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Heirloom Library
Explore trusted sources on employee ownership and democratic governance. Heirloom explains what each source is useful for, so you can follow a guide or look up exactly what you need.
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Showing 27 of 140 published resources.
Reset search and filtersProject Equity
Project Equity’s overview of EOTs, including how the model works, why it is flexible, and how it can provide employees with profit sharing and a voice in governance.
Democracy at Work Institute
A Democracy at Work Institute explainer defining worker cooperatives through shared worker ownership and democratic control.
University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives
A University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives report summarizing governance structures, practices, and culture among U.S. worker co-ops based on survey data.
National Center for Employee Ownership
An NCEO toolkit focused on improving ESOP company boards, especially through independent director recruitment and onboarding.
U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives
A USFWC Co-op Clinic mini guide on the role, composition, and accountability of worker co-op boards.
Project Equity
Project Equity case studies of businesses that converted to worker cooperatives, including examples such as Big Timberworks, Namaste Solar, Pattycake Bakery, and Real Pickles.
U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives
A USFWC collection of short guides and tools on worker co-op fundamentals, including member engagement, boards, structure, decision-making, onboarding, member removal, and meeting templates.
Democracy at Work Institute
A DAWI-hosted AORTA resource outlining a conflict-resolution process that can be used by cooperatives.
Democracy at Work Institute
A DAWI guide to democratic management practices organized around power, information, people, and money, with tools and examples for worker co-ops and democratic workplaces.
National Center for Employee Ownership
An NCEO article explaining the ESOP committee’s role in plan administration, fiduciary decision-making, and employee communications.
Equal Exchange
A real-world example of articles of incorporation and bylaws from Equal Exchange, one of the better-known U.S. worker cooperatives.
Sustainable Economies Law Center
A SELC article explaining key tradeoffs between forming a worker cooperative as an LLC or as a cooperative corporation.
Democracy at Work Institute
A DAWI guide explaining how governing documents can codify democratic ownership, governance structure, growth, and conflict-resolution pathways.
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.
Democracy at Work Institute / South Mountain Company
A practical resource from South Mountain Company with tips for effective meetings and consensus decision-making in worker cooperatives.
USDA Rural Development
A USDA circular with sample cooperative legal documents, including bylaws and related governance provisions.
Democracy at Work Institute
An editable sample bylaws document for worker cooperatives that can help groups avoid starting their governance documents from scratch.
School for Democratic Management
A DAWI program and resource hub focused on practical democratic management tools, assessments, activities, and training.
CooperationWorks
A CooperationWorks article arguing that sociocracy can help worker co-ops avoid informal hierarchy, scale beyond consensus, and build transparent governance practices.
National Center for Employee Ownership
An NCEO handbook for board members in ESOP companies, covering board responsibilities, best practices, governance issues, and ESOP-specific board concerns.
National Center for Employee Ownership
NCEO's fourth-edition handbook on the legal responsibilities, valuation questions, appraiser relationships, board-trustee interactions, and insurance concerns facing inside ESOP fiduciaries.
National Center for Employee Ownership
An NCEO article describing participant rights, including voting rights, disclosure, diversification, distributions, and benefit protections.
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.
National Center for Employee Ownership
A detailed NCEO publication on how EOTs work, how they compare to ESOPs, and how companies can structure, finance, govern, and operate after an EOT transition.
Democracy at Work Institute
A plain-language DAWI overview of what worker cooperatives are, how they differ from other models, and how ownership and voting typically work.
Democracy at Work Institute
A presentation from USFWC and DAWN advisors covering the basics of worker cooperative governance and management.
The Democracy Collaborative / Project Equity
A research report by Hilary Abell on barriers and success factors for scaling worker cooperatives, including cooperative culture, training, management, capital, and governance.