Cooperative Development Services
Encyclopedia
Cooperative Development Services (CDS) is a non-profit organization
engaged in cooperative
development in the United States
. CDS works primarily with food cooperatives and senior housing cooperative
s, providing consultation services and co-sponsoring conferences and programs for board members, managers and other professionals in the cooperative sector.
CDS has staff in Madison, Wisconsin
and St. Paul, Minnesota and is run by a 12 member Board of Directors.
of food cooperatives. CBLD works with cooperatives to help define the role that Boards play in relation to staff.
Policy Governance
: A complete system of board leadership that is proactive, future-based and clearly differentiates between governance and management responsibilities. It empowers management while assuring accountability of performance.
's rural cooperative development grants program.
CDS is a founding partner in WoodWorks, a network of organizations that provide services to forestry cooperatives.
and the National Cooperative Bank
. CDS offers free outlines detailing the seven steps in forming a cooperative.
and wind energy
.
available through the USDA.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
engaged in cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
development in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. CDS works primarily with food cooperatives and senior housing cooperative
Housing cooperative
A housing cooperative is a legal entity—usually a corporation—that owns real estate, consisting of one or more residential buildings. Each shareholder in the legal entity is granted the right to occupy one housing unit, sometimes subject to an occupancy agreement, which is similar to a lease. ...
s, providing consultation services and co-sponsoring conferences and programs for board members, managers and other professionals in the cooperative sector.
CDS has staff in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
and St. Paul, Minnesota and is run by a 12 member Board of Directors.
Programs
Cooperative Board Leadership Development (CBLD) is a program providing support to the boardsBoard of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of food cooperatives. CBLD works with cooperatives to help define the role that Boards play in relation to staff.
Policy Governance
Policy Governance
Policy Governance is a trademarked governance model designed for Boards of Directors that provides a clear differentiation between governance and management responsibilities in organizations. The model was developed by John Carver....
: A complete system of board leadership that is proactive, future-based and clearly differentiates between governance and management responsibilities. It empowers management while assuring accountability of performance.
Forestry cooperatives
Cooperative Development Services assists in the development of sustainable forestry cooperatives and associations. Since 1998, CDS has been involved in the formation of 25 forestry cooperatives. CDS has received nearly $1 million in grant assistance from the USDAUnited States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
's rural cooperative development grants program.
CDS is a founding partner in WoodWorks, a network of organizations that provide services to forestry cooperatives.
Food Co-op 500
Food Co-op 500 is a program to increase the number of food cooperatives in the United States to 500 by 2015. As of 2009, there were approximately 300 food cooperatives in operation. The program is supported by CDS along with the National Cooperative Grocers AssociationNational Cooperative Grocers Association
The National Cooperative Grocers Association is a marketing service cooperative of cooperative grocery stores founded in 1999 in the United States. NCGA's membership includes 114 independent food cooperatives operating more than 145 stores in 32 states with combined annual sales of nearly $1.2...
and the National Cooperative Bank
National Cooperative Bank
National Cooperative Bank is a cooperative financial institution chartered by the United States Congress in 1978, primarily to serve the financial needs of cooperatives...
. CDS offers free outlines detailing the seven steps in forming a cooperative.
Renewable energy
CDS assists organizations with founding businesses and funding projects in the renewable energy industry. CDS has helped organizations with projects involving biodieselBiodiesel
Biodiesel refers to a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl esters. Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting lipids with an alcohol....
and wind energy
Wind energy
Wind energy is the kinetic energy of air in motion; see also wind power.Total wind energy flowing through an imaginary area A during the time t is:E = ½ m v2 = ½ v 2...
.
Value-added agriculture
CDS works with agricultural and livestock businesses to create revenue through value-added products. The organization assists businesses in obtaining grants such as the Value-Added Producer GrantsValue-Added Producer Grants
The Value-added Producer Grants program was authorized by the Agriculture Risk Protection Act of 2000 and amended by the 2002 farm bill . The farm bill authorizes $40 million per year in grants for the development and marketing of value-added agricultural products, including organic agricultural...
available through the USDA.