On October 2, more than 450 co-operators gathered in Washington, DC, for the 2024 Co-op Impact Conference, hosted by the United States’ National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA Clusa).
The Impact Conference is the United States’ only cross-sector co-operative event, aiming to gather and galvanise the country’s co-op movement. This year’s theme was “The Future is Cooperative”.
“With the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives on the horizon, now is the time to build momentum toward a better tomorrow, together,” said NCBA Clusa.
The conference agenda covered topics from leveraging AI to strengthening co-op democracy, to the role local elections play in advancing co-op development, described by NCBA Clusa as “an invitation to shape a co-operative future that is inclusive, resilient and sustainable”.
A new addition to this year’s programme, Impact’s Lightning Talks gave speakers an opportunity to share their game-changing ideas and innovative strategies, with the aim of propelling the co-operative movement into the future.
Inspired by the TEDx Talk format, NCBA Clusa said the Lightning Talks “ignited discussion, inspired action and helped shape the future of the cooperative movement”.
Topics included AI, diversity, equity and inclusion, Gen Z and millennial empowerment, Principle 6, volunteer leadership and measuring co-op impact.
NCBA Clusa partnered with the worker-owned tilde Language Justice Cooperative, to provide simultaneous interpretation in Spanish and English on all programming at this year’s conference.
“With presenters speaking in both Spanish and English, we enjoyed a truly bilingual experience for the first time in Impact history,” said NCBA Clusa, adding that almost 70 board members and observers from Cooperatives of the Americas were in attendance at this year’s event, bringing perspectives from Central and South America and the Caribbean.
The conference’s International Track, hosted by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Overseas Cooperative Development Council, included a session on unpacking co-operative ecosystems, as well as the presentation of a new report exploring the difference co-ops make in Central America. The study found a positive measurable difference for co-op members, who on average are better off economically, have more social capital and are less likely to migrate.
In anticipation of the US election, Impact dedicated time for local elected officials who shared strategies on how to influence pivotal local elections, where policies that shape the future of co-operatives are decided.
The conference also saw co-operators attending meetings in the House, Senate, and Agency offices to educate staff on co-op legislative priorities as part of NCBA Clusa’s ‘Hike the Hill’ event.
Eighty co-operators from sectors including finance, credit unions, agriculture, housing, health, food, purchasing, and co-op development, attended to advocate on a broad range of issues.
One of the key priorities discussed during Hike the Hill was co-operative tax status, with advocates arguing for the preservation and extension of existing tax deductions for co-ops. Housing was also on the agenda, with Congress urged to revitalise support the construction, rehabilitation, and conversion of multifamily rental properties to co-op ownership through Federal Housing Administration backed mortgage loans.
A number of recommendations were made around agriculture, such as the reauthorization of the 2024 Farm Bill, the modernisation of the Rural Cooperative Development Grant Program, and improvement on the Rural Energy Savings Program.
Support was also called for when it comes to enabling employee ownership in the States, as well as overseas co-operative development through programmes such as USAID-administered Feed the Future, Farmer-to-Farmer, and the Cooperative Development Program.
“Grassroots advocacy is a critical component,” said NCBA Clusa, adding, “There are no better advocates for co-operatives than the member-owners doing the work within their communities.
“Co-op member education left its footprint on the Hill and across many congressional offices. The work of these co-operators will pay dividends as NCBA Clusa continues to advocate for cooperative priorities throughout the end of the year and into 2025. ”
