News and Updates

August 1, 2014

Submit Resources to our Library

One of the most valuable assets of the cooperative movement is our collective knowledge, and NASCO’s Shared Resource Library, a constantly growing collection of documents and files, is a tool for sharing that knowledge. Our library relies upon your contributions. Please follow this link to share your co-op’s governance documents, member education materials, and resources.

July 2, 2014

Request for Institute Session Proposals

NASCO is currently accepting session proposals for the 38th annual Cooperative Education and Training Institute. This year's theme, "Co-ops for Life: Owning Our Future," will focus on the importance of individual and organizational development as a strategy for cross-sectoral movement building. We are seeking submissions for workshops, panels, roundtable discussions, and skill-shares.

http://nasco.coop/institute/proposals

The deadline to submit proposals is August 05, 2014. Submissions will be evaluated on a rolling basis, so get your proposal in early! Staff are happy to discuss your session proposal ideas; email Morgan Crawford at morgan@nasco.coop to get in touch.

Presenters receive free registration (1 per session) and partial funding for travel expenses. Because we have limited resources, we may prioritize presenters with lower travel costs or presenters who are able facilitate more than one session.

July 2, 2014

Meet the 2014 Philly Co-op Interns

NASCO Cooperative Internship Network participants Mowie Freeman and Scarlett McIntosh were recently featured in a blog post by the Philadelphia Area Cooperative Alliance (PACA). Check it out!

July 2, 2014

A Blast from the Past

With the support of NASCO board member Jennifer Scott, we made a significant dent this month in our long-term project to digitize our historical archives. While we still have boxes of documents left to scan, we’d like to share some of our progress. We’ve uncovered a lot of old NASCO publications, many of them published and laid out by hand, files on our members dating back several decades, conference materials, and other resources. We’ve included several of these finds in our Shared Resource Library for your curiosity and enjoyment.

July 2, 2014

Welcome Letter from Rek Kwawer, NASCO Director of Operations

Hello, NASCO Members! My name is Rek Kwawer, and I'll be NASCO's new Director of Operations starting in July! I'll be transitioning in the first few weeks from my position as Madison Community Cooperative's (MCC) Member Services Coordinator. I've been on staff at MCC for almost three years, working with members on leasing, debt, education, and membership process. I've also been sitting on both the NASCO Development Services and NASCO Properties boards, so while I'll be new to staff, I'm not new to NASCO. My previous cooperative experience includes two years as a board member at Boston Community Cooperatives and working to establish and purchase the Seed Pod Co-op, and several semesters in the Oberlin Student Cooperative Association as a missed jobs coordinator and sexual offense policy.

July 2, 2014

Cooperatives Building Community Gardens in Minneapolis

As development continues to sweep through Dinkytown - the Minneapolis neighborhood surrounding the University of Minnesota - it is becoming more and more apparent that there are too few options for U of M students to buy fresh veggies in Dinkytown.

Luckily the Boards of Directors of both the Chateau and Marshall Student Housing Cooperatives, member coops of Riverton Community Housing, move efficiently and dynamically to address the needs of their members.

June 30, 2014

NASCO Staff & Board Update

This month, NASCO staff hosted the 25th annual Co-op Staff and Managers Conference in Chicago, IL - staff were joined by 19 participants representing 10 organizations; a Request for Proposals for NASCO Institute was published - please submit workshop proposals by August 05, 2014; staff have been busy creating cooperative educational videos for NASCO's Shared Resource Library; and staff wrapped up the Director of Operations hiring process.

All three NASCO Family boards met simultaneously in Chicago, IL this month. By holding their meetings in the same city, the boards were able to hold a joint-planning session in order to strengthen cross-board relationships and collectively build a renewed vision for NASCO’s future.

June 16, 2014

Housing Co-op Jobs Available!

The Inter-Cooperative Council (ICC) at the University of Michigan is hiring two full-time positions! Please see the hiring announcements linked below for more information.

Director of Member Services - CLOSED
Director of Financial Services - CLOSED

These positions are filled as of Spring 2015.

The Berkeley Student Cooperative (BSC) in Berkeley, California is hiring! Please follow the links below for more information:

June 13, 2014

Hiring Announcement

We are very pleased to welcome Rek Kwawer to the NASCO staff. Rek will be serving as NASCO's Director of Operations, and will be working full time beginning the first week of July. Rek brings experience in large and small coops, student and non-student coops, and coop development. Rek previously served as the Member Services Coordinator for the Madison Community Cooperative.

http://www.nasco.coop/about/staff/profiles

May 30, 2014

NASCO Staff & Board Update

This month, NASCO staff provided on-site training support in Davis, CA to over 70 WestCo participants; began hiring a new Director of Operations; held their annual staff retreat in order to plan for the upcoming year’s events, programs, and member services; attended the annual Cooperative Hall of Fame to honor our heroes and dedicated leaders; continued preparing for the 2014 Staff and Managers Conference; continued preparing for NASCO Institute 2014; published a Request for Proposals to create a new housing co-op; and continued to assist the Lamont Street Collective in Washington D.C. in their development project.

The NASCO Board is participating in an Anti-Oppression Audit of our organization, facilitated by members of the AORTA Collective, and is continuing to prepare for its June board meeting in Chicago, which will be concurrent with the other two NASCO Family Boards’ meetings.