Course Overview
Wellspring Cooperative, Democracy at Work and the People’s Network for Land and Liberation are partnering to offer this 14-week Co-op Boot Camp, which Wellspring has been offering since 2017. The course is designed to empower individuals from underserved communities with the knowledge and skills to establish and manage worker-owned cooperatives. Our organizations are committed to fostering economic democracy through worker co-op development as well as by building local solidarity economy ecosystems.
Course Dates: Every Tuesday, June 16 – Sept. 15, 2026
Time: 6:00pm – 9:00pm ET (3 hours per week)
Instructors: Emily Kawano & Hector Figarella (Wellspring Cooperative)
Course Outline
Weeks 1–4: Introduction to Cooperatives
- History and principles of cooperatives
- Understanding the solidarity economy
- Roles of worker-owners
- Assessing personal and team readiness
Weeks 5–14: Building a Cooperative Business
- Identifying community needs
- Creating a business plan
- Governance & democratic structures
- Financial planning and capital
- Marketing and legal considerations
- Strategies for sustainability and scaling
Tuition
Sliding Scale: $100–$500 (based on honor-based self-reported income)
- Under $25,000 – $100
- $25,001–$40,000 – $200
- $40,001–$60,000 – $300
- $60,001–$80,000 – $400
- Above $80,000 – $500
Course Application
Only teams (2+ members) may apply. Preference is given to those serving low- to moderate-income communities. No business plan needed — we’ll help with that! Applicants will be vetted by the instructors, and if accepted the fee is $100-500 for the entire course based on an "honor-based trust sliding scale." This means offering reduced fees based on a client's income and ability to pay, and we trust you to provide honest self-reporting of your financial situation. This is a solidarity approach that relies on good faith, rather than requiring formal verification of income. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until June 10th, 2026. Applicants who are selected will be notified via email by the instructors and will have until June 12th to accept and register for the course.
Questions? Contact [email protected]
Interested? Fill out the application below.