CCWBE Report

Organization:
Illinois Worker Cooperative Alliance - Seed Commons
Reporting Period:
Jul 2024
Submitted on:
October 3, 2024
Submitted By:
Jason Tompkins

TA Providers: General Questions

CWB Goals

Please provide a brief update on your progress toward your proposed CWB goals in the last reporting period:

In July, Chicago Community and Workers’ Rights (CCWR) supported the development of the following Worker Cooperatives: Cocina Compartida de Trabajadores Cooperativistas (CCTC), Street Vendors Kitchen (SVK), Cooperativa IDEAL y Proyecto Avance. Our organization also worked with the Street Vendors Association of Chicago (SVAC). Cocina Compartida de Trabajadores Cooperativistas (CCTC) CCWR had 3 group reunions and 3 one-on-one meetings with CCTC in the month of July. Our organization helped CCTC update their registration with the Secretary of State with the new board elected this year. We discussed the state of the kitchen which is almost ready, their upcoming inspection, and creating an administrative document to help track membership. CCWR also shared information and helped register members for the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives conference. Proyecto Avance CCWR had 1 group reunion with Proyecto Avance in the month of July. Our organization met with seven members of the cooperative to discuss the upcoming US Federation of Worker Cooperatives conference and who would like to attend, as well as expressed interest in continuing their work of cooperatives. Cooperativa IDEAL CCWR had 1 group reunion with IDEAL in the month of July. CCWR’s cooperative organizer met with cooperatives members after a few months to discuss the topic of continuing the formation with the cooperative and talk about next steps and meetings. They were also informed of the upcoming US Federation of Worker Cooperatives conference, and many of them will attend. Street Vendors Kitchen (SVK) Our organization had 2 group reunions and 2 one-on-one meetings in July with the Street Vendors Kitchen cooperative. Members discussed the overview of their bank account and activity, which CCWR helped them obtain. They also reminded and updated members on the initial capital of membership, and discussed welcoming a new member. Members also discussed their urgency in needing to rent a kitchen space and possible options. CCWR helped them create a draft of their business plan. Street Vendors Association of Chicago (SVAC) In July, CCWR had 3 reunions with SVAC members. Our cooperative organizer also had 2 one-on-one meetings with members. Members and CCWR staff met to work on a proposal for a new ordinance supporting street vendors. In the next two reunions, members met to discuss their meeting with aldermans, what’s happening with the new ordinance, and their upcoming trip to Texas to visit and see their comisarias, shared kitchens. IL Worker Cooperative Alliance supported work on lending memos for Chicago Cane Cooperative, Cooperation Racine, WisConnect and a new cooperative, Dashstone BPO.

What constraints or limitations, if any, did you experience in the last reporting period?

In July, cooperative members from all the cooperatives we worked with, asked for specific workshops on financial training. Our cooperative organizer is currently putting together materials to create a curriculum on governance and financial training that addresses their needs, and finding external experts of these topics to connect to cooperatives.

What opportunities, if any, did you take advantage of in the last reporting period?

This month, CCWR has begun working to support a group of drivers who wanted to form a cooperative (Bees Cooperative). Our organization is working to help them with their bylaws and registration. This month members of the Bees Cooperative established a relationship with a successful driving cooperative in New York, Driver’s Co-op. They shared insight and information and education on that cooperative and also shared a draft of bylaws. CCWR and members of SVK also were connected to Cooperation Racine in an effort to support both the Black and Latino cooperatives in Chicago.

Chicago CWB Ecosystem

Did you establish new CWB relationships/partnerships in the last reporting period?

No

Please describe the relationships you established pertaining to your CWB work.

Did you collaborate with other TA providers in the last reporting period?

No

Which TA provider(s) did you work with?

Please share on behalf of whom / which projects you collaborated with the TA providers above:

Did you attend the Working Group meeting last month?

No

How would you rate the usefulness of the working group to your project last month? (on a scale of 1-5)

3

Optional Space

Demographic Data

Community Area(s) (select all that apply)

Community Area Participants Served in this Community Area
West Englewood 6
South Chicago 5
Lower West Side 3
South Lawndale 10

 

Race / Ethnicity of Participants (select all that apply)

Black
Latinx
White

 

Gender identity of Participants (select all that apply)

Male
Nonbinary
Female

 

Age Range of Participants (select all that apply)

25 to 34
35 to 49
50 to 64

 

Worker Coop Work

How many sessions of one-on-one consulting to Worker Cooperatives, Conversions, or Co-op Developers did you conduct this reporting period? (e.g. one group or individual with one training provider)?

