Co-op reform workshop brings together rural organizers

Co-ops are incredibly well-positioned to transition to clean energy. They currently use a disproportionate amount of coal, among other fossil fuel sources. They’re also situated where clean energy is the most likely to succeed – rural areas where space is ample, the sun shines bright, and the wind blows strong. Co-ops serve 92% of the persistent poverty counties in the nation, making the opportunity to cut energy bills for customers via clean energy all the more appealing.

Moreover, co-op boards are markedly homogenous relative to the diversity of communities they are elected to serve. Among co-op boards in southern states, a study found that 93% of board members are white and 87% male despite having a population that is 44% BIPOC and ~50% female. In other places, like North Dakota, where co-ops predominantly serve Indigenous communities, co-op boards are practically, if not all, white-led. 

Grassroots organizations asked for more co-op organizing support, and we listened. In conversation with our grantees and others, we heard that many nonprofits working on co-ops want additional training and a space to meet with peers to learn best practices for co-op organizing. With this in mind, we recently hosted a Co-op Reform Workshop for grassroots organizers with our partners at the Educational Foundation of America and the Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation.

The energy in the room was palpable as organizers swapped ideas and stories. Some advocacy organizations are further along in their ‘co-op journey’ and are already actively engaging co-ops, while others are just getting started. Those further along in their progress shared how they’ve successfully helped communities create more representative co-op boards and moved co-ops to support clean energy efforts. Through breakout activities, participants worked together to test and refine plans for community outreach, rural communications, co-op board engagement, and clean energy advocacy.

As active facilitators, we listened and learned from the workshop participants during each session. Some of the top takeaways that further affirmed our approach to co-op advocacy include the following:

• Co-op reform requires long-term organizing capacity. Year-round education and outreach are needed to maintain and deepen public interest and engagement in co-ops. Ongoing member-owner advocacy drives co-op policy change and different co-op board election outcomes.
• Co-op board members and staff who advocate for change from the inside would benefit from more peer support. Along with support from organizers, co-op leaders in favor of clean energy and co-op reform need spaces where they can learn with other leaders who face similar challenges. More peer spaces would allow them to share best practices for how to advocate for change, such as updating co-op bylaws and pursuing federal funding for clean energy development.
• Co-op organizers want more spaces to collaborate and learn from one another. Ongoing spaces to collaborate and learn from one another are critical, especially as some groups have more knowledge about organizing and others have more knowledge about co-op policies and clean energy. 

As the workshop came to a close, participants shared their excitement about continued collaboration. Despite their geographic differences, they found many places of overlap and wanted to keep the conversations going. 

Capacity building and creating spaces for collaboration among rural organizers are critical parts of our work at the Rural Climate Partnership. To learn more about our rural electric cooperative work, please reach out! 

Note: Rural electric cooperatives are nonprofits and co-op reform efforts are almost always 501c(3) compliant