Celebrating the Year of Cooperatives Together
National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA CLUSA)
The National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International (NCBA CLUSA) is the primary voice in the United States for people who use cooperatives to build a better world—from credit unions to small, independent business co-ops.
- In our work to develop, advance and protect cooperative enterprise, including credit unions, we empower people to build shared prosperity and well-being for themselves and future generations.
- We are a trade association for credit unions and other cooperative businesses in the United States.
- Be part of the only cross-sector cooperative network elevating the national conversation around a trusted, proven way to do business and build communities. Become a member today!
Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF)
The Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation headquartered in Washington, DC that promotes and develops cooperatives to improve economic opportunities for all. Founded in 1944, CDF emphasizes cross-sector collaboration, sharing of resources and cooperative development, education, and research.
- A thought leader in the use of cooperatives to create resilient communities, including the housing and care needs of seniors.
- CDF brings together the funds and partners to incubate, replicate and elevate cooperatives.
- Through our funds, fiscal sponsorships and fundraising, CDF provides grants and loans that foster cooperative development domestically and internationally.
- We are the non-profit affiliate of NCBA CLUSA.
International Centre for Co-operative Management
The International Centre for Co-operative Management at Saint Mary’s University is your go-to centre for customized education and research on co-operatives and credit unions. The Centre exists to elevate the global co-operative sector through education, research and knowledge dissemination.
We offer something for every co-operator, including:
- Part-time online graduate programs in co-operative and credit union management
- International study tours
- A week-long credit union leadership program (CanadaDE)
- One-day executive education on governance and management
- Open-source research, free webinars and more.
2025 Cooperative Hall of Fame
Welcoming new co-op heroes
As part celebrating the Year of Cooperatives, the co-op community in the U.S. will honor four outstanding cooperative leaders in October: Lori Capouch, Randy Lee, J. Tom Webb and this year's Unsung Hero, Estelle Witherspoon.
Join the Cooperative Development Fund on Thursday, October 9 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC to welcome this year's co-op heroes into the Cooperative Hall of Fame!
The Cooperative Hall of Fame provides CDF with funds to support co-op development and education. We invite you to honor these heroes during the Year of Cooperatives by supporting CDF and the cooperative community through event sponsorship.
The 2025 Cooperative Hall of Fame inductees, from left:
- Lori Capouch, Rural Development Director, retired, North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives
- Randy Lee, Chief Financial Officer, retired, PCC Community Markets
- J. Tom Webb, Founder, Master of Management, Co-operatives and Credit Unions Program, International Centre for Co-operative Management, Saint Mary’s University
- Estelle Witherspoon, Unsung Hero, Founding Member and Board President, Freedom Quilting Bee.
It's never too late to think about credit union leaders to nominate to the 2026 Cooperative Hall of Fame!
Happy Year of Cooperatives!
Did you know... credit unions are cooperatives?
As member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperatives, credit unions put people over profit. In partnership with the broader co-op ecosystem, credit unions are building a better world. To celebrate the role credit unions and other cooperatives play in helping people and communities thrive, the United Nations recognized 2025 as the Year of Cooperatives.
Our Year of Cooperatives resources:
- Co-op Impact Report: Designed to empower and advance cooperatives like yours, this new report collects compelling impact data and powerful stories from close to 100 cross-sector co-ops in the U.S.
- Tell your credit union story: A new tax on credit unions would harm millions of Americans who rely on these financial cooperatives for economic stability. What's at stake in your community? Share your story for a chance to be featured at NCBA CLUSA's 2025 Cooperative IMPACT Conference.
- Cooperative Business Playbook: A policymaker's guide to economic security through cooperatives. Plug into our advocacy work, including efforts to preserve the credit union tax status.
Connect with NCBA CLUSA
Co-op Circle is an online community for NCBA CLUSA members and stakeholders to share ideas, get feedback and be part of engaging discussions, events and more. We created Co-op Circle to empower the co-op community to connect and build true “cooperation among cooperatives” in the spirit of Principle 6.
Join NCBA CLUSA to connect with cooperators from across sectors who are working to defend the cooperative business model during the Year of Cooperatives.