Northwest Cooperative Development Center

What Northwest Cooperative Development Center does

Northwest Cooperative Development Center (NWCDC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1979 and headquartered in Olympia, Washington, providing cooperative business development services across Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, with selected projects extending to Alaska and Hawaii. The organization serves three primary customer segments: new and existing cooperatives seeking formation assistance or operational improvement, business owners considering conversion to cooperative ownership, and specialized groups such as Manufactured Housing Community residents (via ROC Northwest) and homecare workers. NWCDC delivers a portfolio of professional consulting, educational programs, and community-building services, including the Co-op Academy (10-week startup course), the Co-op Conversion Academy (6-week succession planning course), the Caregiver Co-op Business Workshop (8-week homecare-focused track), and the Subscription Program (monthly technical support at $112.50/hour versus a $150/hour standard rate). Revenue is generated through consulting fees, subscription revenue, educational program fees (e.g., $98 for urban residents in the Co-op Academy, $295 for the Conversion Academy), USDA Rural Cooperative Development Grants, and donations.

The organization's core proprietary technology is the Co-op Index, a social audit tool that measures worker cooperatives' commitment to cooperative values and principles across four dimensions: systems, climate, attitude, and outcomes. NWCDC also operates two specialized programs: ROC Northwest (established 2008) provides ten years of ongoing technical assistance per resident-owned manufactured housing community conversion, and the homecare cooperative program has supported five cooperatives in Washington since 2007, with assisted co-ops achieving caregiver turnover below 32% versus a 78% industry standard. The organization is funded through a diversified mix of grants, service fees, and donations, and is governed by a board of directors with representation from member cooperatives and partner organizations.

NWCDC's distribution model combines direct consulting, structured virtual educational cohorts delivered via Zoom (typically 5-30 participants per cohort), and in-person events including the biennial Cascadia Cooperative Conference. The organization maintains active memberships in the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA), U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives (USFWC), and CooperationWorks!, and partners with The Evergreen State College to offer a 16-credit Sustainable Cooperative Development Certificate. In Spring 2023, NWCDC launched CoSound, a co-op of co-ops operating in the South Puget Sound region that was initially founded in 2018 by five local cooperatives and continues to operate under NWCDC's umbrella.

Name

Northwest Cooperative Development Center

Legal name

Northwest Cooperative Development Center

Website

https://nwcdc.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Northwest Cooperative Development Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1979 that provides cooperative business development consulting, education, and technical assistance to new and existing cooperatives across Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, including specialized programs for manufactured housing communities and homecare cooperatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Olympia

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Technical Assistance Services: Provides comprehensive consulting services, workshops, and training seminars for cooperative creation and improvement. Services include feasibility assessments, business planning, governance training, strategic planning, and more. Billed at standard hourly rate of $150/hour with subscription discounts available.
2. Subscription Program: Monthly subscription service providing one hour of development and technical support per month at a 25% discount. Subscribers can bank up to three unused hours for future use and optionally donate unused hours to other co-ops.
3. Educational Programs and Academies: Fee-based educational programs including the General Start-Up Co-op Academy (free for rural, $98+tax for urban) and Co-op Conversion Academy ($295). Some programs funded through USDA Rural Cooperative Development Grant.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NWCDC provides comprehensive cooperative business development services including feasibility assessments, business planning, governance training, strategic planning, and access to capital for new and existing cooperatives. It operates specialized programs such as ROC Northwest (manufactured housing community resident ownership conversions), Homecare Co-op Services, and Co-op Conversion Services for business succession, supplemented by structured educational academies (Co-op Academy, Conversion Academy, Caregiver Co-op Business Workshops) and a monthly Subscription Program offering discounted ongoing technical support.

Product overview

Northwest Cooperative Development Center offers a portfolio of educational programs and professional services supporting cooperative business development across Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. The core offerings include the Co-op Academy (General Start-Up and Conversion tracks), the Caregiver Co-op Business Workshop series, and the Co-op Index assessment tool. These are supplemented by subscription-based technical support services, ROC Northwest (manufactured housing community conversions), homecare cooperative development services, and comprehensive consulting for co-op formation, strengthening, and conversion. The organization does not offer a software product platform; rather, services are delivered through direct consulting, training workshops, and educational programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ROC Northwest: A program of NWCDC serving residents of Manufactured Housing Communities across Washington and Idaho, helping them form cooperative businesses to purchase their communities.
• CoSound

Products and services

• Co-op Academy (General Start-Up) A 10-week immersive program that takes participants from concept to operational readiness, covering cooperative ownership, democratic management, cooperative economics, business mapping, governing documents, finance, equity, and business and marketing plans. Free for rural residents and $98 plus WA sales tax for urban residents.
• Co-op Conversion Academy A 6-week virtual course designed for business owners considering selling to workers and converting to a cooperative model, covering conversion process, deal structure, and financing options. Priced at $295.
• Caregiver Co-op Business Workshops An 8-week workshop series for caregivers interested in opening a homecare cooperative business, covering licensing, governance, branding, financing, business planning, marketing, and launch. Fall 2025 cohort starts September 3.
• Subscription Program Monthly subscription providing one hour of development and technical support at a 25% discount ($112.50/hour vs. $150/hour standard rate), with ability to bank up to three unused hours for future use, optionally donate unused hours to other co-ops. Available to existing co-ops and democratically-controlled businesses.
• Co-op Index A social audit tool that measures worker cooperatives' commitment to co-op values and principles through four indices measuring trust, organizational maturity, and cooperative identity across dimensions of systems, climate, attitude, and outcomes. Includes membership surveys and diagnostic reporting.
• ROC Northwest (Resident-Owned Communities) Program established in 2008 serving residents of Manufactured Housing Communities across Washington and Idaho, helping residents form cooperative businesses, secure financing, and purchase their communities. Includes ten years of ongoing technical assistance per conversion and partnerships with non-profit lenders.
• Homecare Co-ops Services Support for developing homecare cooperatives in Washington, including feasibility assessments, education and training, business planning, strategic planning, market research, board training, and grant writing assistance.
• Cooperative Development Consulting Comprehensive consulting services including general co-op education, governance training, bylaws and articles of incorporation, business planning, management and operations support, strategic planning, loan financing, capital investment, and equity structures. Billed at $150/hour standard rate with subscription discounts available.
• Co-op Conversion Services Business succession planning through cooperative conversion, guiding owners through five stages: Exploration, Assessment, Structure, Form, and Completion, with emphasis on transparency, leadership development, and worker fairness.

