“Building an Inclusive Economy: The Co-operative Difference”
Over 140 co-operators gathered to celebrate Neighboring Food Co-op Association’s Seventh Annual Meeting, “Building an Inclusive Economy: The Co-operative Difference” at Greenfield Community College for a day of networking, peer learning, and workshops. Special thanks to our lead sponsors for supporting this event, including CoBank, Associated Buyers, Cabot Creamery Co-op, National Co-operative Bank, CUNA Mutual Group, New England Farmers Union, and Shared Capital Cooperative.
Presentations:
- Building an Inclusive Economy: The Co-operative Difference, Doug O’Brien. NFCA 2018 AGM Keynote
- NFCA Annual Meeting Board & Staff Reports, 2018
- Sharing Successes Panel: Leading the Inclusive Economy, NFCA 7th AGM
- Successful Startup Outreach: A Tale of Surging Membership: NFCA 7th AGM
- Using Annual Meetings to Showcase Co-op Impact: NFCA 7th AGM
- Technology as a Tool to Compete: NFCA 7th AGM
Other Resources:
- NFCA Seventh Annual Meeting Sample Newsletter Article
- NFCA Seventh Annual Meeting Information Packet
- Photos from the meeting: http://s.coop/nfcaagmphotos2018
- Creating Strong, Resilient & Inclusive Boards: Resource Sheet
- Everyone is Welcome sign templates
Building an Inclusive Economy: The Co-operative Difference
NFCA’s 2018 Annual Meeting keynote speaker was Doug O’Brien, President & CEO NCBA CLUSA. O’Brien shared his thoughts on the potential for the co-operative movement to be a leader in growing a more inclusive economy in a time of social and economic anxiety and help differentiate our businesses in a competitive marketplace.
NFCA Annual Meeting Board & Staff Reports, 2018
Reports by the NFCA Board of Directors and Staff on our activities and progress in 2017, and priorities for 2018.
Sharing Successes: Leading the Inclusive Economy
This presentation at NFCA’s Seventh Annual Meeting features a panel of success stories from NFCA member co-ops, including membership growth, expansions, and other operational improvements and innovations. Terry Bowling (National Co+op Grocers) shares about the national trends impacting food co-ops and common factors in co-ops who are not only weathering this storm but succeeding and innovating in this new competitive landscape.
Presenters:
• Terry Bowling, National Co+op Grocers,
• Ed King, General Manager, Littleton Food Co-op,
• Glenn Lower, General Manager, Middlebury Natural Food Co-op
• Rochelle Prunty, General Manager, River Valley Co-op
• Zach Stevens, General Manager, Rutland Area Food Co-op
Successful Outreach: A Tale of Surging Membership
This presentation at NFCA’s Seventh Annual Meeting features lessons learned in start-up organizing from Director of Outreach & Communications for the Assabet Village Co-op Market start-up, Lorne Bell. Lorne shares tools he used to grow membership by 350 member-owners in a year, helping the Co-op reach their 900-member milestone 9 months early. Learn from Lorne how to create a successful outreach/membership recruitment plan for your start-up, and what the Co-op’s Board did to set him up for success.
Facilitator: Liz Jarvis, Membership Manager, City Market/Onion River Co-op
Technology as a Tool to Compete
This presentation at NFCA’s Seventh Annual Meeting features info about how online shopping, digital coupons/technology, online voting, and other tools can help co-ops engage their members, reach consumers, and how eliminating silos, and reducing technological debt will enhance you ability to better compete in the marketplace. Presented by Aaron Chase, Strategic Business Advisor from ECRS.