Worker cooperatives can tap a diverse array of funding programs and financial mechanisms at the national, state, and regional levels. Below is a comprehensive overview organized by source type – from federal grants and loan guarantees, to cooperative-friendly banks, CDFIs, foundations, and state/local initiatives.

Arizona hosts a diverse cooperative ecosystem spanning worker-owned businesses, consumer-owned retail co-ops, producer cooperatives, housing co-ops, financial cooperatives (credit unions), and support organizations. Below we profile key examples by sector, detailing each organization’s business, governance, alignment with the seven cooperative principles, lessons for Beanchain, collaboration opportunities, and contact information.

Beanchain Coffee is a worker-directed coffee shop and incubator for democratic business practices, located in Mesa, Arizona. It is embracing worker cooperative principles and attempting to build a model that can serve as a bridge for other companies to use to move towards worker ownership and worker cooperative models. With the larger goal of building a Cooperative Network that can allow for scaling while ensuring local worker ownership.