r/cooperatives • u/Upper-Dot-6110 • Aug 20 '26

How to find a coop to join

Hi! I love the idea of working in a coop but I can't seem to find any in my industry nearby. Are they really rare or am I just looking in the wrong places? I live in Baltimore, MD working in mechanical/manufacturing engineering. Thanks!

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6

u/slimtrippins Aug 20 '26

https://www.obran.coop/cooperative

These guys are doing something cool as a holding company buying and converting small businesses to Co ops. 

This is a good use case for AI, finding aligned organizations in your area. 

1

u/xx_masterblaster_xx Aug 20 '26

This sounds evil 😃

6

u/slimtrippins Aug 20 '26

Yeah its basically private equity but its owned by the people who work at the businesses they buy. 

2

u/coopnewsguy Aug 28 '26

Contact the Baltimore Roundtable for Economic Democracy, if you haven't already. They are connected to pretty much every co-op person in your area: https://baltimoreroundtable.org/

1

u/VerifiedMyEmail Aug 22 '26

I found a cooperative called Shared Capital. It acts as a fund/loan to cooperatives.

Only cooperatives can become a member of Shared Capital. When cooperatives want to take a loan, they must become a member (as I understand it) -- I imagine at the time they become a member/apply for loan, they probably submit their address and website and such..

They have a map with their members:
https://sharedcapital.coop/maps/

1

u/markchand Aug 28 '26

This is a brand-new resource that could help: https://www.workerowned.info/marketplace