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We are very excited about more cooperative summer weather here at CMBA! We wish you all lots of summer activities, explorations, in-person outdoor gatherings and more. Have fun, take good care, and enjoy! 🍦Read on for updates on events, celebrations, and Maine Co-op news. Remember that Common Ground Fair and Co-op Month are fast approaching. How is your co-op involved in either or both? Find some tips on activities below! Happy Summer, Pride Month, and Cooperation to you and your co-op! |
“If you want the cooperation of humans around you, you must make them feel they are important — and you do that by being genuine and humble. You know that other people have qualities that may be better than your own. Let them express them.” -Nelson Mandela |
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CMBA Member Opportunity — MOFGA Common Ground Fair Ad- Joint Marketing Opportunity for CMBA Members - |
Are you a member of CMBA? If so, let us know if you’re interested in participating in this joint marketing opportunity with other Maine Co-ops and supporters! Click on the button below to notify us that you’re interested in participating. Deadline is June 15th! |
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2021’s Joint CMBA AdLast year’s ad was impactful and well received! We have enough interest to place a similar full page and full color ad again this year as a way to educate the public about co-ops in Maine and to highlight our individual co-ops. There are a few spots left. Let us know if your co-op is interested in participating! |
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What are you doing for Co-op Month 2022? |
Co-op Month is in October and is celebrated nation wide. We want our members to be on the lookout for the Co-op Month Theme early this year. We want to assist with idea generation for activities and celebration opportunities. Please let us know what you’re planning this year and reach out for support! CMBA is joining forces with attorneys at Bernstein Shur and Columinate representatives to develop a Co-op Webinar series for Co-op Month this year. Keep your eyes peeled for more news on this exciting opportunity. We are thrilled that there is a law firm in Maine that has taken interest in co-ops and co-op development — It could be a game changer for many of our Maine co-ops! The 2022 Co-op Month Theme is not yet publicized. We suggest bookmarking the coopmonth.coop website so that you can access resource material and support when the theme is released. Having a common theme for co-op month activities nation-wide ensures greater visibility and can have a stronger impact as co-ops join forces. It creates brand recognition and increases the likelihood of capturing the interest of those not yet involved in the co-op movement, allowing them to get a glimpse of the benefits of co-ops and the strong movement that sustain and strengthen the cooperative economy. Last year’s theme was “Build Back for Impact” - a fitting theme to round out two difficult pandemic years. We are waiting with anticipation for the 2022 theme and hope it will be inspiring and engaging. You can visit the Co-op Month VIDEO resource page in the meantime. Share some of the videos listed with your members and your community as short educational segments. Here is a link to one of the videos. It can fit easily into your newsletter or can serve as inspiration for your own video content. |
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MAINE CO-OP NEWS |
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Happy Little Paradise Childcare Co-op has been working hard to get their doors open this spring. Happy Little Paradise is a childcare cooperative co-founded by 4 immigrant women in Lewiston, Maine. The worker-owners are pressing forward in partnership with CDI, Maine Roads to Quality and CEI as part of a Lewiston-Auburn Childcare Collective, to launch their co-op. This group will finally be able to provide this sought after service to their Lewiston community. |
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Are you able to help them be successful in their startup phase by donating to their fundraising campaign? |
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Raise-Op Housing Cooperative in Lewiston -Expansion Raise-Op currently has three buildings with a total of 15 units in Lewiston and has operated since 2008. They are now expanding through a collaborative development effort in the heart of the City. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new 18 unit development on Blake & Walnut took place in the end of April this year. There is a lot of support in the twin cities for this project, which is deeply integrated with the Lewiston’s Choice Neighborhood Transformation Plan. |
Mayor Carl L. Sheline stated, “This development represents new beginnings, empowerment, and achievement. Here, people and families will continue to build toward our shared future of a lead-free Lewiston and a neighborhood where all people can afford a safe, comfortable place to call home.” |
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Shoutout to Liberty Graphics for winning the Small Business Manufacturer of the Year Award State Rep. S. Paige Zeigler, D-Montville, visited Liberty Graphics May 25 to present the SBA award to Jay Sproul, president of Liberty Graphics’ board, and Sam Bartlett, general manager. Liberty Graphics recently converted to a worker cooperative with the help of the Cooperative Development Institute when Tom Opper, one of the founding owners, retired in 2021. |
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New Roots Cooperative Farm still has CSA Shares available! We offer fresh local vegetables for people in Southern Maine through our Community Supported Agriculture program. We are cooperatively owned and producing healthy fruits and vegetables by caring for the land and using no chemicals or pesticides. |
