Helping Transform Lives and Communities through Cooperative Enterprise

Northcountry Cooperative Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides education, technical assistance, services and programs to cooperative organizations. In all of our work, we seek to work with people to build organizations that are enduring, co-ops that serve generation after generation of member-owners. To do this, we offer an array of services that support, encourage and assist cooperative enterprises at whatever stage of their development, providing resources for community self-help.

Affordable Housing Cooperatives

Since 2002, we have focused on working with residents in manufactured home communities to assist them to become resident-owned. Manufactured housing is the largest source of unsubsidized affordable housing in the state — housing six percent of Minnesota families. As a ROC USA™ Certified Technical Assistance Provider, we provide cooperative Board training, real estate development services and on-going technical assistance to the homeowners to successfully own and operate their manufactured home communities. 

Training & Education

Since our inception, NCF has provided training and educational programming to over 1500 co-op members representing over 150 cooperatives. Our award winning Traveling Cooperative Institute (TCI) has been influential in providing training to small, rural food and housing cooperatives in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. We coordinate with industry experts to ensure participating cooperatives obtain continuing education, one of the principles shared by all cooperatives.