Quantifiable outcome

• Homecare cooperative turnover rates below 32% compared to 78% industry standard
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and moderate.

• BECUminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 August 2025Sponsor of the Cascadia Cooperative Conference 2025.
• Capital City LawminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 August 2025Sponsor of the Cascadia Cooperative Conference 2025.
• WACEOminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 August 2025Sponsor of the Cascadia Cooperative Conference 2025.
• CDFminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 August 2025Sponsor of the Cascadia Cooperative Conference 2025.
• Thurston CountyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 August 2025Sponsor of the Cascadia Cooperative Conference 2025.
• People's Law CenterminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 August 2025Sponsor of the Cascadia Cooperative Conference 2025.
• WSMAminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 August 2025Sponsor of the Cascadia Cooperative Conference 2025.
• St. Mary'sminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 August 2025Sponsor of the Cascadia Cooperative Conference 2025.
• ZEVminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 August 2025Sponsor of the Cascadia Cooperative Conference 2025.
• Equal ExchangeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 August 2025Sponsor of the Cascadia Cooperative Conference 2025.
• National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1979NWCDC is an active member of NCBA, aligning with the national cooperative business association for resources, best practices, and connection to the broader cooperative movement.
• United States Federation of Worker Cooperatives (USFWC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWCDC is an active member of USFWC, connecting with the worker cooperative movement and accessing resources specific to worker-owned businesses.
• CooperationWorks!coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWCDC is an active member of CooperationWorks!, the cooperative development network. NWCDC aligns with CooperationWorks! principles and the Statement on the Cooperative Identity.
• CoSound CooperativescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoSound is a Co-op of Co-ops operating under the auspices of NWCDC in the South Puget Sound region. Founded in 2018, it promotes local and emerging cooperatives, supports networking, and engages the community in cooperative education. CoSound officially opened its doors in Spring 2023.
• Evergreen State CollegemoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWCDC partners with The Evergreen State College's Professional and Continuing Education department to offer the Sustainable Cooperative Development Certificate program, providing 16 college credits and a credential.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ICA Group: Massachusetts-based nonprofit providing cooperative development services and consulting for worker cooperatives and conversions. Directly comparable to NWCDC in mission and service offering, though operating in the Northeast rather than the Pacific Northwest.
• CooperationWorks!: National network of cooperative development centers of which NWCDC is an active member. Directly comparable as a peer cooperative development organization serving a similar mission of forming and strengthening cooperatives, though operating at a network rather than regional level.
• ROC USA: National nonprofit supporting resident-owned manufactured housing communities. Directly comparable to NWCDC's ROC Northwest program, which appears to operate under ROC USA's broader network model for converting manufactured home parks to resident ownership.
• Democracy at Work Institute: Worker cooperative development organization affiliated with the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives. Comparable to NWCDC in providing technical assistance, education, and consulting for worker cooperatives, with a similar nonprofit structure and educational program model.

Broad incumbents

• Small Business Development Centers (SBDC): Federally-funded network providing business consulting and training to small businesses. Comparable in providing consulting and education services to small businesses, though SBDCs focus on general SMB formation rather than the cooperative model NWCDC specializes in.
• US Federation of Worker Cooperatives (USFWC): National membership organization for worker cooperatives. Comparable to NWCDC in serving the worker cooperative ecosystem, but operating primarily as an industry body rather than a direct service provider of cooperative development consulting.
• National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) / CLUSA International: National trade association for cooperative businesses, of which NWCDC is a member. Comparable as a peer serving the cooperative ecosystem, though operating as a trade and advocacy body rather than as a direct service provider to forming cooperatives.
• SCORE Association: National nonprofit providing small business mentoring, training, and resources. Comparable as a business development services nonprofit serving entrepreneurs, though SCORE operates much more broadly than NWCDC's cooperative-specific niche.

Emerging players

• Cooperative Home Care Associates (CHCA): The nation's largest worker-owned homecare cooperative based in the Bronx, NY. Comparable as a homecare cooperative model that demonstrates the worker-cooperative approach to addressing caregiver turnover and wages that NWCDC has adapted in Washington state.

Regional players

• Arizmendi Association of Cooperatives: California-based association supporting the replication of worker-owned cooperatives (notably Arizmendi bakeries). Comparable as a peer in worker cooperative development, though focused on an established bakery replication model rather than the broader development services NWCDC provides.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xinstagram.com/nwcoopdevelopmentcenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/nwcoopcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nwcoopcenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Northwest Cooperative Development Center