Cooperative Development 

What is cooperative development?

Cooperatives are a natural mechanism for the “have-nots” of an economy to realize their economic potential.  In countries where people lack capital or access to capital and have limited vocational or technical skills, cooperative structures can be an effective mechanism for individuals to pool their resources and skills toward a common economic goal. 

Cooperative development is inherently local, concentrating on the identified mutual needs and self-interest of community members, pooling their resources, sharing expertise and leveraging their collaborative efforts to achieve something that they could not have done individually.

Cooperatives can take advantage of the economies of scale gained from collaboration, in areas such as logistics, marketing, finance, sales and more.  External linkages to supplies, markets or capital are facilitated by aggregating supply and demand to a level that provides the cooperative with bargaining power greater than that of each member individually.  In turn, local economies benefit from the ripple effect of these financial gains.

Applying Best Practices around the World

CHF International is applying a variety of existing best practices and methodological tools to help cooperative stakeholders improve their performance in Bosnia, Mongolia and the Philippines. The Innovating, Measuring and Promoting Poverty Alleviation by Cooperatives in Transition Societies (IMPPACTS) program is working with cooperative organizations to develop enabling environments for the growth of cooperatives businesses in each respective country.

How is CHF International involved in the cooperative movement?

CHF International has been a leading force in the cooperative development movement starting with the U.S. cooperative housing movement in 1952. CHF has since expanded its expertise, programs, and geographic scope to provide individuals and communities around the world with the necessary tools to improve their lives. Over the last five years, CHF has improved the economic circumstances of over 35 million people by assisting 8,300 cooperatives and associations through support in business management, democratic decision-making, and improving the enabling environment in which cooperatives thrive.