Magazine

WINTER 2017

VOLUME 1

The Ohio

COOPERATIVE

Magazine

Annual Report

photo credit: Katie LoPresti

WORKERS PARTNERS FRIENDS 2017 marked a lustrum of me officially taking the helm of the CoNimby Foundation. I was tasked with developing an organization which promoted equitable opportunity and achievement. After almost a decade of qualitative inquiry and field research, The Ohio Cooperative was founded to promote community development, job creation, and job growth.

At, The Ohio Cooperative, we’re proud to be worker-owned and democratically controlled, adhering to the principle of one share-one vote.

We will continue our work to assure that the cooperative delivers increasing value to our workers-owners, and Impact Fund® partners.

Thank you for taking the time to view The Ohio Cooperative 2017 Annual Report.

Robert Farris, Chairman and President CoNimby Foundation; Founder, The Ohio Cooperative

WHAT IS A WORKER COOPERATIVE? WORTHWHILE AND SATISFYING EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS HAPPINESS

A worker cooperative is a values-driven business that puts worker and community benefit at the core of its purpose.

The two central characteristics of worker cooperatives are: (1) worker-owners invest in and own the business together, and it distributes surplus to them and, (2) decision-making is democratic, adhering to the general principle of one share-one vote.

2017:

by the numbers

88 Impact Funds 100+ companies 100% net distribution

AN IMPACT FUND® AN IMPACT INVESTMENT VEHICLE

photo credit: Katie LoPresti

FINANCIAL REPORT Our primary investment objective is to preserve and grow our endowment by generating returns greater than our spending on grants, community development, administrative costs and inflation. We believe measuring our performance over five year periods is essential to measuring both growth and impact. For the five year period ending December 31, 2017, the endowment has grown from $0 to $10mm in assets.

In 2015, the Board of Directors approved the establishment of The Ohio Cooperative, and the Women’s Foundation of Ohio. The Ohio Cooperative will focus on Impact Investing through community development, job creation, and job growth. While, The Women’s Foundation of Ohio will focus solely on providing grants to Ohio based 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit organizations focused on women’s issues.

In 2017, the Board of Directors approved the service marks of Impact Fund® and Impact Awards® to guide and celebrate our growth.

PAGE 5

WHY WE'RE DIFFERENT. KEYS TO OUR CULTURE Our first key is: Worker-ownership.

Our fourth key is: Diversity and inclusiveness.

Worker-ownership refers to the organizational

Inclusiveness is the component that makes

structure of ownership of a company by its

diversity work. One without the other is a losing

workers. When workers acquire cooperative

battle. One of our most important advantages

share directly, they become direct owners, and

is the ability to learn from and accept different

can exercise all the rights associate with

cultural perspectives. These perspectives allow

ownership, including share of the company’s

our teams to harness the power of our

equity value and voting rights

differences to drive innovation.

Our second key is: Democratic control.

Our fifth key is: Digital workplace.

Democratic control refers to the organizational structure where worker-owners actively participate and serve as elected representatives. The Ohio Cooperative Workers’ Council is our elected body of representatives that ensure the cooperative is performing

Our digital workplace is founded on the art of telecommuting. Majority of our non-specific location based positions are telecommuting.

Meaning our teams utilize our toolbox of software technology to create the virtual equivalent of a physical office workplace.

Teams can operative from any location.

profitably and focused on its’ mission.

Our third key is: Horizontal team-based.

Our sixth key is: Charitable giving.

A horizontal team-based structure allows our teams to have direct ownership of the wins they accomplish. Allowing teams to win will allow our organization to eliminate wasteful processes while being increasingly flexible to accomplish our goals.

Charitable giving is a hallmark our work. Our worker-owners are proud to support the needs of our community by proving grants to local charity organizations that align with the goals and guidelines of the specified community grant program.

Our Divisions The Cooperative Personnel Administration Center, CPAC, provides administrative service and support to all of our organizations. Administrators perform all secretarial and administrative assignments for all organizations, Impact Funds, and cooperative personnel.

The Ohio Media and Marketing Association, OMMA, manages all media and marketing campaigns for all of our organizations.

Marketing associates develop marketing plans that coordinate media and marketing campaigns to reinforce and assist with business goals.

The Ohio Cooperative LLP is our consulting division tasked with assisting our organizations and clients’ in being more successful.

Consultants manage a diverse portfolio of organizations and clients’.

BEING PART OF THE

Solution

photo credit: Katie LoPresti

photo credit: Katie LoPresti

ELECTION 2017 Motions Motion 1: To hire an Executive Director for the Women’s Foundation of Ohio.

The Women’s Foundation of Ohio is our grant-making foundation that supports charities throughout the state that focus on women issues. Hiring an Executive Director would guide the program and fulfill its charitable purpose while lessening the burden on CPAC. RESULTS – NO Motion 2: To support Ohio House Bill 581.

