Thinking of starting a co-operative? Looking to improve or expand your existing operations? We can help. Our toolbox hosts an ever expanding list of resources for you at any point in your co-op evolution.
Can't find what your looking for? Just ask and we will get it for you.
General Co-operative Resources
Coops 101
- Guide to the Co-operative Corporations Act in Ontario
- Co-operative Corporations Act
- FSCO: Guide to Setting Up a Co-op in Ontario
- FactSheet: Co-ops and Not-For-Profits
- Food Co-ops Toolkit (UK)
Start-Up Resources
- FSCO Legislation: Co-operative Corporations Act & Regulation
- FSCO: Tips for Co-operatives Relating to Articles of Incorporation and Amendment
- FSCO: Resolving Co-operative Complaints
- FSCO: Tips for Co-operatives Relating to Offering Statements
- FSCO: Co-operative Forms Index
- FSCO: How to Register a Co-operative
- FSCO Fees under the Co-op Corporations Act
- Seven Steps to Form a Co-op
- Co-op Business Plan Basics
- How to Start a Student-Run Food Co-op
- Succession Planning Through Worker Co-ops
- Solidarity as a Business Model: A Multistakeholder Co-ops Manual
- Food Co-op Feasibility Checklist and Food Co-op Initiative Toolbox
- Why (Some) New Co-ops Fail
- Governance Toolkit
- How to Choose a Business Structure: A Decision Guide
Membership & Engagement
- Community Asset Mapping
- Facilitation and Consensus Decision Making Guides
- Group Decision Making
- Consensus Based Decision Making
- Better Co-op Meetings
- Dotmocracy Handbook
- Open Space Technology
- Guide to Youth Engagement
- Youth Adult Membership Growth Technical Guide - Part 1
- Young Adult Membership Growth Technical Guide - Part 2
- Cloverbelt Community Engagement Manual
Co-op Field Schools Webinar Recordings
- Developing Brand Ambassadors Webinar - July 26 2016
- Group Benefits Webinar Recording
- Financial Management for Co-ops Webinar Recording
- Human Resources and Legal Obligations Webinar
- Co-ops 101 Training for Trainers Webinar Recording
- Director Insurance Webinar Recording
- Farm Co-ops - Creating an Alternative Economy Webinar Dec 12 2016
- Farm Co-ops: A Land Access Option Webinar Dec 15th 2016
- Lessons to start and sustain a farm co-op - June 28 2017
- Working with your Municipality - July 2017
- Co-ops 101 - with On Coop, CCO and LFFC - Aug 2017
Fundraising & Outreach
- Community Capital ToolKit
- Where do you go to raise impact capital?
- Crowdfunding
- Community Bonds 101
- Matching Grants
- Guide to Government of Canada Programs Available to Co-ops
- Dinner Party Hosting Guide
- Food Coop Fundraising Toolkit 2015
- Muskoka Good Food Co-op Member Ambassador Guide
Marketing
Co- op Specific
Online Co-ops
Worker Co-ops
- Resources for Youth Worker Co-ops
- Start a Worker Co-op or Convert an Existing Business
- Succession Planning Through Worker Co-ops
- Systems of Evaluations for Worker Cooperatives
- In Good Company a Guide to Cooperative Employee Ownership
- Think Outside the Boss Manual online
Farming & Farmer Co-ops
- Co-operative Farming: Frameworks for Farming Together
- Wholesale Success: A Guide for Local/Regional Farmers
- Agricultural Co-ops a Means to Achieving Food Security
- Co-operative Community Supported Agriculture: A Multifarm CSA Handbook
- Community Land Trusts and Farmland Conservation
- Co-operative Land Banks
- Collaborative Marketing for Small Farms
- Farmland Access in British Columbia: 4 Innovative Approaches
- Young Agrarians Land Access Guide 5-0
Food Hubs
- Food Hubs Benchmarking Study
- Regional Food Hub Resource Guide
- Food Hub Feasibility Studies from Canada and the US
- Solving Local- A food hubs report from the Wallace Center
- Template Sample - RFP for Aggregation hub
- Food Hub Business Assessment Toolkit
Operational Toolbox
Policy Manuals and By Laws
- LFFC 2017 By-laws
- Eat Local Sudbury Policy ManualV2May152014
- Muskoka Good Food Co-op Revised June 2015
- Gravenhurst Farmers Market
- Safety Manual for Grocery Stores
- LFFC Finance Policy
- LFFC Acknowledgement Policy
Sales
Produce
Purchasing
Human Resources
- Screening sheet for candidates
- Tasks and timeline for hiring
- Health and Safety Awareness Training for Workers and Supervisors
- Accessibility Training: free training modules to meet the training requirements under Ontario’s accessibility laws (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act).
- Wages and Compensation: a road map to establishing a system of compensation
- Conflict management and dispute resolution systems in non unionized organizations
Info graphics, Posters, Fact Sheets and General Reports
- 7 Co-op Principles Poster
- Using the 7 Co-operative Principles in Practical Ways
- US Food Co-op Impact Study
- From Food Desert to Food Oasis: How Co-ops Can Make a Difference
- Genetically Modified Organisms Info graphic
Acknowledgement Policy
Approved Feb 2017 Summary As all people of Canada play a role in the reconciliation process, we the Local Food ...
Read More
Read More
Co-op Sustainability Scorecard
The Co-operative Sustainability Scorecard (2008) was developed as a tool for co-operatives of any size in any sector to create ...
Read More
Read More
Co-op Week Planning Tool Kit
Thanks to the great work of the Saskatchewan Co-operative Association, we have this helpful toolkit to assist co-operatives in planning ...
Read More
Read More
Food Hub Feasibility Studies from Canada and the US
As part of the Food Hubs Project supported by the Local Food Fund, we collected a number of food hub ...
Read More
Read More
Food Co-op Fundraising Toolkit
Why Fundraise? Fundraising facilitates diverse activities for co-ops, including early development, programs, equipment purchases, infrastructure dev... Our Co-op Toolbox is ...
Read More
Read More
Group Benefits Webinar from The Cooperators
On May 25th 2016, the LOFC collaborated with the team at The Cooperators to host a webinar about the group ...
Read More
Read More
The Mustard Seed is hiring a Produce Manager
Do you love local food? Do you want to work with local farmers and produce suppliers to source great food ...
Read More
Read More
Libro Credit Union Awards Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario and Local Organic Food Co-ops Network a Partnership Grant to Build Capacity in the Southwest.
Libro Credit Union Awards Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario and Local Organic Food Co-ops Network a Partnership Grant to Build ...
Read More
Read More
Inspiration, Co-operation and Processing in a Brand New Food Hub
by Sally Miller We met in a bright new board room in Northumberland County’s new Ontario Agri-Food Venture Centre (OAFVC) ...
Read More
Read More