In the heart of Greater Cincinnati, a movement has been quietly gaining momentum since its inception in 2011. Co-op Cincy, originally called the Cincinnati Union Cooperative Initiative, has been working diligently to nurture a resilient and interconnected network of worker-owned businesses. Their mission is clear: to create an economy that works for all, with a

By Charity Schmidt, Gary Hampton and Steve Dubb Did you miss ACE Institute 2023? This, of course, was our second full-scale in-person conference of cooperative educators since the pandemic, after last year’s Institute in Vancouver.  Nearly 100 people joined us in Puerto Rico, and it was a rich three days of programming. In 2024, we

The ACE Institute, an annual gathering of co-op educators, developers, and researchers, came to life in the vibrant city of San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2023. This four-day conference, supported by dedicated sponsors (NCBA CLUSA and USDA, Impact ON (formerly Cooperation Council of Ontario), CDF, Seguros Multiples, Shared Capital Cooperative, Ralph K Morris Foundation, BancoCoop,

Deadline for application: Friday, June 30, 2023 The Nominating Committee of the ACE Board of Directors is currently seeking candidates for the ACE Board of Directors. If you are interested in running for the ACE Board of Directors, please send the following information to info@ace.coop for consideration by the ACE Board Nominating Committee. The deadline

Introducing our keynote speaker: Jose Julian Ramirez Ruiz, Executive Director of FIDECOOP! José Julián Ramírez Ruiz, M.A., is an experienced leader and advocate in the co-operative development field. He is currently the Executive Director of Fondo de Inversión y Desarrollo Cooperativo (FIDECOOP), a cooperative investment and development fund based in Puerto Rico. FIDECOOP plays a

By Steve Dubb Every year, the Association of Cooperative Educators acknowledges the outstanding work of co-operative educators. We have five categories. It is not required to give an award in each category every year, but we want to make sure to recognize people in our field of cooperative education and development who merit recognition. Please

By Gary Hampton The AJANI Group is a cooperative organization established in 2021 to combat structural systemic inequities and is committed to promoting sustainable community development. The group aims to make a positive impact on local communities by advancing economic growth, social justice, and environmental justice. The cooperative is built around the principles of cooperation,

Remembering Louie

May 2, 2023On the passing of Louis G. Doering on March 13, 2023 In the cooperative community, we have principles. One of them is the commitment to education about the cooperative business model. When thinking and talking about cooperative education, a few questions that always surface include:How did you first learn about cooperative education?How did

By Steve Dubb So, I want to encourage ACE members and supporters to mark their calendars and join us in San Juan, Puerto Rico from August 7th to 10th. Last year, ACE held a hybrid conference in Vancouver. But this year marks the first full-scale cooperative education Institute in four years. You won’t want to

By Audra Krueger from Co-operatives First Co-operatives are a way for people to work together to better their community and reach their common economic, social, and cultural goals. Indigenous people have practiced this community approach to economic development from time immemorial. But colonialization has impacted every aspect of Indigenous society, including historic economic development practices.