Cooperation Richmond: Who We Are and What We Do Cooperation Richmond builds community controlled wealth by teaching cooperative principles, business fundamentals, and workforce training by and for low-income communities and communities of color in Richmond whose wealth has been extracted. We encourage, incubate and facilitate the launch of successful operations of diverse cooperative enterprises in Richmond operated by local residents, especially those of us coming from legacies of systemic marginalization and barred opportunity. Non-Extractive Finance Cooperation Richmond is a member of SEED Commons, a national financial cooperative of non-extractive, revolving loan funds. Each local fund operates independently, but shares resources, services, knowledge and skills with each other, nationally. We are committed to providing working capital to businesses that build local wealth through community and worker ownership without the burden of collateral or extractive debt typical of conventional finance. The loans we give through this process are paid back when the projects succeed and we provide not only the capital, but the coaching to give us all the greatest chance of success. This allows us to make investments with those of our community who are excluded from conventional finance or, worse, are exploited by it. Our loans are designed to leave the enterprise better off, not worse, than when they started, because we believe that financial capital should be a tool of the people and the people must never be a tool of financial capital or those who currently have unfair control over it. Our Focus Cooperation Richmond focuses support for low-income residents and residents of color in Richmond and West Contra Costa County, in particular, those who have been most harmed by and excluded from the dominant economy. We focus our limited resources on Black, Immigrant, Indigenous and poor white folks seeking to build economic power. Our Services: Building Local Economic Sustainability - Cooperation Richmond Loan Fund: Offers Non-extractive small business loans. - Business Cohort: Hands on 16 week training course for entrepreneurs on cooperative principles and business fundamentals. West Contra Costa grant available for graduates. - Workforce Development: Partnership with Cypress Mandela. 16 week training program for construction trades and placement in local construction projects upon completion. - North Richmond Grocery Cooperative: Worker-owned grocery store in a documented food dessert. Site control, development, and workforce training for potential owners. - Richmond Our Power Coalition: Manages the Coalition of nine orgs by facilitating monthly meetings, fundraising, and holding vision for Richmond’s economic transition away from extractive fossil fuels to sustainable green industries.