Co-op Cincy

What Co-op Cincy does

Co-op Cincy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011 and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, that develops and supports worker-owned cooperatives across the Greater Cincinnati region. Its service stack includes training programs — Co-op U, Power in Numbers, and a Cooperative Management Certificate developed with Xavier University — together with the Business Legacy Fund, which partners with the Goering Center at the University of Cincinnati to transition retiring business owners into worker ownership. The organization also facilitates patient loan capital through a partnership with Seed Commons and maintains a network of 16 or more member cooperatives, providing governance coaching, technical assistance, and peer-learning infrastructure.

The underlying delivery model is relationship-driven rather than technology-mediated: staff and contracted coaches deliver in-person and cohort-based training, conduct feasibility and succession consulting, and convene the local cooperative community. The technology surface is conventional (website, CRM-style membership tracking implied but not disclosed), with no proprietary platform or AI systems referenced.

Co-op Cincy's revenue model is grant- and donation-dependent. The single most material confirmed inflow is an $495,816 U.S. Department of Labor apprenticeship grant awarded in September 2023 over 18 months; additional revenue comes from federal and foundation grants, individual donations, and nominal program fees, while loan capital facilitated through Seed Commons is passed through to cooperatives and is not organizational revenue. The customer base is highly distributed — individual entrepreneurs, incumbent business owners, marginalized and Black-led teams, and existing co-ops — yielding low end-customer concentration but a meaningful concentration of funding risk on grant providers.

Name

Co-op Cincy

Legal name

Co-op Cincy

Website

https://coopcincy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Co-op Cincy is a Cincinnati-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that trains, finances, and convenes worker-owned cooperatives across Greater Cincinnati, serving entrepreneurs, retiring business owners, and underserved communities through curricula, coaching, and Seed Commons loan facilitation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cooperative Development Services

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

DEI, Equity & Inclusion Training (EDABAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cooperative Education (Co-op) Technical Universities (EDAHAEAF)

Keywords

• Cooperative development services
• Worker ownership training
• Cooperative business consulting
• Community economic development
• Cooperative transition assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

CINCINNATI, Ohio

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

Revenue model

1. Grants and Donations: Co-op Cincy is a nonprofit organization funded primarily through grants from government agencies (U.S. Department of Labor) and private foundations, as well as individual donations from supporters.
2. Program Fees: Revenue generated from training program fees for Co-op U, Cooperative Management Certificate courses, and other educational programming.
3. Loan Access Administration: Through partnership with Seed Commons financial cooperative, Co-op Cincy facilitates loans for co-op businesses, with the organization providing technical assistance and loan access support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Co-op Cincy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2011 that nurtures a network of worker-owned businesses in Greater Cincinnati. It delivers cooperative business training, one-on-one coaching, technical assistance, and access to financing for aspiring and existing cooperatives, including programs such as Co-op U, the Cooperative Management Certificate, and the Business Legacy Fund for owners transitioning to employee ownership.

Product overview

Co-op Cincy is a nonprofit organization that nurtures a network of worker-owned businesses in Greater Cincinnati. Rather than offering a unified technology product, it provides a portfolio of training programs (Co-op U, Power in Numbers, Cooperative Management Certificate), financing support through the Business Legacy Fund, and practical resources including the Worker Owner Workbook and Co-op U Manual. These programs and resources work together to help teams start, transition to, and sustain worker-owned cooperative businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Co-op U Training Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 16+ worker-owned businesses launched and supported in Greater Cincinnati
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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 minor, core and flagship.

