AUSTIN COOPERATIVE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

What AUSTIN COOPERATIVE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION does

Austin Cooperative Business Association (ACBA) is a nonprofit, membership-based cooperative development organization headquartered in Austin, Texas, serving existing and forming cooperatives across Austin and Central Texas. Founded as a grassroots community organization, ACBA provides free bilingual (English/Spanish) cooperative coaching, educational webinar series delivered via Eventbrite and Zoom, community socials, and an annual Co-opportunity Fair, and it operates an organizational membership program on a sliding scale alongside a small-dollar monthly donor program called the Cooperation Club. Core customers include existing co-ops, forming co-ops across worker, housing, food, healthcare, creative and caregiving sectors, union members exploring union-coop models, and underserved communities in Austin's Eastern Crescent.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid of recurring and project-based streams: organizational membership dues (sliding scale), individual donations via the Cooperation Club ($5–$50/month), City of Austin contract revenue under the ACCT Co-op Coaching contract (multi-year, renewed with the Texas Rural Cooperative Center), Cooperative Development Fund grants (including a ~$100,000/year Cooperative Education Fund grant and a $10,000 Cooperative Development Grant), and non-extractive lending deployed by its partner organization the Austin Cooperative Business Foundation (ACBF), which became a Seed Commons peer in late 2023.

Technology and infrastructure are deliberately lightweight and community-oriented: a WordPress website (accessibility-supported by Knowbility), Mailchimp newsletters, Eventbrite/Zoom webinar delivery, Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn organic social, and a Linktree hub. ACBA's competitive position rests on its role as the primary cooperative development intermediary for the region, anchored by the City of Austin contract, formal partnerships with the Cooperative Development Fund, Seed Commons, GAVA, ROC USA, NASCO, USFWC and UHAB, a bilingual service model, and an employee-managed workplace structure now staffed by three full-time employees.

Name

AUSTIN COOPERATIVE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

Legal name

Austin Cooperative Business Association

Website

https://acba.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Austin Cooperative Business Association (ACBA) is a nonprofit, membership-based cooperative development organization in Austin, Texas that provides free bilingual coaching, educational programming, and advocacy services to existing and forming cooperatives across Central Texas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cooperative Development Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392), Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Federations/Centrals & Cooperative Banking Networks (2nd-Tier Co-ops) (FSABAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cooperative (Co-op) Housing Association Management (BPAJAHAC), Mixed-Use Community Association Management (BPAJAHAF)

Keywords

• Cooperative development services
• Cooperative coaching programs
• Cooperative education workshops
• Cooperative membership association
• Non-extractive cooperative financing

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: ACBA offers organizational memberships to co-ops and cooperative-adjacent organizations on a sliding scale, providing representation, advocacy, and access to ACBA's network and programming.
2. Cooperative Coaching Services: Free cooperative coaching services funded through contracts with the City of Austin's Economic Development Department (ACCT Co-op Coaching contract, renewed for three years with Texas Rural Cooperative Center and ACBA) and Cooperative Development Fund grants. Coaching is provided at no cost to participants.
3. Non-Extractive Lending via Seed Commons / ACBF: The Austin Cooperative Business Foundation (ACBF), ACBA's partner organization, acts as a Seed Commons peer to offer non-extractive financing to worker co-ops and similarly democratic organizations in Central Texas. Financing features non-compounding interest rates up to 8%, with repayment deferred until co-ops break even including livable wages.
4. Donations and the Cooperation Club: ACBA accepts individual donations to the Austin Cooperative Business Foundation. The Cooperation Club is a monthly donor program with suggested contributions of $5–$50/month (suggested $10/month). Funds support educational programming, materials, interpretation/translation, and administrative costs such as bookkeeping and insurance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Austin Cooperative Business Association is a nonprofit cooperative development organization that provides free cooperative coaching, bilingual (English/Spanish) educational workshops and webinars on cooperative business models, an organizational membership program for cooperatives, and facilitation of non-extractive financing through its partner Austin Cooperative Business Foundation (ACBF), a Seed Commons peer serving worker co-ops and democratic organizations in Central Texas.