7

 

How many group workshops for Worker Cooperatives, Conversions, or Co-op Developers did you conduct this reporting period? (e.g. convenings, workshops, events, etc.)

10

 

How many hours of support to CWB Pre-Development Worker Cooperatives, Conversions, or Co-op Developers did you provide this reporting period?

120

 

How many hours of support to existing Worker Cooperatives, Conversions, or Co-op Developers did you provide this reporting period?

120

 

How many co-op businesses did you develop last reporting period? (It's okay if the answer is 0)

0

 

How many jobs were created overall last reporting period? (It's okay if the answer is 0)

0

 

Please list the Worker Cooperatives, Conversions, or Co-op Developers Organizations you worked with this reporting period.

HAZ Cooperative Studios
Chicago Cane Cooperative
Cooperation Racine
Cocina Compartida de Trabajadores Cooperativistas (CCTC)
Street Vendors Association of Chicago

 

What type(s) of Technical Assistance did you provide to Worker Cooperatives, Conversions, or Co-op Developers this reporting period? Select all that apply.

 

Did you provide education to any Worker Cooperatives, Conversions, or Co-op Developers this reporting period?

Yes

 

How many hours of cohort education/training did you provide last month?

30

 

How many hours of popular education/outreach did you provide last month?

10

 

Number of curriculum material(s) created last month

4

 

How did you market your services and conduct outreach in the last reporting period? Select all that apply.

Word-of-mouth marketing
Social Media Marketing (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn)

 

What are the greatest needs that your WC clients/partners expressed in this reporting period?

The majority of the cooperative members we work with are requesting workshops tailored to their specific cooperative needs about how to better manage the cooperatives themselves as well as their financing.

 

What are the greatest gaps in service or resources in Chicago's CWB ecosystem?

As we stated before, the lack of accounting, financial and legal services for worker cooperatives is one of the greatest gaps in Chicago’s web ecosystem.

 

Please share any direct testimonials from Worker Cooperatives, Conversions, or Co-op Developers clients or storytelling about the impact of your work this period:

A testimonial from Salvador Salas, a member of SVAC, SVK, and CCTC. Hello, My name is Salvador Salas. I am a part of the Street Vendors Association of Chicago, and a member of the Street Vendors Kitchen and Cocina Compartida de Trabadores Cooperativistas. The work that Martin and his organization do for us is great; Without their help we don't know where we would be. They have helped us to change laws that help all of us street vendors, register our co-ops and guide us to set them up and grow as a business. On behalf of all the members I want to thank Chicago Community and Workers Rights for their help and for fighting for us.

 

Please upload media (document with testimonials, photos, or video links) from WC workshops or events held.

 

Community Investment Vehicles Work

How many sessions of one-on-one consulting to Community Investment Vehicles (CIVs) did you conduct this reporting period? (e.g. one group or individual with one training provider)?

0

 

How many group workshops for Community Investment Vehicles (CIVs) did you conduct this reporting period? (e.g. convenings, workshops, events, etc.) 

0

 

How many hours of support to CWB Pre-Development Community Investment Vehicles did you provide this reporting period?

0

 

How many hours of support to existing Community Investment Vehicles did you provide this reporting period?

0

 

How many co-op businesses did you develop last reporting period? (It's okay if the answer is 0)

0

 

How many total owners / founders were there in these businesses?

0

 

How many jobs were created overall last reporting period? (It's okay if the answer is 0)

0

 

Please list the Community Investment Vehicles you worked with this reporting period.

Other

 

Other organization (please specify):

n/a

 

What type(s) of Technical Assistance did you provide to Community Investment Vehicles this reporting period? Select all that apply.

 

Did you provide education to any Community Investment Vehicles this reporting period?

No

 

What are the greatest needs that your Community Investment Vehicle clients/partners expressed in this reporting period?

n/a

 

What are the greatest gaps in service or resources in Chicago's CWB ecosystem?

n/a

 

Please share any direct testimonials from Community Investment Vehicle clients or storytelling about the impact of your work this period:

n/a

 

Please upload media (document with testimonials, photos, or video links) from Community Investment Vehicle workshops or events held.

 

Additional TA Support

Did your organization provide any additional TA support this reporting period that was NOT covered in the previous tabs?

No

 

Please describe the type(s) of organizations you supported (i.e. nonprofits, business service orgs, etc.)

 

How many total organizations or entities did you support (that were not covered in the previous tabs)?

 

How many total hours of support did you provide to these organizations?

 

Please share any other relevant details about the support you provided these organizations: