No matter where you are in your startup journey, practicing good governance and evolving it as your co-op’s needs change will help your group work more effectively together, have more...Learn more
Indiana Cooperative Development Center
Indiana Cooperative Development Center
Conference sessions list 2019
Located in the heart of Milwaukee’s bustling Sherman Park neighborhood, the Sherman Phoenix truly lives up to its namesake: a bustling community renaissance project born from the ashes. There is...Learn more
Session Location:
A Capital Campaign can feel daunting and intimidating. If you’ve read Food Co-op Initiative’s Capital Campaign Workbook you may be wondering where to start. How on earth will we raise...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom A
Workshop Track(s): Outreach
How can naming and addressing bias align your co-op more closely to the cooperative principles? The goal of the Understanding Bias Workshop is to create awareness of implicit bias and...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom C
This workshop will provide an introduction on to how to create a successful volunteer program for your start-up. We’ll review how to create a volunteer plan including how to recruit...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom A
Workshop Track(s): Outreach
“2B or Not 2B? How to evaluate Feasibility” – Building Board consensus on your project status and conveying the message to your owners. This session, will focus on: The challenges...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom B
Workshop Track(s): Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
When should we start talking to lenders? What lenders should we talk to? What information are they going to need? What’s a reasonable interest rate? What is a CDFI lender?...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Room D
Workshop Track(s): Business Development
Low-income urban communities and, in particular, communities of color have often faced discrimination and bias when seeking financing for business ventures. This panel of co-op lenders will discuss how they...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom C
Workshop Track(s): Co-ops and People of Color
Positive financial performance is necessary for any co-op to sustain itself. The first step in producing needed results is to understand the basics of financial reports and practices. We will...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Crystal Room
Workshop Track(s): Open
To open your cooperative you must first create a roadmap to success. Key to the roadmap is utilizing the Four Cornerstones in Three Stages development model for startup food co-ops...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Milwaukee Room A
Workshop Track(s): Ready to Launch
Governance of our cooperatives requires a system that clearly defines outcomes, roles and limits while also providing room for creativity, flexibility and innovation. Policy Governance is a system that does...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Milwaukee Room B
Workshop Track(s): Ready to Launch
How can you use your own and existing community events to build your co-op during the start up phase? When’s the best time to do events? How do you promote...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom A
Workshop Track(s): Outreach
The process of securing your site can be a powerful opportunity to build momentum, engage current owners, and attract new owners *if* you have a plan and are ready to...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom B
Workshop Track(s): Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Building on our work from Part 1, we’ll take an in-depth look at developing checklists, managing the start-up budget and outlining an approach to assess and address the critical issues...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Milwaukee Room A
Workshop Track(s): Ready to Launch
We will review the basic accounting and tax issues that your startup co-op needs to be aware of. This includes the relationships between co-op principles, accounting software, account structure, reporting,...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Room D
Workshop Track(s): Business Development
Audience: People of color: those who are experiencing racial stress from working in collaboration with white people, or who want to connect more deeply with other people of color working...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom C
Workshop Track(s): Co-ops and People of Color
Key Indicators: A look at some of the most important numbers management uses in their operational decision making and how these numbers are impacted on the floor: margin, labor, inventory...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Crystal Room
Workshop Track(s): Open
Join us for an update about the Main Street Employee Ownership Legislation which includes food co-op access to SBA's lending program. You'll have an opportunity to share your financing stories...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Milwaukee Room B
Workshop Track(s): Business Development
It's never too early in your co-op's development process to build your understanding of what an owner capital campaign is and the big decisions you'll need to make about your...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom A
Workshop Track(s): Outreach
Green Top Grocery in Bloomington, IL and Prairie Roots Food Co-op in Fargo, ND had similar development timelines and both opened in 2017. In spite of very promising start-up efforts,...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom B
Workshop Track(s): Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Knee-jerk reactions! Cowering! Over the top appeasement! Emotional decision making! These are just some of the natural, human reactions to unexpected strife and bad news. As the board of a...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Milwaukee Room A
Workshop Track(s): Ready to Launch
The most important asset of any co-op is its members. But how does a start-up food co-op go from a core group of five people to more than 900 members...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Milwaukee Room B
Workshop Track(s): Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Seward Community Co-op located in Minneapolis, MN has roughly 18,000 owners with annuals sales of $44 million. In 2015, it opened its second location known as the Friendship Store. Raynardo...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom C
Workshop Track(s): Co-ops and People of Color
A strong and authentic local program is one of the best ways for your Co-op to set itself apart from the competition. In this workshop we'll discuss how to find...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Crystal Room
Workshop Track(s): Open
Startup food co-ops need to access substantial amounts of community capital to fund the development phase as well as capitalizing the new business. Member equity is a critical part of...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Room D
Workshop Track(s): Business Development
Love it or not, there's no question that Facebook can be a vital tool for getting your start-up off the ground and growing. In this workshop, we'll discuss the best...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom A
Workshop Track(s): Outreach
Urban Greens, located in Providence, RI, Urban Greens formed in 2010 with the goal of creating a full-service grocery store in a part of their town that was ethnically and...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom B
Workshop Track(s): Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
From stage 1 to stage 2 to stage 3, the board of directors of a startup food co-op has to be prepared for many changes in their role. Your responsibilities...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Milwaukee Room A
Workshop Track(s): Ready to Launch
