EDC Selected as a Cooperative Education Fund Grant Recipient
In December 2021, Evanston Development Cooperative (EDC) was named one of the thirteen organizations selected for a grant from the Cooperative Education Fund, an initiative of the Cooperative Development Foundation.
In partnership with the Evanston Public Library, EDC plans to utilize the award to carry out a “Solidarity Economy Series.” Through a series of educational events, the primary purpose of the series is to offer participants an in-depth understanding of cooperatives and the solidarity economy landscape, in order to spark conversations around how to bring solidarity economy initiatives to fruition in our community.
According to the New Economy Coalition, "the solidarity economy is a global movement to build a just and sustainable economy where we prioritize people and the planet over endless profit and growth. Growing out of social movements in Latin America and the Global South, the solidarity economy provides real alternatives to capitalism, where communities govern themselves through participatory democracy, cooperative and public ownership, and a culture of solidarity and respect for the earth."
The events aim to promote connections between interested individuals and organizations, deepen relationships among those already working in the cooperative ecosystem, and create a gathering space for the creation of new collaborative opportunities. Additionally, the events aim to serve as a tool for regional organizations and governments to learn more about cooperatives as a vehicle for community wealth-building and equitable economic recovery in response to the COVID-19 recession, especially in historically marginalized communities. Finally, the event series aims to intentionally promote BIPOC (Black/Indigenous/People of Color) community wellbeing and prosperity.
In addition to our design-build services, EDC strives to be an engaged advocate, organizer, and educator around issues of racial equity, housing affordability, cooperative economics, and climate action in our region. With regards to the solidarity economy, we played a supporting role in the 2020 Chicagoland Worker Cooperative Convening and are eager to continue cooperative organizing in the Evanston community through this grant project.
The Cooperative Education Fund supports cooperative research, sponsors cooperative education events and scholarships, and develops cooperative education materials and programs. The Fund provides about $100,000 in grants annually. The Fund is a project of the Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF), a public charity headquartered in Washington, DC that promotes and develops cooperatives to improve economic opportunities for all.
To stay tuned for information on solidarity economy events in 2022, please sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of our website or follow us on Twitter or Facebook.