Product overview

ACBA is a grassroots cooperative development organization (not a software product company) that provides cooperative development services including free coaching, bilingual educational workshops, membership programs, community events, and financing facilitation through its partner organization ACBF. The organization's services focus on building and expanding the local cooperative economy in Austin through capacity building, education, networking, and financial support for emerging and existing cooperatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cooperative Coaching Services Free cooperative coaching provided to individuals and groups interested in starting or improving worker cooperatives, housing cooperatives, or similar democratic organizations in Austin and Central Texas.
• Educational Workshops and Webinars Free bilingual (English/Spanish) educational workshops and webinars covering cooperative business models, including introductions to cooperative formation, business conversion to cooperatives, housing co-op models, climate-responsive co-ops, cooperative caregiving, and union-coop collaboration.
• Cooperative Membership Program Sliding-scale organizational membership for cooperatives and cooperative-adjacent organizations, providing representation and advocacy, access to ACBA's network and programming, and participation in ACBA governance.
• Cooperation Club Monthly Donor Program Tiered monthly donor program offering newsletter subscription, invitations to social events and workshops, social media recognition, Cooperative Principles posters, and a set of ACBA co-op themed stickers as benefits.
• Non-Extractive Financing via ACBF / Seed Commons Non-extractive financing for worker co-ops and similarly democratic organizations in Central Texas, offered through the Austin Cooperative Business Foundation as a Seed Commons peer, supporting equipment, working capital, and real estate needs.
• Co-opportunity Fair Annual co-op marketing and community event during National Co-op Month (October) bringing together Austin-area cooperatives to advertise jobs, services, and volunteer opportunities and connect with prospective members.
• Co-op Social Events Seasonal social gatherings for the Austin co-op community held at member co-op venues to foster networking and community building within the local cooperative economy.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hundreds of cooperators have participated in ACBA workshops
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 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 core and minor.

