The California Center for Cooperative Development (CCCD) has awarded $75,000 in micro-grants through its partnership with the state’s Social Entrepreneurs for Economic Development (SEED) Entrepreneurship program. The program was launched to provide vital support for the development and continuation of worker cooperatives in target populations facing significant barriers to employments, such as immigrants, refugees, and those with limited English proficiency.
Through this partnership, CCCD provided technical assistance and administered micro-grants to 21 worker cooperatives:
SEED Grant Awardees
7+ Organic Farms Cooperative is an innovative agricultural initiative comprised of seven dedicated small farmers with expertise in regenerative agricultural practices. They formed during the pandemic and have 75 acres of farmland across Pajaro and Salinas Valleys in California. 7+ Organic Farms Cooperative aims to provide nutritious and organic produce to numerous communities while promoting sustainable farming practices. The micro-grant was used to cover legal fees for the cooperative's formation and the drafting of their bylaws. These start-up costs reflect a major hurdle and barrier to entry for many start-up cooperatives. The micro-grant not only ensures compliance and legal standing but also lays the groundwork for sustained growth and success.
Colmenar Cooperative Consulting is a bilingual worker cooperative that provides consultancy services. They are driven by a passion for equity, ownership, and democratic participation and their mission is to serve as a bridge for BIPOC communities by providing education and resources for sustainable development of worker cooperatives and democratic workplaces with a primary focus on racial and gender equity. The micro-grant was used to bring members to the California Co-op Conference.
Hasta Muerte Coffee is a worker-owned cafe cooperative consisting of seven dedicated individuals who are committed to creating an economic structure that provides a dignified and supportive work environment. Their values as a cooperative also include the promotion of racial equity, queer/trans liberation, worker autonomy, and affordable access to healthy food and mutual aid. The micro-grant was used to cover membership buy-in for new members. While membership buy-in is considered equity and refundable to members upon withdrawal from the cooperative, the capital contribution reflects a barrier for new members. The grant was also used to bring members to the California Co-op Conference.
Yolo Eco-Clean Cooperative is a women-owned cooperative providing environmentally friendly for homes, offices, and businesses throughout Yolo County. Their business prioritizes health from the inside out by using only natural cleaning products that are effective yet gentle on the environment, people, and pets. The micro-grant was used to cover essential equipment and office supplies, training services, and rental space for a team retreat.
Radiate Orange County, a community-based consulting cooperative, offers contact tracing, facilitation, connection to services, and other COVID-19 pandemic responses. With the focus on health equity, they aim to reimagine and rebuild the communities post-COVID-19. Partnering with institutions and organizations, such as the University of California, Irvine, and Santa Ana Building Healthy Communities, they leverage their experience and expertise to provide mutual aid in Orange County. The micro-grant was used to cover the costs forof advanced bookkeeping training and marketing materials creation.
The United Taxi Workers of San Diego (UTWSD) is a worker cooperative consisted of taxi drivers based in San Diego, CA. The cooperative was established in January 2010 as a response to the challenges and barriers faced by taxi drivers, such as high lease prices and harassment by law enforcement. Their mission is to unify taxicab workers to improve working conditions and increase education and civic participation while their vision is to ensure a professional working environment free from exploitation and discrimination in the drive-led taxi industry. The micro-grant was used to purchase a vehicle for the cooperative.
Careshare OC is located in Santa Ana, CA and is founded in 2022 by six dedicated caregivers. Careshare OC is not just a childcare business but a movement for change where every nanny within our cooperative is also an owner of Careshare OC. They believe in reshaping the childcare industry, which often overlooks the rights and well-being of its workers. With the micro-grant they received, they invested in essential marketing materials and supplies. The grant was also used to bring members to the annual California Co-op Conference, a two-day event that brings together cooperatives and cooperators from all over the state.
Alma Premium Care is a worker cooperative based in Silicon Valley that provides quality multicultural in-home care to the elderly and disabled. It is founded with a focus on Latina empowerment and aims to address the growing need for compassionate and culturally sensitive caregiving services in the region. The cooperative used the micro-grant to pay for necessary licenses and permits, marketing materials, and training costs.
La Milpa Cafe is a women owned cafe based in Santa Ana, CA. It consists of 100 percent Latino/Latinx immigrant women. La Milpa Cafe aims to provide the people of Santa Ana with a place to relax and come together as a community. They offer artisanal ice creams with seasonal flavors, delicious desserts, and ethically sourced coffee from all over the world.
De Colores Consulting is a women owned community organizing cooperative that assists governmental and non-governmental organizations in building strong connections between their organization and the Latino community, supporting new leaders to develop their maximum personal and professional potential. Its owners: Angelica Flores, Celia Alvarez, and Guadalupe Perez are three Mexican immigrant women. Mothers, wives, partners, proud of their Latin roots with a strong sense of camaraderie and mutual support. The micro-grants were used to purchase a new projector and a new computer.
