Cooperatives For A Better World

RURAL ENERGY PILOT GRANTS

SMALL BUSINESSES ARE THE BACKBONE OF RURAL ECONOMIES, ACCOUNTING FOR MORE THAN 56% OF EMPLOYMENT OUTSIDE OF METROPOLITAN AREAS (U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION). HOWEVER, RURAL SMALL BUSINESSES FACE SIGNIFICANT GROWTH CHALLENGES, WITH 82% OF RURAL SMALL BUSINESSES HAVING NO PAID EMPLOYEES. BECAUSE OF THEIR SIZE, MANY RURAL BUSINESSES ARE TOO SMALL TO GET THE BEST PRICES FROM SUPPLIERS, INVEST IN NEW TECHNOLOGY, OR DEDICATE TIME TO IMPROVING HOW THEY PURCHASE GOODS AND SERVICES (I.E., THEY HAVE LIMITED PURCHASING POWER). PURCHASING COOPERATIVES HELP ADDRESS THIS CHALLENGE BY BRINGING BUSINESSES TOGETHER SO THEY CAN PURCHASE GOODS AND SERVICES AS A GROUP. BY COMBINING THEIR PURCHASING NEEDS, BUSINESSES CAN NEGOTIATE PRICE DISCOUNTS THAT MAY OTHERWISE BE AVAILABLE ONLY TO LARGER COMPANIES--AND THEY CAN USE THOSE SAVINGS TO RE-INVEST IN EMPLOYEES, NEW TECHNOLOGY, AND BUSINESS EXPANSION.COOPERATIVES FOR A BETTER WORLD (DBA START.COOP) WILL IMPROVE THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF RURAL COMMUNITIES (TARGETING KANSAS, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEW MEXICO, AND OKLAHOMA) BY PROVIDING TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR RURAL BUSINESSES TO START, EXPAND, AND/OR STRENGTHEN PURCHASING COOPERATIVES. START.COOP'S METHODOLOGY INCLUDES PROVIDING HANDS-ON TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, COHORT-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES, AND ADOPTION OF AI-POWERED TOOLS TO HELP RURAL SMALL BUSINESSES LAUNCH AND SCALE PURCHASING COOPERATIVES. THESE SERVICES WILL BE DELIVERED THROUGH VIRTUAL CLASSES, ONE-ON-ONE COACHING, AND ONLINE LEARNING RESOURCES.ULTIMATELY, THIS PROJECT WILL ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF CREATING AND PRESERVING JOBS, STRENGTHENING SMALL BUSINESSES, AND BUILDING THE LONG-TERM ECONOMIC VITALITY OF RURAL COMMUNITIES. BY LEVERAGING PURCHASING COOPERATIVES AS A WAY FOR BUSINESSES TO IMPROVE THEIR COLLECTIVE PURCHASING POWER AND REDUCE COSTS, THE PROJECT WILL HELP SMALL BUSINESSES BECOME MORE SUSTAINABLE AND BETTER POSITIONED FOR GROWTH. THE BROADER IMPACT WILL BE STRONGER RURAL ECONOMIES, GREATER COMMUNITY WEALTH, AND MORE STABLE EMPLOYMENT, HELPING RURAL BUSINESSES AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE NOT ONLY SURVIVE, BUT THRIVE.

RCDG - GRANTS TO ASSIST MINORITY PRODUCERS

RCDG - GRANTS TO ASSIST MINORITY PRODUCERS