CooperationWorks!, a national network of cooperative development centers established in 1999, supports cooperative economic development across all 50 states—helping to create over 1,000 cooperative businesses and saving or generating more than 15,000 jobs, including over 4,000 co-op housing unit. Its Success Stories—featuring cooperatives in sectors ranging from agriculture to housing—demonstrate how cooperative models can preserve livelihoods, diversify rural economies, and strengthen communities. By offering technical assistance, education, and peer support, the network exemplifies how locally rooted collaboration can drive equitable economic transformation. This work parallels the Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group’s (CSG) vision: empowering rural leaders with asset-based, cooperative strategies to build resilient and inclusive local ecosystems.
COOPERATION WORKS SUCCESS STORIES
