Model and Strategy
The purpose of the Working Together initiative is to foster economic resiliency and environmental sustainability by equipping low-income immigrants and communities of color in San Francisco with the tools to launch worker or community cooperatives and social enterprises; cultivating a network of community organizations, city agencies, small business technical assistance providers, and policy makers, among others, to support these grassroots initiatives; and advancing a policy agenda that earmarks city investments to cooperative and social enterprise development, incubation and support. These activities will ensure that San Francisco's efforts to support sharing economy initiatives benefit its most vulnerable residents in achieving economic assets and well-being.
Impact
Creation of an education toolbox to prepare the next generation of cooperative leaders
Cultivation of a formal network of community organizations and city agencies, small business technical assistance providers and entrepreneurs, cooperative developers, and policy makers
Establishment of leadership cohorts preparing to start-up cooperative efforts
Collaboration with the stakeholders to seek policies that will support cooperatives and social enterprise efforts by low-income immigrants and people of color
Collection of sign-up & evaluation forms from the Co-op Economy Academy to ensure a minimum of 50 participants per year found the sessions satisfactory
Collection of sign-up sheets at broader community education sessions and skill shares to ensure that at least 100 community residents participated per year
Launch of a minimum of two PODER member led co-ops or social enterprises
Leadership
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Antonio Diaz
Organizational Director