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For the past 6 years, we have run this program through the Fresh Start Farms CSA with Cultivating Community. New Roots Farm Cooperative is now in charge of our own CSA program and we look forward to serving our Somali and American communities. |
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Cooperative Fund of the Northeast has a new staff member based in Maine. YAY! |
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Maggie Maiorana joins CFNE in the role of Program Associate. She joins the Technical Assistance team to support their work, helping groups to navigate the world of cooperative enterprise through coaching, connections, and content. Based in Auburn, Maine, Maggie has previously worked in public schools, farms, and nonprofits with a focus on advancing social and racial justice. |
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Pride parade returns to Belfast after hiatus “Belfast Co-op, one of the parade sponsors, posted afterward on its Facebook page: ‘…We believe everybody belongs, that love is love, and that here in Belfast all are welcome. Join us for the month of June as we express ourselves authentically and lift up the voices of those who are frequently marginalized.’” |
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“…the Co-op also praised the students and teachers at the Belfast Area High School for organizing the event this year: ‘Your determination and tenacity stood out and helped encourage others to join in! Thank you for organizing the parade and being an inspiration for all!’” |
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Congratulations to Maine Resident Owned Communities… who finished the last of their infrastructure improvement projects this spring with the help of Community Development Block Grant funds and support from the Genesis Fund. The communities were able to access funding they don't normally have access to to cover significant infrastructure projects like replacing water and sewer mains, building new well houses, septic systems etc. Wonderful news for these important communities! |
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Two Maine credit unions agree to merge, with aim to serve more farmers Harvest FCU, only three years old, merge with Five County FCU for greater impact. Harvest FCU was the nation’s first credit union to focus only on agriculture and currently “…has $2.9 million in assets and 81 members, while Five County was chartered in 1956, has around $365 million in assets, and serves 27,400 members.” The merger is intended to solidify and increase support for small farms and food producers. |
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Common Signs of Financial Distress for Co-ops “Because you cannot solve a problem until you recognize that it exists, staying vigilant for signs of financial trouble will ensure that the maximum range of options is available for a co-op to make necessary changes and to get back on track to achieving its goals.” |
| This article is written by Adam Prescott, Esq. of Bernstein Shur. He is one of the attorneys collaborating with CMBA on the upcoming Co-op Month Webinar Series. Speaking to the importance of financial stability, he highlights four warning signs that co-op boards and management should watch for in order to mitigate financial risk. |
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Warning Sign #1: Decreasing Revenue, Margin, and Negative Financial Trends Warning Sign #2: Defaulting or Slow Paying with Vendors Warning Sign # 3: Frequent Cash Shortages Warning Sign #4: Deferred Maintenance and Capital Improvements |
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EVENTS |
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CFNE Upcoming WebinarMake a Statement! Part 2 in CFNE's Ready for Capital webinar series
Wednesday, June 15, 2022, at 12 PM Eastern, online via Zoom (Spanish Translation available) Financial reports without context can feel overwhelming, but they don’t have to! Any and all are welcome, including board members and co-op owner-members, to join us to learn about the three key financial statements you'll need to help your co-op thrive. This is a great opportunity to get some footing for your first start up projections, get a refresher, or would be great for established co-ops to learn new ways to share your financials with members in an approachable way. |
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| Juneteenth CelebrationNational Conference on Cooperative Black Agenda is inviting you to celebrate the growing national Black cooperative movement in a virtual Juneteenth Celebration on Thursday, June 16th. | |
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Celebrate Pride Month with your community! |
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The below list can be found on News Center Maine’s website: Ogunquit Pride - Wednesday, June 1 - Sunday, June 5 Hallowell Pride - Saturday, June 4 Stonington - Saturday, June 4 Belfast Has Pride - Saturday June 4 Sanford Pride Picnic - Sunday, June 5 Brunswick Pride Festival - Saturday June, 11 Bar Harbor Pride - Saturday, June 11 Lewiston Auburn Pride March - Saturday, June 11 Ellsworth Pride Festival - Sunday, June 12 Pride Portland! - Saturday, June 18 Pride Aroostook (Presque Isle) - Saturday, June 18 Bucksport Pride - Saturday, June 18 Orono Pride - Friday, June 19 Farmington Pride - Saturday, June 25 Bangor Pride - Saturday, June 25 Downeast Pride (Lubec & Eastport) - Sunday, June 26
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RESOURCES |
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P6 2022 Keynote Speaker Christine Hallquist |
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