Help Us Build Economic Democracy in North Carolina

Across our state, communities are taking back control of their economic future. Worker-owned businesses where employees share profits and make decisions together. Community-owned grocery stores that serve neighborhoods abandoned by corporate chains. Housing cooperatives where residents build wealth instead of paying landlords. These aren't just businesses—they're democracy in action.

At the same time, the state is deserting its people. The national economy is in chaos as prices rise and supply chains are broken. More than ever, people need to work collectively to remain secure.

The federal government is eliminating the programs that help communities build cooperatives. For thirteen years, Carolina Common Enterprise has been North Carolina's cooperative development center, helping people create businesses that serve communities instead of extracting wealth from them. Now, with federal funding disappearing and payments frozen, we need our cooperative community to step up.

What's at Stake

Without support, we lose:

• Training programs that show communities how to start cooperatives.

• Technical assistance for existing co-ops struggling to grow.

• Financial guidance for worker-owners and community entrepreneurs.

• A network connecting cooperatives to resources, financing, and other cooperatives.

• The backbone of the cooperative movement in North Carolina.

This isn't just about one organization—it's about whether North Carolina communities can build economic alternatives that keep wealth local and give people real power over their work and neighborhoods. Nor is it about one program. The ability of USDA Rural Development to serve rural North Carolina with housing and business loans, weatherization, community facilities, is disappearing.

How CCE Responds

Rather than wait for federal programs that may never return, CCE is restructuring our service model to reach more people with fewer resources and focusing on the work we do best. We are reducing dependency on federal and other grant funding. We must also build independent funding from the cooperative community itself. Your support helps us:

• $50.00 - Provides guidance for one aspiring cooperative founder

• $250.00 - Funds a community workshop on cooperative development

• $500.00 - Supports technical assistance for an existing cooperative facing challenges

• $1,000.00 - Sponsors comprehensive training for a worker-owned business

• $2,500.00 - Funds a week of operations keeping our programs running

Why Cooperatives Matter Now

When corporations extract wealth and government programs disappear, cooperatives offer a third way. They create:

• Jobs that can't be outsourced because they're owned by the community

• Wealth that stays local instead of flowing to distant shareholders

• Democratic workplaces where people have real voice and control

• Economic resilience built from the ground up

Join the Movement

This moment demands that we build our own infrastructure. Every dollar you contribute helps North Carolina communities create enterprises that serve people, not profit.

We're not just asking for a donation—we're inviting you to invest in economic democracy.

Carolina Common Enterprise is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cooperative development center. We provide training and technical assistance to cooperative and community-owned businesses across North Carolina, helping people help themselves through mutually owned enterprises.

Together, we can build an economy that works for everyone.