Facts about Cooperatives
Cooperatives are member-owned businesses that operate for the mutual benefit of their members. They are social enterprises with a set of shared values and community-focus operating across a variety of sectors, including agriculture, childcare, credit unions, energy, food, healthcare, housing, retail, media and telecommunications. Cooperatives are a powerful business model in developed and developing countries—promoting the fullest possible participation in the economic and social development of all people, including women, those young and old, persons with disabilities and indigenous people.
- 29,000 cooperatives operate in every sector of the U.S. economy and congressional district
- 1 billion people are members of cooperatives worldwide
- 1 in 3 Americans are co-op members holding 350 million co-op memberships nationwide
- U.S. cooperatives generate 2 million jobs each year, contribute $652 billion in annual sales and possess $3 trillion in assets
- 7,500 credit unions provide financial services to 92 million U.S. consumers
- Most of the nation’s 2 million farmers are farmer co-op members providing 250,000 jobs and $8 billion in annual wages
- 1.2 million U.S. families of all income levels live in homes owned and operated through cooperatives
- 42 million Americans rely on electricity from 900 rural electric co-ops in 47 states—making up 42% of the nation’s electric distribution and covering 75% of our land mass
- 233 million people are served by co-op owned & affiliated insurance companies
- 1.2 million rural Americans are served by the 260 telephone cooperatives in 31 states
- 50,000 U.S. families rely on cooperative day care centers to care of their children
Types of Cooperatives
- Consumer: Owned by consumers who buy goods/services of the co-op
- Producer: Owned by commodities/crafts producers joining forces to process/market its products
- Worker: Owned & democratically governed by employees who become co-op members
- Purchasing: Owned by independent businesses/municipalities to improve its purchasing power
- Hybrid: Combination of co-op types, banding people with common interests together
About NCBA
National Cooperative Business Association is the national association for cooperative businesses providing cross-sector education, support and advocacy to help start and grow co-ops across a variety of sectors. For nearly 100 years, our mission has been to develop, advance and protect cooperative businesses demonstrating that cooperatives are a better business model for advancing economic and social impact. For 50 years, we have supported cooperative development globally through our CLUSA International Program.
