Indiana Cooperative Development Center

03/16/2026

Amid a national shortage in affordable housing, many communities are exploring grassroots solutions like community land trusts and cooperatives. Come learn about models that are working elsewhere in Indiana and meet other South Bend residents passionate about housing solutions.

Hugh Farrell (Indiana Cooperative Development Center) will give a presentation based on cooperative projects in Bloomington, Evansville and NW Indiana. Afterwards, join a facilitated discussion about South Bend’s needs and potential next steps.

Join us at the NNN Community Center! �Thursday, April 2nd |
6pm – 7:30pm �1013 Portage Ave, South Bend, IN 46616

12/30/2025

We are pleased to announce registration is open (http://infmcp.org/elementor-17041/) for Indiana's annual Farmers Market Forum. The FMF, a project of the Indiana Farmers Market Community of Practice, is an important space for farmers market managers, volunteers, and vendors to connect, share experiences, and develop skills for supporting their local markets.

With support from Purdue Extension, Partners IN Food & Farming, and the Indiana Cooperative Development Center, this year's forum will be hosted in-person at the Indiana Farm Bureau in Indianapolis on February 4th, 2026.

We would love to see you there! Sign up soon, as spaces are limited. Registration is open now until January 21.

Address:
Indiana Farm Bureau
225 S East Street, Suite 252
Indianapolis, IN 46202

Time:
8:30AM-4:15PM
Wednesday, February 4, 2026

Cost and Registration:
Sliding scale from $25-50. Registration includes admission for all sessions, snacks, coffee, and lunch.

Session topics include:
Board development and volunteer recruitment
Conflict resolution skills for market participants
Alternative Models for Farmers Markets - farm stops, seasonal markets & beyond
Community Conversations on:
Reflection on the 2025 season, challenges, & preventing burnout
"How Can We Help?" - How can the Indiana Farmers Market Community of Practice best serve your needs?

11/10/2025

So proud of all the work Homeward Bound Villages has done to get this point. It's inspiring that Michigan City not only now has an affordable housing co-op, but one that is such an innovative model!

Happening SATURDAY! Everyone is welcome to join us in this historic moment as we cut the ribbon at Karwick Village!

For those who cannot attend the ceremony at Kawick Village, we will be sharing it on Facebook Live beginning at 1 pm.

Please note: Parking at Karwick Village is not possible; guests are asked to please park at Krueger Middle School and ride the shuttle to the ribbon cutting. Please allow enough time to do this. Thank you!

07/03/2025

Up & Coming Food
Co-op Conference
Sept. 11-13, 2025

Early Bird Registration is Open!

We’re excited to announce that early bird registration for Up & Coming 2025 is officially open!

Join us September 11–13, 2025 in Kalamazoo, MI for the only national conference dedicated to start-up food co-ops.

As you plan to attend, get ready to immerse yourself in:
*Inspiring educational sessions led by co-op experts and practitioners
*Valuable networking opportunities with peers from across the country
*Engaging activities designed to spark ideas, foster collaboration, and build community

Whether you're just starting your co-op journey or deep into development, this conference offers the tools, connections, and support you need to take the next step—while having some fun along the way!

Don’t miss out—register early and save!
Registration Information
Check out the website - www.upandcoming.coop - for all the details. Organized in collaboration with Food Co-op Initiative!

Questions? Email Hugh Farrell at [email protected]
Join us September 11-13, 2025

04/28/2025

If you’re a small-business owner thinking about retiring, join us for a 1-day Employee Ownership Summit on Wednesday, June 18 to learn more about transitioning to employee ownership and why it may be a great solution for you! Learn more https://bit.ly/3YRhsLl and register today https://bit.ly/42XX79D

04/25/2025

Last month, 120 dreamers and doers from all across the state came together to discuss potential and existing cooperative and Community Land Trust solutions to the housing crisis. When we seek to solve systemic issues through connection, education, and collaboration, big things happen! Thank you to our fellow sponsors: IU Center for Rural Engagement, Bloomington Cooperative Living, and Greater Indianapolis Multifaith Alliance!

03/31/2025

Terry Lewis has devoted her career as an expert in cooperative law and her keen legal mind to advance all that is right in cooperative ownership. A passionate advocate for cooperative housing, her lifelong commitment and sage advice not only helped countless people by strengthening the cooperatives in which they live and work but earned her a 2008 induction into the Cooperative Hall of Fame. https://bit.ly/4iMg1Fv

03/28/2025

A cooperative ambassador, economist, and community economic development expert, Dr. Jessica Gordon Nembhard is a historian of cooperative empowerment and transformation within low-income and minority communities. Her vision and principled leadership positioned cooperatives as tools for economic and racial justice in the 21st century and supported her 2016 induction into the Cooperative Hall of Fame. https://bit.ly/43HBYRJ

03/26/2025

Cooperatives might be the world’s “best-kept secret,” but Anne Reynolds has spent her career making that secret a little less kept and a lot more accessible. Previously with the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Center for Cooperatives—her career has not only spanned co-op sectors, but bridged gaps: between academics and business leaders, between strategic thinking and practical application and across deep ideological and cultural divides. Learn more about Anne: https://bit.ly/3XP0Cfz

03/24/2025

Tenured Professor of Law, Carmen Huertas-Noble spent her professional career laying the tracks for a sustainable worker cooperative sector in New York City and beyond. An invaluable ally for worker cooperatives, Carmen’s insight, experience, scholarship, and tireless efforts have raised awareness of the worker cooperative movement, helped create the ecosystem worker cooperatives need to flourish, and earned her a nomination into the 2020 Cooperative Hall of Fame. Learn more: .
https://bit.ly/3FsdBO8

03/21/2025

Louise Herring, sometimes called "the mother of credit unions," was only 23 years old when she started to organize credit unions. An employee of the Kroger Company, Herring set up credit unions to serve Kroger employees, who often had difficulty getting loans from banks. Herring became involved with the national cooperative movement and was a key player at the 1934 Estes Park conference that established CUNA, despite being one of the youngest delegates at the event. Later, she became the first director of the Ohio Credit Union League. In that role, she helped organize more than 500 credit unions across the state. https://bit.ly/3XJSQ6I