AMPLIFYING CO-OP IMPACT
Advocacy
Our mission at the National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International (NCBA CLUSA) is to promote and defend cooperatives. Through advocacy, we connect with policymakers so that all types of cooperatives have a voice in Congress, the Administration, and at the State and local levels.
A UNITED VOICE
On behalf of our members, NCBA CLUSA speaks before elected officials with a united voice. With this voice, we increase awareness of the economic impact of cooperatives and encourage elected officials to stand on the side of cooperative businesses. NCBA CLUSA is committed to advocacy for federal policies that support and strengthen cooperatives in the United States.
Key areas of co-op support include fair tax treatment, access to financing and technical assistance. Financing is foundational to cooperative enterprises, and our united voice advocates for this resource tirelessly. Technical assistance focuses on financial and educational resources for strengthening operations and giving cooperatives the chance to thrive. We also advocate for:
- Fair tax treatment
- Resources for cooperative development
- Access to finance through SBA 7(a) loans
- Employee ownership through worker co-op conversions
- Addressing the affordable housing crisis
- Advancing the care economy
- Farm Bill priorities
- A resilient and future-proof economy
Contact: Aaliyah Nedd, Director of Government Relations, NCBA CLUSA | advocacy@ncba.coop
Advocacy Priorities
Throughout our advocacy, we emphasize two core objectives:
- Collaboration with Congressional Cooperative Business Caucus: This bipartisan organization consists of representatives from around the country who are committed to growing cooperative power in the U.S. Our collaboration with this group allows us to advance our advocacy work to the federal level and heighten the visibility of cooperative economic impact before governmental leaders.
- Engagement with Interagency Working Group on Cooperative Development: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has long relied on cooperatives to empower rural America, and this organization developed the Interagency Working Group on Cooperative Development. In partnership with this group, we uncover the ways cooperatives can solve national challenges and how these solutions translate to public policy.
Learn more about our Advocacy Priorities
NCBA CLUSA’s Advocacy Efforts
Our current advocacy efforts at the federal level include:
- Educating on the cooperative difference: We believe understanding the types of cooperatives and how they work is foundational for garnering support. Our educational efforts focus on defining the different types of cooperatives for policymakers and how this business model is beneficial.
- Ensuring recognition and support in the budget: Cooperatives need financial support, and government bodies need to plan for how they will provide this assistance. A notable goal in our advocacy is making space for cooperative funding in annual budgets.
- Accessing federal programs: Various organizations benefit from federal programs, and cooperatives are no exception. Through cooperative advocacy, we highlight the importance of including these organizations in eligibility requirements for various programs to ensure they can benefit.
Our Advocacy Leads to Legislative Wins
As we continue to represent cooperative needs at the federal level, we like to celebrate our wins and use them to motivate our work in the future. Some of our victories include:
- Emergency relief: NCBA CLUSA led the cooperative community in making sure all cooperatives were eligible for emergency pandemic relief, which resulted in more than $2 billion in emergency resources for cooperative businesses.
- Mapping co-op impact: NCBA CLUSA has quantified the scope of co-op economic impact nationwide with the help of 2017 Economic Census Data. This research has strengthened our advocacy efforts and continues to drive federal change.
- Rural development: The Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) is dedicated to building and sustaining vibrant rural communities in the United States. Our advocacy encouraged the preservation of this program so it can continue to fund the startup and expansion of co-ops across the country.
- Employee ownership: Our work led to the Main Street Employee Ownership Act of 2018. This act increased access to financing and technical assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration to improve retirement opportunities for aging entrepreneurs while keeping small businesses alive.
Learn More About NCBA CLUSA Advocacy
Our advocacy mission is a powerful one, and we’d love to share more about what we do. Contact our Government Relations Manager, Aaliyah Nedd, at advocacy@ncba.coop for more information about our advocacy efforts. We also have other great resources to explore, including the Cooperative Business Playbook and Policy Strategies for an Inclusive Economy.