This workshop will explain the mysteries of a formal business plan. Learn what it is, why you need it, and where to get the information you need to create it...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Room D
Workshop Track(s): Business Development
As a community leader and co-founder of an “Up & Coming” urban food cooperative, Pastor Reggie Flynn, founder of the North Flint Food Co-op, has learned there are key strategies,...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom C
Workshop Track(s): Co-ops and People of Color
Sales growth or decline will have one of the most significant impacts on a co-op’s financial performance and internal culture. We will look at the art and science of merchandising...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Crystal Room
Workshop Track(s): Open
Every community has its own story, opportunities and challenges when organizing a food co-op. This is no exception in communities of color that have suffered the most from disinvestment and...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Milwaukee Room B
Workshop Track(s): Co-ops and People of Color
When Renaissance Community Co-op (RCC) opened in October of 2016 in Greensboro, NC, it fulfilled the need for a grocery store in a community that had not had one in...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Milwaukee Room B
Workshop Track(s): Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Looking for an overview of how to set your co-op up for ownership growth success? Then this is your session! Learn about what it takes to grow ownership, what tactics...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom A
Workshop Track(s): Outreach
In November of 2016, Silverton Food Co-op (SFC), then a stage 1 start-up, was approached with an exciting opportunity to be more than just a group with a table and...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom B
Workshop Track(s): Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
A feasible site and a lease that meets the needs of your co-op are among the most important issues that affect your co-op's financial future. In this workshop we’ll talk...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Room D
Workshop Track(s): Business Development
Audience: People of color: those who are experiencing racial stress from working in collaboration with white people, or who want to connect more deeply with other people of color working...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom C
Workshop Track(s): Co-ops and People of Color
To get to opening day, your startup’s organizing team had to be very successful at talking about why co-ops matter, they became experts in telling that story in a way...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Crystal Room
Workshop Track(s): Open
When Renaissance Community Co-op (RCC) opened in October of 2016 in Greensboro, NC, it fulfilled the need for a grocery store in a community that had not had one in...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom B
Brand is king when you are selling an idea that is not (yet) a reality people can touch and interact with, but having a well-designed brand alone is not enough...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom A
Workshop Track(s): Outreach
Financial Feasibility is just one of four areas of feasibility that are critical to your co-op’s future—but it’s central to proving that your startup co-op project is likely to succeed...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Room D
Workshop Track(s): Business Development
Gem City Market organizers share will their progress towards a multi-stakeholder, conventional grocery cooperative in Dayton, Ohio. They are planning their co-op in a very low income, predominantly African American...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Workshop Track(s): Co-ops and People of Color
When determining how your co-op will carve out its place in the marketplace, it is important to understand with whom you will be sharing the competitive landscape. This workshop focuses...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Crystal Room
Workshop Track(s): Open
There are unique legal benefits and challenges to being a cooperative. From the bylaw process to setting up your owner investment campaign, there are many legal details about being a...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Milwaukee Room A
Workshop Track(s): Ready to Launch
USDA has grant programs that can provide some early stage funding for start-up food co-ops. Join us as USDA staff as well as a panel of grant recipients past and...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Milwaukee Room B
Workshop Track(s): Business Development
Got a mission statement? A vision statement? Core values? Great! But are you using them constantly in your outreach work as the fuel to turbo-charge your connection to owners and...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Workshop Track(s): Outreach
In the last 11 years over 70 % of the new food co-ops that opened are still in business. That is a remarkable success rate, but it still means 3...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom B
Workshop Track(s): Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Planning your store is take a strong relationship between your project architect, store planner, and interior designer. These 3 roles need to work like PB&J to make sure your project...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Room D
Workshop Track(s): Business Development
Is your start up group or food co-op leadership mostly white folks despite your best efforts to embody the cooperative values of equality, equity and solidarity? Are you interested in...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom C
Workshop Track(s): Co-ops and People of Color
The food market/grocery business is on the verge of a significant paradigm shift. All food co-ops need to understand the market change and prepare to not only address that change,...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Crystal Room
Workshop Track(s): Open
Sat, 3/2 -
2:00pm to 3:15pm
- Keep ‘em Coming - Building Sales Throughout the First Year and Beyond! You had a successful grand opening and it feels like the community is a-buzz about their new co-op. So, how do you keep that buzz rolling after the glow starts...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Crystal Room
Workshop Track(s): Open
Starting a co-op means connecting with thousands of people and getting them involved as owners and volunteers. That leads to managing a whole lot of data! Multiple people will need...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom A
Workshop Track(s): Outreach
This workshop panel will go over why market studies are important, how market studies are rapidly changing with new competitive landscape, what lenders look for in a market study when...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Room D
Workshop Track(s): Business Development
Do you have meetings that take too long and accomplish too little? You're not alone and your situation is not hopeless! Get some tips and tools to create and execute...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Milwaukee Room A
Workshop Track(s): Ready to Launch
Once you are in Stage 2B and 3 development things are moving fast, getting exciting, and complicated. The final design process for your store is tightening up and the roles...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Milwaukee Room B
Workshop Track(s): Business Development
Although African-Americans have a long history of utilizing co-ops as a way to galvanize wealth in the face of systemic exclusion from the mainstream economy, the food co-op movement in...Learn more
Presented by:
Session Location:
Executive Ballroom C
Workshop Track(s): Co-ops and People of Color
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Phone 317-692-7707 Email: info@icdc.coop
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