Presented at: GSEF2016 Montreal

Organisation: City of Cleveland (Government and public agencies)

Date: September 7, 2016

Presenter: Ms. Tracey Nichols (Director of Economic Development)

Contacts: tnichols2@city.cleveland.oh.us

Summary:

The Evergreen Cooperatives of Cleveland, Ohio in the United States bring together philanthropy, nonprofit technical assistance, and city government to redirect institutional spending by hospitals, universities, and other place-based partners and seed cooperative enterprises. In so doing, and embedded in a broader Greater University Circle Initiative, along with other social inclusion initiatives, the partners aim to reverse long-term economic dislocation in the Rust Belt. Today, after a decade’s work, three Evergreen Cooperatives employ 120 residents from low-income, African American neighborhoods. These businesses include an energy-efficient commercial laundry, an energy and construction business that does solar and LED lighting installation, and a one-and-a-half-hectare hydroponic greenhouse. Although modest, the businesses are growing, with more in development. Furthermore, other U.S. cities have taken notice, with some passing legislation to encourage worker cooperative development, while others, such as Richmond, Virginia and Rochester, New York, are in the process of developing similar community-based business networks in their cities.