Roots y Ramas Forest School is an Oakland-based worker cooperative consisting of 4 teachers dedicated to celebrating their roots while extending their branches to the next generation. They offer summer camps and Spanish classes amidst the redwood bough and situated on the ancestral land of the confederated Villages of Lisjan. Roots y Ramas Forest School advocates for culture of diversity, equity, and harmony by fostering a community based on sustainability, equity, reciprocity, and interdependence. The micro-grant was used to bring members to the California Co-op Conference.
Website: Roots & Ramas Forest School
Wholehearted Bookkeeping is a women-owned bookkeeping cooperative driven by a mission to create stable job opportunities, practice workplace democracy, feed the community, and foster community wealth. They prioritize cooperative principles, like cooperation among cooperatives and concerns for the community. The micro-grant was used to support their Wholehearted Bookkeeping Apprenticeship Hour Program, which provides paid training to new bookkeepers.
Website: Wholehearted Bookkeeping
Red de Jardines Mushuk Nina (Fuego Nuevo) is a worker cooperative based in San Francisco, CA that is dedicated to promoting the concepts of "revitalization, growth, and renewal" which is further reflected in their name, “Fuego Nuevo” or “New Fire”. They hold workshops to teach mathematics, science, English, and Spanish for children and youth, aiming to mitigate the learning loss caused by COVID-19 quarantine and related policies. Additionally, they cultivate medicinal herbs in the Secret Garden, a community garden in the Mission District, where mothers are eager to learn about medicinal herbs and planting. By creating a series of classes on planting/harvesting, healthy nutrition, and medicinal herbs, Red de Jardines Mushuk Nina encourages a space for healing and social reconnection. The micro-grant was used to bring members to the California Cooperative Conference.
The California Immigrant Professionals Association is a women-led worker cooperative, which seeks to empower and expand opportunities for immigrant groups and women in the profession space by providing interpretation and hosting professional development workshops. The micro-grant was used to cover the cost of incorporation and other legal expenses and interpreter trainings to ensure effective communication. The grant was also used to cover computer equipment and software.
Union de Vendedores is a cooperative formed by vendors in response to the closure of the Alpine Village swap meet in Torrance, CA. The sudden closure of the swap meet left the vendors without a place to host their business and effectively placed their livelihoods in jeopardy. The cooperative's mission is to establish fair rates for swap meets to allow vendors to continue their businesses and survive without exploitation. It is a collective effort to regain control and autonomy over their business and ensure that they can thrive in a supportive environment. The micro-grant was used to cover the cost of essential infrastructure and equipment needed for facilitating the site setup and operation of their swap meet activities.
Home Support and Companionship (HSC) is a worker cooperative comprised of 19 caregivers with an unwavering dedication to serving their community. In addition to providing specialized care for elders and clients with dementia, HSC also provides comprehensive training for caregivers and specialized programs to support English language learners. The micro-grant was used to purchase work scrubs and footwear for staff, and marketing supplies for the cooperative.
Starlight Strategies is a consulting cooperative that provides a variety of services that assist small businesses and non-profit organizations to achieve their goals from interpretation & translation, bookkeeping, digital design, website creation, and marketing, or anything in between. They are a Spanish and English-speaking group consisting of 91 percent Latino/Latinx individuals and 9 percent Asian Americans. Grant funds were used for professional certificates for interpretation, medical interpretation coursework and exams, information and technology interpretation courses.
ALBA Organizing Group is a cooperative organizing group that creates opportunities for majority Latino/Latinx low-income field laborers through land-based training in organic farm management, helping them advance their careers or pursue the dream of farm ownership. The micro-grant was used to cover the registration fees for the California Cooperative Conference.
The California Driver’s Cooperative represents a collective effort by drivers across the San Francisco Bay Area to establish a taxi cooperative within San Francisco. They are English and Spanish speaking with a member population that is 34 percent Latino/Latinx and 34 percent Native American Indian or Alaskan Native. This initiative aligns with a wider national movement aiming to organize former taxi and ride-share drivers to foster cooperative models in urban centers. At present, taxi cooperatives flourish in several cities including New York, New York; Denver, Colorado; and San Diego, California. Moreover, endeavors are in progress to establish a Taxi Cooperative Federation tasked with overseeing and jointly operating a rideshare app in collaboration with other taxi cooperatives. Utilizing micro-grant funds, the group allocated resources towards covering legal expenses essential for their cooperative's official incorporation.
Fusión is a cooperative organizing group based out of El Monte, CA. The group consists of most Spanish speaking individuals from low-income communities from El Monte and surrounding areas. Fusión will be a cooperative that provides personal transportation for individual and corporate clients in the limousine and town car services industry. The micro-grant funds were used to obtain a commercial driver’s license.
Healthy Soil, Healthy Human Co-op is an organizing group in the process of forming a producer cooperative. The cooperative sells their organically grown produce to schools and institutions in Salinas, CA. The members consist of 100 percent Latino/Latinx and Spanish and English-speaking. Micro-grant funds were used to develop their operating agreement in preparation for incorporation.