 (NCBA CLUSA members early bird) / $475 (non-members early bird).
• Cooperative Development Program International development program that expands the reach of U.S.-based cooperative development implementors overseas, helping build resilience, wealth and financial security in local communities through co-ops. Funded through grants from foundations (Starbucks Foundation, Patterson Family Foundation) and government agencies (USAID, USDA).
• Shared Services Access to reliable expertise in accounting, HR, IT and other business services for cooperative members.
• Cooperative Journal Publication covering cooperative news, research, and insights for the cooperative community, distributed to members.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than $2 billion in emergency pandemic relief secured for cooperatives
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Cooperativa Café Timor (CCT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994NCBA CLUSA helped organize 450 coffee farmers into CCT in 1994, launching the commercial coffee industry in Timor-Leste. Today CCT has 22,000 member-owners and exports $15-25 million annually in coffee and spices to customers including McCormick & Co. and Starbucks.
• Baitul Qiradh Baburrayyan CooperativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal implementation partner for CoopWASH water project in Sumatra, Indonesia, working alongside NCBA CLUSA and Sumatra Specialty Coffee.
• Sumatra Specialty CoffeeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal implementation partner for CoopWASH water project in Sumatra, Indonesia.
• Congressional Cooperative Business CaucuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBipartisan Congressional caucus co-chaired by Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) that advances NCBA CLUSA's advocacy work at the federal level. NCBA CLUSA works with this caucus to promote policies benefiting cooperatives.
• Interagency Working Group on Cooperative Development (IWGCD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSDA-chaired interagency working group with more than 15 federal agencies (including FEMA, HHS, IRS, SBA, DOL, DoJ, USDA) established to foster cooperative development and ensure coordination with federal agencies and cooperative organizations. NCBA CLUSA worked to include this provision in the Farm Bill.
• USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary federal partner for rural cooperative development through Rural Business Cooperative Service and Rural Development Mission Area. USDA administers RCDG program and co-chairs IWGCD.
• National Cooperative BankmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCB and NCBA CLUSA released a joint report (February 2026) outlining federal policy solutions for affordable homeownership through housing cooperatives, proposing LIHTC Elective Pay mechanism.
• Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDF is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliate of NCBA CLUSA. It administers the Cooperative Hall of Fame and provides grants for cooperative development.
• Cooperative Leadership CoalitionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of national organizations including National Farmers Union, National Cooperative Bank, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and National Council of Farmer Cooperatives convened by NCBA CLUSA to work on the IWGCD initiative over two years.
• International Cooperative Alliance (ICA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCBA CLUSA is a proud member of the International Cooperative Alliance, which backed the .coop Top Level Domain proposal and represents cooperatives globally.
• GROWMARKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgriculture supply cooperative. Former Chairman and President Daniel T. Kelley inducted into Cooperative Hall of Fame.
• Neighboring Food Co-op AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive Director Erbin Crowell serves on NCBA CLUSA's Board of Directors and testified before Senate Small Business Committee in January 2026.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Cooperative Alliance (ICA): Global apex body representing cooperatives worldwide; NCBA CLUSA is a member. Both organizations represent the cooperative movement across borders, share advocacy and standards work, and overlap on international cooperative identity and policy.
• National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA): Trade association for rural electric cooperatives. Member of the Cooperative Leadership Coalition convened by NCBA CLUSA and a direct partner on federal cooperative policy work.
• National Association of Housing Cooperatives (NAHC): Trade association for housing cooperatives in the U.S. NCBA CLUSA's housing policy work (including the joint NCB report on LIHTC Elective Pay) directly overlaps with NAHC's mission.
• Credit Union National Association (CUNA): U.S. national trade association for credit unions. Both organizations represent cooperative financial institutions, run advocacy programs before Congress, and host annual conferences for their members.
• National Farmers Union (NFU): U.S. farm advocacy organization and member of the Cooperative Leadership Coalition. Shares rural development, cooperative, and federal advocacy mission space with NCBA CLUSA.
• U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives: National trade association for worker cooperatives. NCBA CLUSA represents worker co-ops within its broader umbrella and the two organizations collaborate on cooperative development and policy.
• Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF): 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliate of NCBA CLUSA that administers the Cooperative Hall of Fame and provides grants for cooperative development. Sister organization with overlapping programs and shared governance.
• National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC): U.S. trade association for agricultural cooperatives. NCBA CLUSA and NCFC co-partner through the Cooperative Leadership Coalition on the IWGCD initiative and represent overlapping agricultural cooperative membership.

Regional players

• Federation of Southern Cooperatives / Land Assistance Fund: Regional cooperative association serving the southeastern U.S., founded out of a CLUSA War on Poverty pilot project in 1967. Shares NCBA CLUSA's mission of cooperative development for underserved communities.

Broad incumbents

• National Cooperative Bank (NCB): Banking cooperative serving cooperative businesses. Direct strategic partner of NCBA CLUSA — most recently on the joint housing cooperative policy report — and a Major-tier relationship in the cooperative finance ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NCBACLUSA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about NCBA CLUSA