2017 ANNUAL REPORT COOPERATIVE The National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International For more than a century our mission remains constant; to develop, advance, and protect cooperative enterprise. Our work highlights the impact that cooperatives have in the economic success of communities around the world, building a more inclusive economy. II NCBA CLUSA Annual ReportCover: 2017Networking attendees of the inaugural 2017 Cooperative IMPACT Conference Contents From the Chairman of the Board 2 President & CEO Message 3 Membership 5 Public Awareness 6 Co-op Festival 7 COOPERATIVE IMPACT Conference 7 Advocacy 8 Programs 10 Overview 10 Practice Areas 12 Financial Report 18 Board Members 20 Leadership 21 Annual Report 2017 NCBA CLUSA 1 “ We look forward to upholding that legacy—connecting, unifying and amplifying the cooperative movement, and fulfilling our role as the primary voice for people who use cooperatives to build a better, more inclusive world...” From the Chairman “ “We look forward to… connecting, unifying and amplifying the cooperative business model, and fulfilling our role as the primary voice for people who use cooperatives to build a better, more inclusive world...” Andrew Jacob, Chair From its inception, NCBA CLUSA has NCBA CLUSA, he served as Senior Advisor Jacob serves as the unified the voice of cooperative businesses for Rural Affairs on the White House Chief Regulatory, across the nation. This legacy of Domestic Policy Council. With an extensive Legislative and empowering people in their businesses career focused on empowering people Compliance Officer at to build resilient communities is just as and communities in rural places, Doug CoBank important today as it was 102 years ago. has the unique combination of skills and We look forward to upholding that legacy— experience to lead NCBA CLUSA into its connecting, unifying and amplifying the next 100 years. He has an appreciation cooperative business model, and fulfilling for the diversity of cooperatives, and our role as the primary voice for people their contributions in creating a strong who use cooperatives to build a better, and vital cooperative sector in the U.S. more inclusive economy and world. and globally, using the power of the cooperative principles to build a better In December of 2017, Judy Ziewacz retired world. Welcome, Doug. from her role as president and CEO of the association. On behalf of the NCBA The NCBA CLUSA Board of Directors CLUSA board, we thank Judy for her years continued its unwavering focus on its of dedicated service to the association vision of an inclusive economy through the and decades of fearless leadership in power of cooperatives to create a shared and commitment to cooperatives and prosperity among people and empower cooperative development. We honor her people to have greater control over their accomplishments as a powerful cooperative economic security. Through NCBA CLUSA’s advocate who received the much- programs of advocacy, development, deserved recognition as an inductee in the thought leadership and public awareness, Cooperative Hall of Fame. Thank you, Judy, we are proud to partner with our members for your service. to advance the cooperative business model and build a better world for all! On January 1, 2018 the board of directors appointed Doug O’Brien as the new president and CEO. Doug joined NCBA CLUSA in November of 2016 as the Executive Vice President for Programs, overseeing the domestic and international work of the association. Prior to joining 2 NCBA CLUSA Annual Report 2017 “ We look forward to upholding that legacy—connecting, unifying and amplifying the cooperative movement, and fulfilling our role as the primary voice for people who use cooperatives to build a better, more inclusive world...” Our Cooperative Moment “ As a collaborative partner in, advocate for, and driver of an inclusive economy, NCBA CLUSA envisions a world where people are empowered to contribute to shared prosperity and well-being for themselves and future generations.” Doug O’Brien President and CEO Cooperatives are always a In 2016, NCBA CLUSA celebrated 100 of communities and their connections to years of supporting cooperative businesses. markets that supply their goods. good idea. In times of economic Facing a new century of advancing, or social anxiety, the values, principles In this context and with clear signs of promoting and defending cooperative and utility of co-ops become even more increasing interest in the cooperative model, businesses, we find ourselves in the middle relevant. This was true at the turn of NCBA CLUSA is focused on increasing of the next major cooperative moment. the 20th century, as we moved from an the influence and impact of cooperatives, Throughout the pages of this report you agricultural to an industrial economy, in the leveraging the cooperative business will learn about the efforts taking place to 1930s as we struggled under the weight model and the shared resources of our create a more inclusive economy, discover of the depression, and in the 1960s and movement to engage, partner with