Additional Resources

Sources of Information on Employee Ownership

The National Center for Employee Ownership
A private, nonprofit membership and research organization that is a source of information on employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), broadly granted employee stock options and related programs, and ownership culture. A publisher and research source in the field, NCEO holds workshops and conferences, and provides services to thousands of members.

Curriculum Library on Employee Ownership 
CLEO is the largest online academic repository of teaching and background materials on employee ownership. The building and success of CLEO is a collaborative effort. It was launched in 2008 by the Aspen Institute’s Center for Business Education, Foundation for Enterprise Development and Employee Ownership Foundation. The CLEO website includes over 500 materials (e.g., books, articles, cases, teaching modules, etc.) to help with research and teaching on a broad range of topics on employee ownership; over 50 foundation-setting seminal works that were specifically identified and uploaded in the past few months; more recent newly developed works (e.g., research papers) and educational cases, syllabi, and curriculum that were graciously contributed by researchers and professors around the world; and teaching modules and reading collections with suggested relevant materials.

The Ohio Employee Ownership Center
A non-profit, university-based program established in 1987 to provide outreach, information, and preliminary technical assistance to Ohio employees and business owners interested in exploring employee ownership. The OEOC provides ownership training on a single and multi-company basis to existing employee-owned firms.

The Beyster Institute at UC San Diego's Rady School of Management
The Beyster Institute works to advance the understanding and practice of employee ownership as an effective and responsible business model. It focuses on education, research and consulting to promote employee ownership and the creation of effective ownership cultures.

The Center for Community-Based Enterprise (C2BE)
The Center for Community-Based Enterprise (C2BE) provides legal, financial, product-development, marketing, self-management, and worker-ownership-conversion expertise to create living-wage jobs through worker ownership in any of its forms, particularly among historically underserved populations in Detroit.

Sources of Information on Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)

The ESOP Association
A national, non-profit association dedicated to employee ownership with a focus on ESOPs and employee ownership. The Association is a source of educational materials and meetings for management of employee-owned companies. The Association is an advocate before Congress and regulatory agencies for employee ownership laws.

The New England Chapter of the ESOP Association
A regional chapter of the ESOP Association, New England Chapter's primary activity is presenting a variety of programs during the year. Their workshops expose employees to a variety of topics, including ownership behavior and technical ESOP issues.

Sources of Information on Worker Cooperatives

U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives
A national grassroots membership organization of and for worker cooperatives, democratic workplaces, and organizations that support the growth and development of worker cooperatives.

Democracy at Work Institute (DAWI)
A non-profit affiliated with the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives; they maintain a really great resource library that covers a wide range of issues faced by worker co-ops.

Worker Cooperative Toolbox
Created by the Northcountry Cooperative Foundation to assist potential co-op members and their partners in choosing, planning, organizing, and supporting new and existing employee-owned cooperatives.

The University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives (UWCC)
Established in 1962 as the International Cooperative Training Center. Although international cooperative education remains a responsibility of UWCC, their programs now touch all types of domestic cooperatives.

The ICA Group
A nonprofit organization that seeks to create and save jobs through the development and strengthening of employee-owned cooperatives and community-based projects. ICA provides a full range of business consulting and technical assistance services, education, and financing to clients working in or seeking to start worker-owned and community-based businesses.

South Mountain Company
An employee-owned, resource-conscious design/build firm located on the island of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.

Coop Zone
A Canadian network of co-operative developers and an on-line clearinghouse of information, tools and resources.

Sources of General Information on Small Business Management

Becoming Employee Owned: A Small Business Toolkit
An initiative of the Democracy at Work Institute, Becoming Employee Owned is a think-and-do tank supporting worker cooperatives to grow to a scale that creates meaningful economic change. The website includes resources for small businesses and company profiles.

Vermont Small Business Development Center
An excellent place to seek assistance with general business issues or training needs.

Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center (VMEC)
An experienced statewide resource for confidential consulting, coaching, strategy development, implementation assistance and executive / worker training to accelerate profitable growth through innovation, increased productivity, cost reduction and improved competitiveness. VMEC staff members are recognized national experts in Administrative Lean, Lean Manufacturing, Innovation Engineering, Quality Systems, plus more.