Year of Co-ops Storytelling Campaign

SHARE YOUR STORY – GET FEATURED AT IMPACT 2025!

Building Awareness and Engagement through Stories

As part of our public awareness and advocacy work during the Year of Cooperatives, we’re inviting cooperators from all sectors to join in our video storytelling campaign. We’re collecting powerful stories that showcase how cooperatives are transforming communities, businesses and the broader economy. This is your opportunity to bring greater visibility to your co-op’s story and inspire others. It’s also your chance to be featured at our first-ever film fest at the 2025 Cooperative IMPACT Conference in October. 

Why video stories? Because while a picture might be worth a thousand words, nothing brings a story to life like a video. There’s a reason your social media feeds are flooded with videos; algorithms know videos capture attention and hold engagement. It’s also the stickiest way to make a point. Viewers retain 95 percent of message when it’s delivered through video, compared to only 10 percent of a written message.

And video storytelling doesn’t need to be intimidating! You don’t need fancy, expensive equipment—your iPhone or other smartphone already has a high-quality camera and microphone. An inexpensive smartphone tripod is a good investment, and being aware of lighting and audio quality are key. Check out our smartphone video guide here.

For this campaign, feel free to create a new video, or submit one your co-op already has on the shelf.

Submit your story   How to create great videos on your smartphone

3 Reasons to Share Your Story

Visibility

We'll feature winning submissions during our Year of Co-ops Film Fest at IMPACT 2025 in October.

Free registration

The first ten story submissions get a free IMPACT 2025 registration.

Lasting impact

Be part of a growing collection of stories the entire co-op ecosystem can leverage for advocacy, outreach and education.

Year of Co-ops Film Fest at IMPACT 2025

We’re excited to announce that the 2025 Cooperative IMPACT Conference will, for the first time ever, include a film fest showcasing powerful stories about cooperation. Submit your video story in one of the three categories below for a chance to win a category award, be featured at IMPACT 2025 and/or participate in our Year of Co-ops Film Fest Panel Discussion.

To be considered for a Year of Co-ops Film Fest Award, submit your video story no later than August 31. We’ll post video story submissions on a rolling basis on this page, and finalists will be notified in September.

Submit your story by August 31

Submission Categories

Social media content

Up to 90 seconds
PlatformsInstagram/Facebook Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn
GuidelinesVertical format expected. Sweet spot for reach and retention is 30-60 seconds.

Short-form videos

Up to 2.5 minutes
PlatformsYouTube, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, websites
GuidelinesGood for testimonials, explainers, event recaps and narrative-driven short stories. Ideal range is 1.5-2 minutes.

Long-form content

More than 2.5 minutes
PlatformsYouTube, Vimeo, presentations, websites, streaming platforms
GuidelinesConsider the 3-5 minute range for mini-documentaries, features, profiles and policy explainers.