Resources for founders, collectives and co-operatives
Development Bodies & Support Networks
Co-operative Alternatives - co-operative development body in N. Ireland with expertise in all stages of co-operative development.
Irish Co-operative Organisation Society Limited - national federation of agricultural and rural co-operatives in Ireland with expertise in incorporation of societies and ongoing legal/governance support.
Golden Jubilee Trust - charitable foundation with aims including co-operative development within rural communities in Ireland. They consider requests for support from early stage co-operatives.
Community Finance Ireland - social finance provider working on an all-island basis with track record of lending to co-operatives of all types.
Plunkett Foundation - currently exploring entry into co-operative development in Ireland.
Trademark Belfast - social justice organisation in Belfast supported by trade union movement with a focus on supporting the development of worker-led co-operatives.
SolidNetwork - a network for those working within the co-operative and solidarity economy in Ireland.
Irish Social Enterprise Network - network of social enterprisers in Ireland providing advice and mentoring to social enterpisers.
Seeds for Change UK based development network with free resources relevant to Ireland based founders and co-operatives.
Co-operatives UK - UK based co-operative federation with free resources relevant to Ireland based founders and co-operatives.
Energy
Energy Co-operatives Ireland - development body for start-up and established energy co-operatives
Community Power - community-owned energy provider sourcing from energy co-operatives.
State Supports
Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme - source of start-up funding for certain kinds of co-operatives, contact your local LEADER, IRL-only.
Guides
General
'Starting a Co-op' - ICOS, IRL viewpoint - see checklist and business plan template.
Community Shares Handbook - CUK, UK viewpoint - valuable for GB/NI co-ops, some relevance to IRL based co-ops.
Guide to legal forms: Social Enterprises in Ireland - Trustlaw, IRL viewpoint.
Do-ocracy Handbook - Transition Network, general guide to organising a project, initiative, group or enterprise, UK viewpoint.
Coopedia - search engine for co-operative development content from around the world.
Food Co-ops
Food Co-op Toolkit - SustainWeb, UK viewpoint - much applicable to IRL
How to set up a Grocery Co-operative - Unicorn Grocery, UK viewpoint but applicable to IRL
Housing Co-ops
Guides to Community-led Housing - SOA Research, research publication and four start-up guides for co-operative and community-led housing projects. IRL viewpoint.
How to set up a Housing Co-op - Radical Routes, UK viewpoint but relevant to IRL
Worker Co-ops
How to set up a worker co-operative - Seeds for Change, comprehensive guide to starting a worker co-operative, UK viewpoint but lots relevant to IRL.
Solidarity Co-ops
Solidarity as a Business Model: A Multi-Stakeholder Cooperatives Manual - CDC, comprehensive guide to starting a solidarity co-operative, US viewpoint but lots relevant to IRL.
Tools
Developed by Co-operative / Ethical Enterprise
Co-budget - participative budgeting tool, developed by UK co-operative Greaterthan
Loomio - decision-making tool, developed by NZ co-operative Loomio. Guidebook here.
Coophub - list of code repository, by co-ops for co-ops
Jitsi - open source video conferencing
Collective.Tools - co-operatively hosted open source tools.
Meet.Coop - co-opeatively hosted video conferencing (BigBlueButton)
Community.Rule - rule generator of online communities and unincorporated associations.
Other
Twist - thread-based alternative to apps like Slack
thedecider.app - application for helping you decide what decision-making process is appropriate.
Resources
Governance, Policies and Decision-making
CAN policies - A comprehensive set of working policies with a co-operative focus. UK viewpoint, but applicable to IRL with some tweaks.
Simply Governance - A comprehensive guide from 2011 to understanding the systems and processes concerned with the running of a sustainable community enterprise. UK viewpoint, but broadly relevant to IRL context.
From Conflict to Co-operation - An excellent, illustrated 5 booklet series designed to help organisations deal with conflict when it arises and also avoid unnecessary conflict. authored by Kate Whittle of Co-operantics. UK viewpoint, but broadly applicable.
Finance
Financial Literacy for Co-operatives - Seeds of Change, very comprehensive, UK viewpoint but applicable to IRL.
Simple Finance - CUK, comprehensive guide to financing. UK viewpoint, but a lot relevant to IRL.
A new financial model for consulting
Governing Documents / Organisation Handbooks
Greaterthan Handbook - 'stewardship' co-operative registered as a UK company
Other organising and governing materials
Community Rule - basic governance for bootstrapping communities
Platform Co-ops
Many of these platforms are available for use by interested co-operatives in new regions.
Up&Go - home cleaning app
OpenFoodNetwork - decentralised food marketplace, existing UK co-op and forming IRL co-op
FairBnB - ethical homesharing, looking for new city partners
Media on the Co-operative and Solidarity Economy from across the web.
Podcasts
Interview with Sarah Fogarty from Community Power - Climate Allies Podcast, 2021, IRL viewpoint, discusses community-led energy in Ireland
Interview with Sean McCabe of TASC - Climate Allies Podcast, 2021, IRL viewpoint, discusses community-led solutions to climate crisis and 'The People’s Transition: Community-led Development for Climate Justice' Report (FEPS-TASC)
Community Wealth Building: boosting agency and diversification – FEASTA and EHFF podcast, 2021, IRL viewpoint.
Acknowledgements to Platform 6 where we have borrowed from their great list of co-operative resources.
Useful resource missing? Please use our contact form to share your suggestions.
Please feel free to share, remix or republish any part of this list for non-commercial purposes, but you must attribute 'Solid Co-op' were you do so.