and the work being done in various parts of 70s as many became dissatisfied with empower people from all walks of life, and the world to empower people through the the status quo domestically while others in particular those left behind by a shifting cooperative principles and learn about the saw cooperatives as a key strategy for economy who face the greatest barriers to activities that elevate the success of doing poverty alleviation in developing countries business the cooperative way. achieving this goal around the world. The result is that millions of people own, control and benefit from The Challenge Positioned to Lead their own businesses in the U.S.; these Today we find that people desire a deeper In 2017 NCBA CLUSA’s board of directors cooperatives employ over 2 million people connection to the economy and their set a new vision for the association. This and represent over $74 billion in annual community. Economic and social forces vision charts a path for NCBA CLUSA as a wages with revenues reaching nearly over recent decades have in large part collaborative partner in, advocate for, and $650 billion. separated people from the businesses driver of an inclusive economy, in which they use. The nature of work is changing, people around the world are empowered with knowledge-based jobs on the rise and to contribute to shared prosperity and many crucial lower-wage jobs declining, well-being for themselves and future resulting in workers losing their tether generations. to workplace economic security. From a global perspective, economic resilience and This new vision has led to increased focus stability for communities are under serious on our member supported advocacy, public threat from an unpredictable and rapidly awareness and thought leadership work changing climate, political tension and lack and increased the scope of our international of access to markets. Extreme weather and domestic development efforts. events continue to place undue stress Continued next page on an already challenged food system, threatening the stability and sustainability Annual Report 2017 NCBA CLUSA 3 Our Cooperative Moment “ We are focused on leveraging Over the past year, the live discussions build a more inclusive economy. Through at the National Press Club and in our the continued support of our members strategic partnerships with headquarters office brought together and the enthusiasm of cooperative entities both internal and leaders from a variety of sectors and champions throughout the nation, we are connected the principled cooperative committed to capturing the potential of external to the cooperative approach to societal issues. 2017 provided this cooperative moment and continue community that share ... thought leadership based on intellectual to seek out opportunities to elevate the common goals.” and analytical rigor, showing the beneficial cooperative business model as a preferred impacts of the cooperative business model strategy of addressing societal and on the economy and society through assets economic challenges. that include the Council of Cooperative Economists, the Cooperative Business Our advocacy work seeks to accelerate the Journal, and the annual Cooperative development and support of cooperative IMPACT Conference. businesses by partnering with and influencing federal, state and private sector decisions. And in our development efforts we continue Doug O’Brien We continue to work in partnership with the to seek ways to innovatively partner President & CEO Interagency Working Group for Cooperative and support the domestic cooperative Development and the Congressional development community, as well as deepen Cooperative Business Caucus, as well as our impact in our extensive international provide a framework that empowers our development work. We are focused on members to work with state and local leveraging strategic partnerships with legislators to improve the policy environment entities both internal and external to the for cooperatives. cooperative community that share these common goals. We continually strive to increase public awareness to expand our audience and Our Commitment reach both cooperative and non-cooperative Membership support continues to be critical communities. The success of the first Co-op in bolstering NCBA CLUSA’s efforts to fulfill Festival on the National Mall provided a our mission on behalf of the cooperative highly visible engagement opportunity for movement. Strong financial rigor continues our members and elevated the visibility of to provide the critical resources for NCBA cooperatives. CLUSA’s activities and has ensured the continued growth and impact of our organization. The activities outlined in this report establish a firm foundation for the future work of NCBA CLUSA as we strive to establish cooperatives as the best tool to 4 NCBA CLUSA Annual Report 2017 Membership…makes our work possible Together, the members of NCBA Our members also feature prominently in research and data needed to quantify the CLUSA are making huge strides in our newsletter, Co-op Weekly, which reaches economic impact of co-ops.