Ohio House Bill 581 authorizes Series limited liability companies. The passing of HB 581 would support the statewide job creation and job growth efforts of The Ohio Cooperative by allowing us to secure separate rights, powers, and duties per each small business.

RESULTS – YES Motion 3: To develop equity investment impact fund.

The Ohio Cooperative only operates in the impact investment space through our impact funds. Developing an equity fund would require the partnership of a sub-adviser.

RESULTS – NO Motion 4: To develop a headquarters office space.

The Cooperative Personnel Administration Center, CPAC, is the only office space the cooperative maintains. This allows majority of non-specific location worker-owners to work from home. Developing a headquarters would require majority to report to an office location.

RESULTS – NO Motion 5: To hire an Executive Director for the Ohio Media and Marketing Association.

The Ohio Media and Marketing Association, OMMA, marketing associates currently report directly to CPAC. An Executive Director would oversee all marketing associates, manage marketing plans, and achieve other objectives for cooperative small businesses.

RESULTS – NO

COOPERATIVE ELECTION 2017

ELECTION 2017 Motions Motion 6: To establish The Ohio Cooperative Workers Council.

The Ohio Cooperative Workers’ Council will consist of one (1) worker-owner per State County to represent the people of that county in Board Meetings. Each council member must be voted in and will serve a three year term.

RESULTS – YES Motion 7: To submit employment numbers to the Ohio Development Services Agency.

The submission of employment numbers includes: Temp, Part-time, and Full-time workers to the Ohio Development Agency. The Agency collects employment data on employers throughout the state.

RESULTS – TABLE 2018 Motion 8: To appoint Sunbelt Business Brokers as acquisition partner.

The Ohio Cooperative acquires small businesses through its social enterprise Impact Funds to maintain a diversified portfolio. The cooperative is seeking to develop an exclusive partnership with one company that specializes in small business acquisitions.

RESULTS – YES Motion 9: To establish a two year college.

Even with many colleges in the state of Ohio, minorities still graduate at a lesser rate than their peers. Establishing a two year college to combat this issue is crucial to the quality of life of Ohioans. http://collegecompletion.chronicle.com/state/#state=oh&sector=public_two RESULTS – NO Motion 10: To hire a Director of Impact Investing.

The Executive Director of Impact Investing will be responsible for managing investor relations between our limited partners and our impact fund® services.

RESULTS – TABLE 2018

End of Election Results COOPERATIVE ELECTION 2017

FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN Fiscal 2018-2023 Approved: February 3rd 2018

Increase stakeholder value Build Impact Fund® capacity Ensure financial sustainability Establish executive leadership Foster collaborative connections

photo credit: Katie LoPresti

Purpose, Service, and Leadership - Begins with YOUHELP IMPACT THE NEXT GENERATION

CONNECT WITH US STAY CURRENT WITH CONIMBY! @CONIMBY

JOIN THE CONVERSATIONS ON FACEBOOK®, TWITTER®, YOUTUBE®, AND OUR OWN BLOG SITE, BLOG.CONIMBY.ORG, FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND INFORMATION. WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.

TO CONTRIBUTE The Ohio Cooperative Magazine is a publication geared toward disseminating information about community development, job creation, and job growth in the state of Ohio. Our platforms include print and digital versions of the The Ohio Cooperative Magazine.

In addition to feature articles written by our staff, The Ohio Cooperative Magazine welcomes outside contributions. These contributed articles may be published in print, online, or both.

Most articles are technical. Due to the multidisciplinary of the magazine’s readership, Articles should be written to be readable and useful to all readers. Suggested length is up to 1,000 words. Graphics, tables, and photos are encouraged but not required. If included, images must be high-resolution and include a caption and photo credit.

All articles should be original to The Ohio Cooperative Magazine and not been previously published elsewhere. They cannot promote a company or its products/services, but can focus on its contribution to community development; how the company has helped spur employment and new enterprises.

Authors must obtain all necessary approvals and releases from their organization and affiliated partners prior to submission. If images or illustrations were published previously, the author must obtain written permission for re-publication prior to submission.

To submit an article Email articles not exceeding 1,000 words to Info@CoNimby.org. Subject: article title.

Payment We buy articles focused on community development, economic development, capacity building, women issues, minority issues, impact investing, and any other topics comparable to our mission. Payment is made upon acceptance. All articles is subjected to rigorous editing.

Copyright All published articles are copyrighted by CoNimby Foundation and may only be used for other purposes with written approval of The Ohio Cooperative. You are encouraged to create a link from your website to the online version of your article, but you may not copy the article onto your site without the permission from The Ohio Cooperative.

Thanks for your interest in writing for us!

CoNimby Foundation P.O. Box 36497 Cincinnati, Ohio 45236 P. (513) 549-6754 E. Subject: Magazine Info@CoNimby.org