2015 worker coop academy request for applications

8/12/2019 2015 Worker Coop Academy Request for Applications

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INVITATION TO APPLYOPEN: May 5th, 2015

CLOSED: 11:59pm Jun 1!th, 2015

O"#"$%The Worker Coop Academy, a program of the Bay Area Blueprint Collaborative, aims

to assist the formation and expansion of worker-owned businesses that will provide goodobs for !ow- to "oderate-#ncome $!"#% workers& The Academy will be held at !aneyCollege in 'akland near !ake "erritt BA(T )tation&

The Academy will provide assistance through multiple phases& *uring +hase , theAcademy will provide a series of classes and workshops covering areas designed to helpyou start or grow a successful worker-owned cooperative business& These areas includebusiness topics, management, workplace culture, cooperative development, and legaltopics& This year, we are partnering with Centro Community Partnerswho will facilitate thebusiness focused workshops& *uring +hase , the Academy will provide individuali.edbusiness coaching and legal counsel for a subset of +hase participants&

Pa#t$&$pant'The Academy is designed for teams of no less than two $% individuals who are workingtogether to create or expand worker-owned cooperative businesses that provide good obsfor low- to moderate-income workers in the Bay Area& 'ur goal is to help you reali.e your

vision of launching or expanding a successful, worker-owned business&

We have listed four categories of potential Academy participants below/

Startup/ 0ounders of new worker cooperatives that are in their start up phase orplan to open in 12 or 13&

Expand/ "embers of existing worker coops that are seeking to strengthen theirbusiness for growth&

Convert/ 'wners and employees looking to transition an existing business toworker ownership&

Develop/ Coops that are being developed by a nonpro4t or other organi.ation thatare already operational or will open in late 12 or 13& *evelopers must have atleast two workers of the incubating coop as participants in the Worker CoopAcademy along with at least one sta5 member of the developer&

The main factors we are looking for in a successful applicant team are/ )trong potential for business success and ob creation for low- to moderate-income

workers6 A high likelihood of putting the Academy training to use in the near future6 and )trong teamwork and shared vision&

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'ur goal is to help you realize your visionof building a cooperative enterprise and to addvalue to what you are already doing&

#n +hase , we provide each team the following/ Core workshops attended by all participating teams6 Additional workshops in priority areas for your team6 "entoring by a successful local coop6 and 'ne to two personali.ed advice sessions focused on business or legal topics of

critical importance to your business&

A subset of teams will advance to +hase based on their demonstrated commitment andthe potential for our intensive business coaching and legal counsel to add value at thisstage in their business&

CurriculumThe Academy curriculum addresses the core components of developing and growing asuccessful worker cooperative capable of creating good obs for low- and moderate-incomeworkers& These components are/

7overnance, management and leadership6 0inancial management6 Business strategy, market feasibility analysis, customer development6 +eople and workplace culture6 !egal aspects of cooperative business6 and #ntroduction to cooperatives $principles, history and local site visits%&

ScheduleClasses will be held at !aney College on one%*+ay "n$n) a&h %* #(m -:00 .9:00 PM& Classes will begin the week of August 8thand 4nish the week of *ecember 9th&We will be 4nali.ing the schedule with !aney College in the coming weeks&

C('tTo help cover the costs of putting on the Academy, each participating team will need to

pay /1,250& We will have resources available for your team to help raise the necessaryfunding through crowd funding&

App$&at$(n T$m$n an+ S&t$(n P#(&''We are accepting applications for the Worker Coop Academy on a rolling basis between"ay 2thand :une 8th& Because decisions will be made on a rolling basis, we encourage

you to apply early!The timeline for the application and selection process is as follows/

& "ay 2th ; :une 8th / Teams submit applications Teams who get their application in by June 1 stwill have their applications reviewed

frst (olling applications accepted through midnight +)T on :une 8th

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The online Application formcan be found at this link& #f you would prefer a paper copy,please re=uest one by emailing (icardo at ricardo@theselc&org& +lease address in thesubect line/ Worker Coop Academy Application (e=uest& All the above links andinformation can be found at http/www&theselc&orgworkerDcoopDacademyDapply

We look forward to helping you realize your vision of starting or growing aworker cooperative that creates jobs for low- to oderate-incoe workers!

2015 worker coop academy request for applications

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