Alberta Community And Cooperative Association

What Alberta Community And Cooperative Association does

Alberta Community and Co-operative Association (ACCA) is a non-profit member association founded in 2005 and headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, that serves as the provincial hub for Alberta's co-operative sector. The organization supports an ecosystem of 680+ Alberta co-operatives employing over 15,000 people, with 32 member organizations spanning co-operatives, credit unions, and social purpose entities. ACCA delivers education, government relations advocacy, shared services, youth leadership programs (Goldeye Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp, Business Not As Usual, Co-operative Youth Leadership Program), and convening events including the annual Alberta Co-operative Conference and the Alberta Co-op Sector Assembly & AGM.

ACCA's core product portfolio includes the Legacy Builder Program (a sustaining membership tier for co-operatives and system-level partners investing in sector growth), ACCESS (a shared services nonprofit co-operative providing back-office administrative support to co-ops, nonprofits, charities, childcare centers, and social enterprises), business startup resources, and advocacy services. The technology stack is intentionally lean: a Squarespace website for member services and communications, The Pulse newsletter via Constant Contact, and the ACCESS shared services platform. No AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.

Revenue is generated through four streams: annual membership dues ($300 regular, with a higher new-tier and Legacy Builder sustaining contributions), event registration fees ($50 for ACCA members, $65 for non-members), Government of Alberta NRED grants, and Legacy Builder sustaining member investments. Distribution is direct-to-member with no resellers, supplemented by events, digital channels, and province-wide outreach tours. GTM is community-led, with acquisition driven by advocacy visibility, conferences, youth programming, and Legacy Builder sustaining partnerships.

Name

Alberta Community And Cooperative Association

Legal name

Alberta Community and Co-operative Association

Website

https://acca.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Alberta Community and Co-operative Association is a non-profit member association founded in 2005 that supports Alberta's 680+ co-operatives and credit unions through education, government advocacy, shared services (ACCESS), youth leadership programs, and sector convening events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for co-operatives and credit unions. Regular membership and Legacy Builder (sustaining) membership tiers with different contribution levels.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from annual conferences, sector assemblies, and educational workshops. ACCA members receive discounted rates ($50) compared to non-members ($65).
3. Government Grants: Funding from Government of Alberta's Northern and Regional Economic Development (NRED) program supporting co-op sector growth initiatives, connection tours, and awareness campaigns. $9.8 million invested in 81 projects in 2024-25.
4. Legacy Builder Contributions: Sustaining member investments from co-operatives and system-level partners supporting sector-wide programming and initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ACCA is a non-profit member association that serves as Alberta's hub for co-operative success, providing advocacy, education, government relations, shared services (ACCESS), and sector-wide programs to member co-operatives and credit unions across the province. The organization delivers its offerings through membership dues, annual conferences, youth leadership camps, and the Legacy Builder sustaining member program, supporting over 680 co-operatives collectively employing 15,000+ people.

Product overview

ACCA is a non-profit member association that serves as Alberta's hub for co-operative success. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs and services including the Legacy Builder Program (sustaining membership for sector investment), ACCESS shared services (back-office administrative support), business startup resources, youth leadership programs (Goldeye Camp, Business Not As Usual), government relations advocacy, and annual conferences. These offerings work together to connect co-ops with knowledge, resources, and advocacy they need to thrive.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legacy Builder Program A sustaining membership program where co-operatives and system-level partners invest above regular dues to support the future of Alberta's co-operative sector through coordinated awareness efforts, regional engagement, and digital hub support.
• ACCESS Shared Services

Named customers4 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

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

• Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives (CCSC)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026CCSC is a research and education institute at University of Saskatchewan advancing knowledge in co-operative sector for 40+ years. Hosting joint webinar with Charlie Graves of Modus Research on Canadian attitudes toward co-operatives.
• Modus ResearchmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026President Charlie Graves founded Modus Research in 2013 to deliver scientifically reliable research in Canada. Conducts national surveys on co-operative awareness and perceptions.
• Alberta CounselmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Senior Advisor Michaela Frey, former MLA and Chief of Staff to Premier Danielle Smith, speaks at 2026 Co-op Sector Assembly on policy, communication, and government relations. Helps organizations navigate government engagement.
• Co-operatives FirstminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Hosted housing co-operative information session featuring Trista and Kyle from Co-operatives First team, providing guidance on types of housing co-ops and startup preparation.
• Government of AlbertacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Awarded NRED (Northern and Regional Economic Development) grant supporting Co-op Sector Growth & Connection Tour, Alberta Co-operative Conference, and marketing campaign. Part of $9.8M investment in 81 projects in 2024-25.
• Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 November 2018Partnered with RMA and the Alberta Government to announce the $200M community generation program for renewable energy projects in rural communities. RMA President Al Kemmere commented on the initiative.
• EQUS REAmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 November 2018Rural electricity co-operative and partner in the $200M community generation program. CEO Patricia Bourne noted EQUS's commitment to working with municipalities and developers on beneficial projects.
• Alberta Federation of Rural Electrification Associations (AFREA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 November 2018Partner in community generation program announcement. President Dan Astner emphasized rural co-operatives' role in distributing electricity and new opportunities through the program.
• ACCESS (Shared Services Co-operative)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACCESS is a shared services nonprofit co-operative formed to provide professional administrative back-office support for social purpose organizations including co-ops, nonprofits, charities, and social enterprises across Canada. Corinne Remple's vision and leadership brought the project to life.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada: National federation representing Canada's housing co-operative sector. Comparable as a co-op sector membership organization with advocacy and member services, though focused on housing specifically.
• International Co-operative Alliance: Global membership association for co-operatives worldwide. Comparable as the global apex body for the co-op movement, providing governance, principles, and advocacy frameworks that inform ACCA's work.
• Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA): National-level co-operative association (now operating as The Co-operators-affiliated entity) representing Canadian co-ops and credit unions. Comparable as a higher-tier membership association with advocacy, education, and international development programs.

Direct peers

• BC Co-operative Association: British Columbia's provincial co-op association providing advocacy, education, and member services. Comparable as a peer provincial trade association with a similar mandate in a different market.
• Co-operatives First: A Saskatchewan- and Manitoba-based co-operative development organization offering co-op formation, advisory, and education services. Directly comparable as a provincial co-op intermediary with overlapping programs (housing co-ops, youth leadership) and member base.
• Ontario Co-operative Association: Provincial co-operative association serving Ontario with advocacy, education, and member services. Closely comparable in mission, structure, and programming as another provincial voice for co-ops.
• Credit Union Central of Alberta (Alberta Central): Central credit union serving Alberta's credit union system, providing liquidity, payments, and advocacy. Comparable as a sister association serving credit unions in Alberta and a likely partner/member of ACCA.

Regional players

• Conseil québécois de la coopération et de la mutualité: Quebec's peak co-operative and mutual association. Comparable as a French-language provincial co-op association with advocacy, training, and development services for a different regional market.

Emerging players

• Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives: Research and education institute at the University of Saskatchewan that ACCA already partners with for webinars and thought leadership. Comparable as a co-op-focused knowledge and research partner in the broader ecosystem.
• Community Economic Development (CED) organizations (e.g., Tandem Community Development Consultants): Adjacent community-economic-development organizations supporting co-ops, social enterprises, and nonprofits in Alberta with advisory and capacity-building services. Comparable as a peer support organization with overlapping member bases.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/coopalberta
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coopalberta

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Alberta Community And Cooperative Association