Cooperative Development Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization engaged in cooperative
development in the United States
. CDF administers revolving loan fund
s, provides grants, and fosters economic development through the formation of cooperatives. CDF is partnered with the National Cooperative Business Association
.
. CDF wrote the check that created the Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe which provided economic relief for Europe.
The Freedom Fund changed its name to the Cooperative Development Foundation in the 1980s and turned its focus to domestic cooperative development, though it still supports international efforts.
to housing cooperative
s, and the Jacob Kaplan Fund for the development of senior housing cooperatives. The Howard Bowers Fund provides scholarships for training the staff and boards of food cooperatives.
United Co-op Appeal, CDF's workplace giving program, raises funds for 18 organizations promoting cooperative development with the support of the Nationwide Foundation. Organizations that benefit from the fund include ACDI/VOCA
, CHF International
, the CDF Fund, Cooperative Development Institute, Cooperative Development Services
, the Cooperative Emergency Fund, the Cooperative Fund of New England, the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund, the CooperationWorks!
Scholarship Fund, the ICA Group
, the MSC Fund, the Jim Jones Fund, the NCBA Fund, the National Network of Forest Practitioners, NRECA International Foundation, Northwest Cooperative Development Center, the Shirley K. Sullivan Fund, and the Women’s Action to Gain Economic Security.
CDF played a key role in organizing relief efforts by cooperatives following the 9/11 attacks. In the aftermath of the Asian Tsunami
and Hurricane Katrina
, CDF raised close to $200,000 for economic recovery.
CDF also administers the annual Cooperative Hall of Fame, that recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to cooperatives.
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...
. CDF administers revolving loan fund
Revolving Loan Fund
A Revolving Loan Fund is a source of money from which loans are made for multiple small business development projects. Revolving loan funds share many characteristics with microcredit, micro-enterprise, and village banking, namely providing loans to persons or groups of people that do not qualify...
s, provides grants, and fosters economic development through the formation of cooperatives. CDF is partnered with the National Cooperative Business Association
National Cooperative Business Association
Founded in 1916 as the Cooperative League of America, the National Cooperative Business Association is a United States membership organization for cooperatives, businesses that are jointly-owned and democratically-controlled....
.
History
The Cooperative Development Foundation was founded in 1944 as The Freedom Fund. The organization initially assisted in the development and reconstruction of cooperatives in Europe after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. CDF wrote the check that created the Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe which provided economic relief for Europe.
The Freedom Fund changed its name to the Cooperative Development Foundation in the 1980s and turned its focus to domestic cooperative development, though it still supports international efforts.
Programs
CDF administers the Kagawa Fund, a fund providing gap financingGap financing
Gap Financing is a term mostly associated with mortgage loans or property loans. It is an interim loan given to finance the difference between the floor loan and the maximum permanent loan as committed....
to 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, and the Jacob Kaplan Fund for the development of senior housing cooperatives. The Howard Bowers Fund provides scholarships for training the staff and boards of food cooperatives.
United Co-op Appeal, CDF's workplace giving program, raises funds for 18 organizations promoting cooperative development with the support of the Nationwide Foundation. Organizations that benefit from the fund include ACDI/VOCA
ACDI/VOCA
ACDI/VOCA is a private, international development nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C, United States...
, CHF International
CHF International
CHF International is an international development and humanitarian aid organization that operates in approximately thirty countries per year. The non-profit organization was founded in 1952 as the Cooperative Housing Foundation and provided affordable housing for low-income families in rural and...
, the CDF Fund, Cooperative Development Institute, Cooperative Development Services
Cooperative Development Services
Cooperative Development Services is a non-profit organization engaged in cooperative development in the United States. CDS works primarily with food cooperatives and senior housing cooperatives, providing consultation services and co-sponsoring conferences and programs for board members, managers...
, the Cooperative Emergency Fund, the Cooperative Fund of New England, the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund, the CooperationWorks!
CooperationWorks!
CooperationWorks! is a network of organizations promoting rural development through the formation of cooperatives in the United States. CooperationWorks! is organized as a cooperative of 21 member development centers...
Scholarship Fund, the ICA Group
ICA Group
The ICA Group is an American not-for-profit entity specializing in consulting organizations wishing to become fully owned by the employees. The organization has a reliable work history with the NCBA. While ICA primarily provides consultation to worker cooperatives, it also offers support to ESOPs,...
, the MSC Fund, the Jim Jones Fund, the NCBA Fund, the National Network of Forest Practitioners, NRECA International Foundation, Northwest Cooperative Development Center, the Shirley K. Sullivan Fund, and the Women’s Action to Gain Economic Security.
CDF played a key role in organizing relief efforts by cooperatives following the 9/11 attacks. In the aftermath of the Asian Tsunami
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
and Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, CDF raised close to $200,000 for economic recovery.
CDF also administers the annual Cooperative Hall of Fame, that recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to cooperatives.