cooperative development where ecology and economics meet

Cooperative Design Lab (CDL) is 9-month cooperative development program serving cooperative projects in any stage of formation. Originally a collaborative between the Resilience Hub, Cooperative Fermentation, and Cooperative Development Institute, Design Lab is now in its second year running and is the only program of its kind offered in the Northeast (Gray, ME).

In CDL, participants will gain the knowledge, skills and capacity to start, operate, lead, and enliven a cooperative project. Through the course, participants will:

• Go through a step-by-step process to make a cooperative project happen
• Discern appropriate organizational structures for their project
• Learn tools for cooperative leadership and management
• Connect to mentors, coaching and technical assistance
• Explore the role of cooperatives in building a resilient economy

Cooperative Design Lab is structured with three intensive weekends and a series of webinars. Design Lab Weekends are:

Apr. 9 + 10, Oct. 15 + 16, Jan 7+8 2016-2017