Guide·Intermediate·United States
A Cooperative Feasibility Study Guide
USDA Rural Development
A USDA guide explaining how to conduct a feasibility study for a cooperative business.
LegalWorker cooperative
Heirloom Library
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Showing 11 of 140 published resources.
Reset search and filtersGuide·Intro·United States
A Guide to Employee Ownership for Very Small Businesses
National Center for Employee Ownership
An NCEO guide for companies under about 20 employees that want employee ownership but may not be good ESOP candidates.
Choosing or comparing ownershipMultiple ownership structures
Reference·Intro·United States
Employee Ownership Initiative: Employee Ownership
U.S. Department of Labor
A U.S. Department of Labor resource comparing ESOPs, worker cooperatives, Employee Ownership Trusts, and equity compensation.
Choosing or comparing ownershipMultiple ownership structures
Reference·Advanced·United States
Equal Exchange Bylaws
Equal Exchange
A real-world example of articles of incorporation and bylaws from Equal Exchange, one of the better-known U.S. worker cooperatives.
GovernanceWorker cooperative
Article·Intermediate·United States
Forming a Worker Coop: LLC or Cooperative Corporation?
Sustainable Economies Law Center
A SELC article explaining key tradeoffs between forming a worker cooperative as an LLC or as a cooperative corporation.
GovernanceWorker cooperative
Guide·Intermediate·United States
Guide to Worker Cooperative Bylaws and Operating Agreements
Democracy at Work Institute
A DAWI guide explaining how governing documents can codify democratic ownership, governance structure, growth, and conflict-resolution pathways.
GovernanceWorker cooperative
Video·Intro·United States
Intro to Cooperative Governance and Management
Sustainable Economies Law Center
A 30-minute SELC teach-in and supporting materials introducing governance, management, board roles, and power distribution in worker cooperatives and worker self-directed nonprofits.
GovernanceWorker cooperative
Guide·Advanced·United States
Legal Guide to Cooperative Conversions
Sustainable Economies Law Center
A legal guide to converting an existing business to cooperative ownership, including entity formation, governance documents, asset transfer, financing, and transaction steps.
Transition and successionWorker cooperative
Template·Intermediate·United States
Sample Worker Cooperative Bylaws
Democracy at Work Institute
An editable sample bylaws document for worker cooperatives that can help groups avoid starting their governance documents from scratch.
GovernanceWorker cooperative
Tool·Advanced·United States
State Cooperative Statute Library
NCBA CLUSA
A state-by-state cooperative statute library hosted by NCBA CLUSA and curated with USDA Rural Business Cooperative Service.
LegalWorker cooperative
Guide·Intermediate·United States
Think Outside the Boss: How to Create a Worker-Owned Business, 7th Ed.
Sustainable Economies Law Center
A legal and practical manual from SELC, EBCLC, and the Green Collar Communities Clinic on starting and operating a worker-owned business.
GovernanceWorker cooperative