• The Praxis ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 July 2024Co-op Cincy co-hosted the Roots and Remedies Conference with The Praxis Project, exploring transformation and community organizing themes.
• Goering CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2024Business Legacy Fund partnered with The Goering Center for an informative luncheon on business succession strategies, spotlighting ESOPs and Worker Owned Cooperatives.
• United Steelworkers (USW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-op Cincy was inspired by the 2009 Mondragon-USW pact pledging to adapt collective bargaining principles to the cooperative model. Sustainergy and other co-ops in the network are unionized with USW. Co-op Cincy was the first organization to bring this union co-op model to life.
• Xavier UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-op Cincy partners with Xavier University on the Cooperative Management Certificate program, providing educational credentials for co-op managers and workers.
• Mondragon CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMondragon, Spain's largest industrial association of cooperatives, is Co-op Cincy's 'North Star' - the international benchmark for cooperative development. Founded in 1956, Mondragon transformed a region similar in size to Greater Cincinnati with one of the lowest poverty rates in Spain.
• 1worker1voteflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-op Cincy co-hosts the biennial Union Co-op Symposium with 1worker1vote, bringing together worker-owners, union leaders, and movement builders to explore democratic economic solutions.
• Business Legacy FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Business Legacy Fund helps traditional businesses adopt the worker-owned model, providing a win-win-win for owners (fair market value), communities (business stays local), and workers (broadened ownership). Co-op Cincy provides technical assistance throughout the process.
• Kheprw InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack-led nonprofit community developer in Indianapolis that sponsors the fifth cohort of Power in Numbers, hosting Co-op U training sessions at the Alchemy Building.
• Good Green Jobs Steering CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner25-partner coalition including Cincinnati AFL-CIO, Urban League of Greater Southwest Ohio, Green Umbrella, and Sustainergy working to build a diverse workforce through sustainable practices and policies under the Inflation Reduction Act.
• Co-op DaytoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-op Cincy's sister organization in Dayton, Ohio, collaborating on regional cooperative development and sharing resources.
• Detroit Community Wealth FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresentatives from CEND (Cooperative Economic Network of Detroit) and Detroit Community Wealth Fund visited Co-op Cincy for a co-op tour and knowledge sharing.
• Momentus CapitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresentatives from Momentus Capital visited Co-op Cincy for a co-op tour and knowledge sharing on cooperative development.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Mondragon Corporation: Spain's largest federation of worker cooperatives and the explicit 'North Star' benchmark for Co-op Cincy. While not a US peer, it is the conceptual model and international thought partner for Co-op Cincy's strategy.
• U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives (USFWC): National membership federation for worker cooperatives in the US. Co-op Cincy Co-Director Ellen Vera sits on its board. Sets national policy and runs shared services that complement Co-op Cincy's regional work.

Direct peers

• Seed Commons: Financial cooperative network that finances cooperatives and democratic workplaces. Core financing partner of Co-op Cincy and structurally aligned — a member-supported alternative to traditional lending for worker co-ops.
• Center for Community Wealth (formerly ICA Group): Nonprofit that supports cooperatives, employee-owned businesses, and community wealth strategies across the US. Overlaps with Co-op Cincy's cooperative development and ownership-conversion services.
• Democracy at Work Institute: Worker cooperative training, education, and network support organization affiliated with the USFWC. Directly comparable to Co-op Cincy's Co-op U training and cooperative management education offerings.
• Project Equity: National nonprofit specializing in converting existing businesses to employee ownership (cooperatives and ESOPs). Highly comparable to Co-op Cincy's Business Legacy Fund and overall cooperative development mission.
• Cleveland Owns: Cleveland-based cooperative development organization building worker-owned businesses. Comparable regional model pursuing a similar Mondragon-inspired vision in a peer Midwestern city.
• 1worker1vote: National nonprofit promoting union co-op education and development. Co-hosts Co-op Cincy's biennial Union Co-op Symposium and shares the union co-op advocacy agenda.
• Co-op Dayton: Sister cooperative development organization in Dayton, Ohio. Operates a similar model of training, business development, and network support for worker-owned co-ops in an adjacent region.

Regional players

• Kheprw Institute: Black-led nonprofit community developer in Indianapolis that hosts Co-op Cincy's Power in Numbers cohort at the Alchemy Building. Operates a comparable cooperative and community-wealth-building mission in an adjacent Midwest city.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/coopcincy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coop-cincy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Co-op Cincy