• City of Austin Economic Development DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024ACBA holds a contract (ACCT Co-op Coaching contract) with the City of Austin's Economic Development Department, renewed for three years in partnership with Texas Rural Cooperative Center. ACBA also participates in the City of Austin's Green Workforce Accelerator 2024 Cohort, improving its co-op Coaching Program and connecting with green workforce organizations. The department also partners with ACBA during Austin Small Business Week for the Cooperative Educational Series.
• Texas Rural Cooperative CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Texas Rural Cooperative Center is a partner with ACBA on the ACCT Co-op Coaching contract with the City of Austin. Annelies Lottmann, Texas Rural Cooperative Center Director, teaches the Cooperative Caregiving for Elders and Children webinar. The center is part of the Cooperation Works cooperative development network and uses UTRGV's YouTube channel for cooperative educational content.
• Go Austin/Vamos Austin (GAVA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGAVA is ACBA's key partner on the Eastern Crescent food co-op project. The Del Valle Food Co-op project is guided by Eastern Crescent community members, with the pilot project beginning next year providing groceries on a small scale until a full store is established. GAVA manages the membership pledge drive and accepts donations for the food co-op project.
• Austin Community Law CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Austin Community Law Center's Legal Wellness Network supports employees of small businesses and nonprofits with 3-25 employees through free legal check-ups, assistance with wills and powers of attorney, and referrals to low-cost legal services. ACBA promotes this resource to its member co-ops and the broader small business community.
• ROC USAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerROC USA supports homeowner ownership of manufactured home communities. ACBA's partner CHEA joined ROC USA's national network of nonprofit partners. Through Project Connect anti-displacement efforts, ACBA and ACBF work with the Association De Residentes De North Lamar (ARNL), a ROCUSA-affiliated Resident Owned Community, providing training and workshops on co-op development and manufactured community upkeep.
• NASCO (North American Students of Cooperation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASCO is the North American Students of Cooperation, a federation for student cooperative housing and related organizations. NASCO posts job opportunities for ACBA member co-ops and the broader cooperative community.
• US Federation of Worker Cooperatives (USFWC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe USFWC is a national federation for worker cooperatives. ACBA supported Angela Walton from Treasure City Thrift (an ACBA member) in her at-large board candidacy in the 2023 USFWC elections. The USFWC publishes directories of co-ops for holiday shopping (#shopcoop).
• Collective CampaignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective Campaign is a full-service political and nonprofit consulting firm that is union-staffed and cooperatively owned. They presented at a Lunch and Learn event hosted by ACBA at Black Star Co-op, sharing their story at the intersection of labor organization and worker cooperatives.
• Co-op CincyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-op Cincy is a union-co-op ecosystem in Cincinnati, Ohio. ACBA met with Co-op Cincy about their union-co-op model as part of research for the union-co-op project funded by the Cooperative Development Fund. The Union-Coop model combines organizing methods of both unions and worker co-ops.
• Urban Homesteading Assistance Board (UHAB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUHAB is based in New York and works on limited equity cooperatives on community land trusts. Andrew Reicher from UHAB spoke at ACBA's Spotlight on Innovative Housing Co-op Models webinar exploring alternative housing co-op models.
• Cohousing HoustonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCohousing Houston is a cohousing community currently under construction and developed by its future residents. Kelli Soika from Cohousing Houston participated in ACBA's housing co-op webinar as an expert on cohousing models.
• HappyLane Limited Cooperative Association (LCA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHappyLane LCA is a Real Estate Investment and Producer's Cooperative. John Eastman from HappyLane participated in ACBA's housing co-op webinar as an expert on alternative housing co-op models.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• NCBA CLUSA (National Cooperative Business Association): The oldest and largest national cooperative business association in the US, representing all cooperative sectors; comparable to ACBA as a cross-sector cooperative membership organization but operating at a national advocacy and policy scale.
• Seed Commons: A national network of locally-rooted, non-extractive loan funds for cooperative and democratic enterprises; ACBF became a Seed Commons peer in late 2023, so Seed Commons is ACBA's lending-network peer and direct counterpart in non-extractive co-op finance.
• ROC USA: A national nonprofit supporting resident ownership of manufactured home communities; ACBA's partner CHEA joined ROC USA's network and ACBA supports ROC USA-affiliated communities through Project Connect, making this a comparable cooperative development organization focused on housing.
• US Federation of Worker Cooperatives (USFWC): National federation supporting worker cooperatives across the US; ACBA partners with USFWC for member referrals and programming. USFWC operates as a much broader national body with overlapping worker co-op development and policy missions.

Direct peers

• Co-op Cincy: A Cincinnati-based union-co-op ecosystem builder supporting worker cooperatives and labor collaboration; comparable to ACBA's union-co-op programming and ecosystem-building approach, and ACBA has consulted with Co-op Cincy as part of its CDF-funded union-co-op research.
• Urban Homesteading Assistance Board (UHAB): A New York-based nonprofit that supports limited-equity housing cooperatives on community land trusts; ACBA has a formal partnership with UHAB, which has spoken at ACBA's housing co-op webinars, making UHAB a direct peer in housing co-op development.
• ICA Group: A nonprofit consulting firm that helps businesses convert to worker cooperatives and supports employee ownership; directly comparable to ACBA's cooperative coaching, conversion services, and technical assistance offerings, though ICA operates primarily in the Northeast US.
• Democracy at Work Institute: An organization affiliated with USFWC that researches and promotes worker cooperatives; comparable to ACBA's cooperative development, education, and research mission though at a national scale rather than regional.
• Project Equity: A nonprofit that helps business owners convert their companies to worker cooperatives and supports the cooperative development ecosystem; directly comparable to ACBA's coaching and conversion work, though Project Equity operates nationally with greater policy and consulting depth.

Regional players

• Cooperation Texas: A Texas-based cooperative development organization supporting worker cooperatives and democratic businesses statewide; comparable to ACBA as a regional cooperative development hub, though operating at a broader Texas geographic scope rather than Austin/Central Texas.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AtxCBA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/austin-cooperative-business-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/atxcooperatives

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about AUSTIN COOPERATIVE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION