Tentative Agenda
Monday, May 3
Noon - 3:30 p.m. Arrival & Check-in at Holiday Inn Rosslyn
3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Welcome & Intro
We'll have an opportunity to introduce the program and get to know each other. There will be a variety of sectors attending, and we'll want to hear more about the sector you represent.
4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Session One | Co-ops: An Introduction and Overview
Anne Reynolds is the Assistant Director of the UW Center for Cooperatives in Madison, WI. She has worked boards, members and employees from all kinds of co-ops - ag to urban - and will provide a basic background and overview of cooperatives and the organizations that support them.
Evening
Dinner is on your own, so you are welcome to join program coordinators for a casual dinner at a nearby establishment or head out to explore the varied sights and tastes of Washington, DC.
Tuesday, May 4
8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast is on your own; we'll travel across the Potomac River via Metro into Washington, DC to begin our day at NCBA headquarters, just blocks from the White House.
9:00 - 10:30 a.m. Session Two | International Co-ops
Louie Doering of dotCoop will be joined by a member of the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) International Programs staff to introduce us to inspiring and sustainable examples of cooperative development programs abroad. This session will also help prepare us for the evening's Global Cooperative Networking Reception.
11:30 - 4:00 p.m. NCBA Tour of Local Cooperatives (lunch included)
We'll travel to the NCBA conference site, the Capitol Hilton, to join other attendees on a tour of local cooperatives. Lunch is included. When we return that afternoon, you are welcome to join the NCBA pre-conference session on International Cooperative Development in progress at the conference site.
5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Global Cooperative Networking Reception
As the official kick-off of the NCBA Cooperative Conference, the Global Cooperative Networking Reception will feature information about co-ops around the world and a chance to meet cooperative leaders from around the country. NCBA developers and specialists will be attendance from Angola, Niger, Kenya, El Salvador, Mozambique, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Senegal, East Timor and Indonesia. Light food will be served; the reception will conclude by 7 pm, in case you'd like to set out for dinner on your own afterwards.
Evening Free time
Wednesday, May 5
7:00 - 8:00 a.m. Breakfast
We'll travel via Metro to the NCBA conference site for a light continental breakfast. Afterwards, we'll get an update on NCBA's activities in 2010 and observe the annual meeting.
8:00 - 9:30 a.m. NCBA Annual Meeting [1]
10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Session Three | NCBA General Session: Cooperatives and Public Policy
The NCBA General Session will feature the topic of Cooperatives and Public Policy, with guest speaker The Honorable Karen Mills, Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration (invited).
12:00 p.m. Lunch
We'll join NCBA members for a light lunch before we divide into sector visits for the afternoon.
1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Breakout activities by sector
Washington, DC is home to the policy headquarters of many organizations; appointments will be scheduled based on the sectors represented by the program participants.
6:00 p.m. CDF Cooperative Hall of Fame [2] : Reception, Banquet, and Induction Ceremony
A highlight of the week, the Cooperative Hall of Fame Banquet & Induction Ceremony is held at the National Press Club. Four outstanding leaders will be inducted and celebrated for their outstanding contributions to the cooperative movement during this special event.
Thursday, May 6
7:15 a.m. Hotel Checkout
We'll get an early start to the day by checking out (luggage can be stored with the hotel concierge) and heading back via Metro to the Capitol Hilton for a light continental breakfast.
7:30 - 8:15 a.m. Breakfast
8:15 - 10:00 a.m. Session Four | NCBA Cooperative Best Practices
This interactive forum provides successful techniques, strategies and resources as you share practices you have used to solve a problem for your cooperative. Moderator: Jack Bailey of Independent Distributors Cooperative.
10:00 - 10:30 a.m. Break
10:30 - 12:00 p.m. Session Five | NCBA Morning Breakout Session
[3]
Choose one of three sessions:
Morning Session 1
Collaborative Networks: Building Cooperative Bridges to a Sustainable Tomorrow
The Neighboring Food Cooperative Association is a New England-based alliance of 15 food co-ops focused on fostering a thriving regional economy. Our primary activities include measuring and communicating economic impact, optimizing regional food sourcing, and inviting core stakeholders into our network-based strategy. The session will include a brief presentation describing the impacts, approach, and current initiatives of the alliance. Then we will engage participants in strategic dialogue about core questions, best practices, and member-owner value related to cross-sector co-op collaboration. This session is designed to stimulate innovative cooperative leadership for sustainable economic development.
Presenters: Eric DeLuca, Neighboring Food Co-op Association
Erbin Crowell, Cooperative Fund of New England
Morning Session 2
Transformational Communication that Builds Group Cohesiveness
In this day of social networking and multiple ways to communicate with your cooperative, we'll explore the most compelling methods in which you can give and gain information from your group members. We'll explore public domain methods (Facebook, LinkedIn, Blogs) as well as proprietary/internal approaches using current technology and intranet applications.
Presenters: Evan Hackel and Brian Metcalf, Ingage Consulting
Morning Session 3
Co-op Housing and You: Creating Cross Sector Connections for Affordable Manufactured Housing
A 25-year record of impact and scale in the New Hampshire market has been adapted by ROC USA, a social venture network, to make cooperative ownership viable for homeowners in manufactured home communities ("MHC") nationwide. Come prepared to explore opportunities for your co-op to assist home owners and benefit your own co-op. With this new niche of thousands of cooperative members and their communities, you can easily create connections to improve your co-op's bottom line. Explore the multi-pronged strategy to transform the MHC marketplace through cooperative ownership and ROC USA's business model for achieving its mission at scale.
Presenters: Paul Bradley, ROC USA and Jen Caruso, Cooperative Development Institute
12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Hall of Famers Lunch
For lunch, we will network with NCBA members and will be specially inviting Cooperative Hall of Fame inductees (past and present) to join us.
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Session Six | NCBA Afternoon Breakout Session
[4]
Choose one of three sessions:
Afternoon Session 1
On the Right Side of History: Democracy, Equity, Ownership, and the Cooperative Business Model
In this workshop we will discuss the cooperative business model and its ramifications for our economy and society at large. Topics will include cooperative principles, ecological economics and economic justice, and the social and economic effects of the cooperative model. We will sketch the span of past and future history, recount the ascension of democracy, equity and ownership, and observe their logical and natural culmination in the cooperative business model. Cooperatives are Transforming the Economy; indeed they are on the right side of history.
Presenter: Rick Riehle, Pangaea Organica
Afternoon Session 2
Setting the Stage for Strategic Thinking: the Practical Significance of Policy Governance
How do boards of directors fulfill their accountability function in the co-op, honor their relationship with member/owners, define and clarify expectations for themselves, empower and hold management accountable, AND provide valuable leadership? Policy Governance is used by many co-ops as their governance system and yet the full potential of the governance system -- board's providing valuable, energizing, strategic leadership focused on the purpose of the organization -- builds on a clear understanding of the fundamental principles that make up the system. This will be a user-friendly, interactive presentation useful to those using the system or just curious about how it works.
Presenters: Mark Goehring and Marilyn Scholl, CDS Consulting Co-op
Afternoon Session 3
Cleveland's New Evergreen Employee Cooperatives
Learn about Cleveland's new urban development strategy to create jobs and builds assets for low income residents which can be applied in other cities around the nation. With the support of The Cleveland Foundation and local non-profit institutions, neighborhood-based Evergreen cooperatives (1) pay higher wages and benefits to their employee members, (2) build significant assets for working members, (3) have a significant neighborhood multiplier effect, and (4) have a low carbon footprint plus green technology. The initial cooperatives are Evergreen Cooperative Laundry and Ohio Solar Cooperative.
Presenters: Jim Anderson, Evergreen Cooperative Laundry and Ohio Employee Ownership Center
Ted Howard, The Democracy Collaborative
Lillian Kuri, The Cleveland Foundation
3:00 - 3:15 p.m. Break
3:15 - 4:30 p.m. Emerging Co-op Leaders Closing Session
5:00 p.m. National Cooperative Bank reception, Ronald Reagan Building
If you are planning to stay one more night in DC (on your own), come with us to the NCB Annual Meeting & Reception in progress at the nearby Ronald Reagan & International Trade Building. This event is the traditional close of this exciting and informative week in Washington, DC, with many of the NCBA participants attending.