CCWBE Report

Organization:
Illinois Worker Cooperative Alliance - Seed Commons
Reporting Period:
Oct 2023
Submitted on:
November 16, 2023
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:

This October, Chicago Community and Workers’ Rights continues to work with worker cooperatives: Cocina Compartida de Trabajadores Cooperativistas (CCTC), Street Vendors Kitchen (SVK), Proyecto Avance, and Cooperativa IDEAL. Our organization had 2 meetings this month with CCTC and created and discussed a work plan for opening after the reconstruction of the shared kitchen. CCWR also met with Proyecto Avance this month to discuss how to get funding and financing for the cooperative, as well as administrative processes and how to submit taxes. Our organization also met weekly (4 times this month) with the Street Vendors Kitchen to work on the formation of their Board of Directors, the roles of the members, and starting the process of putting together the bylaws. CCWR has been working with a new group of workers who wanted to start a cooperative since August. This month, the Cooperative decided on the name Cooperativa IDEAL. CCWR met with this group 4 times this month, and we are currently working on getting the cooperative registered, as well as their bylaws.

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

One obstacle our organization has experienced in our work is with CCTC (the shared kitchen cooperative). The shared kitchen has been under construction since January of this year and the construction will be finished in a couple of months. This means that we haven’t been able to apply for licenses for the street vendors because you can't apply for street vendor licenses because you need a place with a license so that the inspectors can pass by and see that the carts meet the requirements.

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

CCWR is working to connect the emerging cooperatives we are working with so they can support each other in finding resources. CCWR also works with other cooperatives such as visionaries, Maden cleaning cooperative and Nueva Era, as well as other workers centers.

Chicago CWB Ecosystem

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

Yes

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

working with a new group of workers who wanted to start a cooperative since August. This month, the Cooperative decided on the name Cooperativa IDEAL. CCWR met with this group 4 times this month, and we are currently working on getting the cooperative registered, as well as their bylaws.

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

Yes

Which TA provider(s) did you work with?

Cutting Edge Counsel

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

Cooperativa IDEAL

Did you attend the Working Group meeting last month?

Yes

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

4

Optional Space

Demographic Data

Gender identity of Participants (select all that apply)

Female
Male

 

Age Range of Participants (select all that apply)

25 to 34
35 to 49

 

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)?

11

 

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

11

 

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

180

 

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

60

 

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

1

 

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

3

 

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.

Cocina Compartida de Trabajadores Cooperativistas (CCTC)
New Era Windows Cooperative
Other

 

Other organization (please specify):

Proyecto Avance, Street Vendors Kitchen, Cooperative IDEAL

 

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?

0

 

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

5

 

Number of curriculum material(s) created last month

0

 

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

Word-of-mouth marketing

 

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

The greatest need of the new worker cooperatives is learning about how to manage a business. We have learned that many of the members of these cooperatives want and need to learn more about how cooperatives work and thrive. It is the first time they are learning and involved in cooperative work.

 

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

The greatest gaps in services and resources are the lack of financial resources in Spanish. Banks have no resources about cooperatives in Spanish. There is also a lack of knowledge in the Latinx community about business and the benefits of having their own business.

 

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

Thank you very much to CCWR because they have helped us a lot with the formation of the Street Vendors Kitchen Cooperative. Mr. Martin and Mr. Abraham have been meeting with us from the beginning and instructing us on cooperatives, including the bylaws and the necessary registrations. As President of this co-op, I thank you on behalf of all the members and hope you will continue to support us. Thank you in advance.

 

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):

none

 

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.