Evergreen Cooperative Corporation

Support of Evergreen Business Services, Inc. for operations including worker, board and management education and management assistance.

Employee training

Compensation for key management with respect to Evergreen Business Services, Inc., Evergreen Cooperative Development Fund, LLC and other start-up cooperative ventures. Key management is charged with the responsibility to share their knowledge regarding cooperative ownership, capital planning and budgets, strategic planning, the importance and roles of company board of directors and committees, and other important business concepts with the board, staff, and employees of the cooperative companies. Former workers had the opportunity to apply for the jobs and those retained immediately received a $1/hour pay increase. The workers are eligible to become members of the cooperative association after 6-months employment and share in the profits of the company. This also prevented the laundry contract being awarded to an out-of-town provider and leaving the laundry facility located in the low-income area vacant.

Feasibility study for Internet Service Provider (ISP) cooperative

BIG for TFEO for acquisitions

JP Morgan Chase Foundation

NWF Start-Up expenses

THE FUND FOR EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIPDuring 2017, much time and effort was spent in responding to a RFP from the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco and the New World Foundation to receive a forgivable Program Related Investment (PRI) from their Quality Jobs Fund. The purpose of the award is to convert existing small business located in low-to-moderate income areas whose owner(s) want to retire to worker-owned businesses. In October 2017, we were one of three organizations awarded $5 million payable in five (5) tranches in the first round. The PRI documents were not finalized until April 2018. One million dollars of the award will be converted to a grant for every 100 created/retained jobs converted to worker-ownership. During 2019, The Kendeda Fund granted ECC $8 million over 4 years to further capitalize The Fund for Employee Ownership. Restricted use of $6,500,000 is for ECC to acquire and convert existing small businesses to employee owned business. Th

Support of Green City Growers Cooperative for start-up operations including worker, board and management education and management assistance.

Support of Evergreen Real Estate Corporation for new market tax credits.

Evergreen Housing includes assistance with site inspections of the houses, providing the documentation worker-owners of their association need to apply, coordinating the housing and financial training needed to be completed prior to purchasing a house. The program is a joint program between Cleveland Housing Network & Evergreen Cooperative Corporation whereby Members can purchase a home primarily located in Greater University Circle, 0% interest, tax abatement, and the homes usually paid off within 5 years via payroll deductoin. At 12/31/17, 19 worker-owners purchased homes; eleven (11) were community re-entry, i.e. formerly in the penal system. Without this program, none of them would have had the opportunity to purchase a home.