The University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives (UWCC) recently concluded a multi-year research and outreach project titled Collective Action in Rural Communities: Mapping Opportunities for Cooperative Conversion and Start-up. The goal of this project was to enhance opportunities for rural cooperative entrepreneurship by providing decision-making tools and research-based information to cooperative and economic developers, rural entrepreneurs, and policy makers. The report delves into the many ways rural communities are using the cooperative model to meet collective needs and to strengthen local economies.
In a new article for Nonprofit Quarterly, UWCC Executive Director Courtney Berner highlights the results of the project through key findings, sector specific strategies, and the future of cooperative development.
