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 Materials
- 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
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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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) ...
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