News and Updates

November 8, 2017
The NASCO Cooperative Hall of Fame, created in 1989, honors the best of our movement.  We use the Hall of Fame as a means for NASCO member co-ops to provide broader recognition to individuals who have made a truly significant impact. This year, a committee of former Hall of Fame inductees and current NASCO board members selected three individuals to join the Hall of Fame:
 
Kaitlin Oki
Mover & Shaker
 
When you ask a Pierce Co-op member about their involvement with Solar Community Housing Association (SCHA), it is likely they will tell you that is was Kaitlin’s extraordinary dedication that inspired them to make time in their busy schedules for SCHA Committee work. During a critical point for the SCHA, Kaitlin played a vital role in liaising between the Tri Co-ops and the SCHA, supporting staff, and designing systems for the newly expanded organization. Following the co-expansion, Kaitlin continued to be very actively engaged with SCHA committees and the board. Kaitlin is a leader by example, and her initiation and facilitation skills have contributed to the community’s overall cohesiveness and ability to work through conflict over the years.
November 7, 2017
Voting will soon be open for the four open seats on NASCO's board. We encourage you to read the candidate statements here!
A panel to meet the candidates will be held at the Annual General Meeting at NASCO Institute on Sunday, November 12, 2017.
 
When voting opens, each Active Member and Individual Member will receive a ballot by email. Ballots will be due on January 12, 2018. 
October 24, 2017

Pre-order a NASCO Institute 2017 shirt for $25 USD/ $30 CAD when you register for our conference!
Printed on Cotton Bella + Canvas Unisex Jersey Short-Sleeve T-Shirt.

October 4, 2017
Are you excited about the cooperative movement and eager to participate in the world of cooperatives beyond your home cooperative?
 
Do you have experience with board governance, grassroots fundraising, meeting facilitation, co-op management or committee leadership? 
 
Do you want to be part of a bi-national organization that develops new cooperatives, manages common equity houses, and reaches thousands of cooperators in the U.S. and Canada with cooperative education?
 
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should consider running for the NASCO Board of Directors!
 
NASCO is very excited to announce the beginning of the nomination process for seats on our Board of Directors. Elections are conducted annually by the NASCO Board of Directors for four of its 12 three-year seats. These directors will begin their terms at the Spring 2018 board meeting. 
 
The NASCO Board of Directors has primary responsibility for setting the organization's policies and directions while acting as trustee of the entire organization. As such, Board members do not represent individual co-ops.
September 1, 2017

Over 400 participants will converge on Ann Arbor, Michigan from November 10th through 12th, 2017 to share ideas, learn new skills, and look at issues affecting the cooperative movement worldwide.

Since 1977, NASCO's Cooperative Education & Training Institute has been widely recognized as one of the most important training and networking opportunities available to members, directors, staff and managers of group-equity cooperatives.

The annual NASCO Institute is always a one-of-a-kind opportunity to network with hundreds of cooperative leaders and employers, to caucus about pressing issues, and to work on building an inclusive and accessible cooperative movement.

For more information, visit: https://www.nasco.coop/institute

August 31, 2017

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our Director of Community Engagement, Ratih Sutrisno, at ratih@nasco.coop or by calling 630-400-5651.
August 16, 2017

Low-Income Scholarship Fund

The NASCO Low-Income Scholarship Fund supports low-income emerging cooperative leaders who would otherwise be unable to attend the Institute by offsetting their registration fees ($220 for members, $420 for non-members) and travel expenses ($50 to $400). This program allows NASCO to create a more economically and geographically diverse demographic of attendees by providing support to youth who live in remote locations and/or are not receiving organizational support. 

The costs of the Institute are kept low through partnerships with local co-ops to provide free housing and with student organizations to reduce the cost of university facilities, along with the generously donated time and expertise of Institute presenters. Member dues subsidize registration costs for NASCO member cooperatives. Many scholarship recipients are from small or developing cooperatives that have not yet joined NASCO, and do not have institutional support for their attendance. Any amount contributed to the Low-Income Scholarship Fund will directly increase attendance, encourage diverse representation, promote leadership, and inspire new cooperative development. Whatever the amount, we appreciate your support. 

August 11, 2017

The NASCO Cooperative Hall of Fame, created in 1989, honors the best of our movement. Our hope is to use the Hall of Fame as a means for NASCO member co-ops to provide broader recognition to individuals who have had a truly significant impact.

As a member of the NASCO community, you may have knowledge of someone past or present who is deserving of recognition. Nominations can honor people that perhaps should have been recognized long ago: a co-op founder, a long-time member or employee or any other significant contributor. We are also eager to show that current members and staff can have a similar impact on their cooperatives, so we make a special effort to induct some individuals who are current or recent 'movers and shakers'.

A committee of NASCO board members, advisors, and former honorees will select inductees to the Hall of Fame for 2017. The induction ceremony will take place on the Saturday evening of NASCO Institute, November 11, 2017.

Nomination forms must be returned by September 15, 2017 via email to ratih@nasco.coop or to the NASCO Office at: NASCO, 1100 W Cermak Rd #514 Chicago, IL 60608.

August 2, 2017
On June 30th, Morgan Crawford stepped down as NASCO's Director of Education.
 
Morgan joined the NASCO staff in 2013, after a brief term as NASCO Board President. In his for years on staff, Morgan helped to triple attendance at our annual conference for co-op staff and managers, grow and fortify NASCO Institute, reboot the Cooperative Internship Network, strengthen our external communications and branding, and build relationships with many cooperative movement partners. He had the pleasure of working closely with dozens of co-ops and hundreds of amazing co-op leaders, and has seen NASCO’s programs grow and our members thrive throughout this work.
 
In September, Morgan will begin a new project with the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives, supporting their efforts nationally and at home in New York City. In the meantime, he is spending time with his family and sailing a historic tallship in the New York Harbor. Morgan looks forward to continuing to support NASCO, and welcomes you to join him at NASCO Institute this November!
 
Please join us in recognizing Morgan’s contributions the past five years on the NASCO Board and as a part of the staff collective. We have been proud of the progress that has been made with Morgan with us.
June 5, 2017

North American Students of Cooperation (NASCO) is accepting applications for the position of Director of Education.

Established in 1968 by members of student housing cooperatives, NASCO is a bi-national membership association of non-profit cooperatives in the US and Canada. With nearly 60 member cooperatives representing 3,000 cooperators, NASCO is governed by three separate boards and is served by five staff focusing on distinct program areas: Education; Development; Property management; Community engagement; and Operations.

NASCO operates using a non-hierarchical management structure, and this position will be joining the consensus-based staff collective after a probationary period of three months. All staff collective members are expected to actively participate in the management of the organization.

Position Description

The Director of Education (DE) is responsible for developing, managing, and implementing NASCO’s educational programs.